Health and Insurance Information

Health Insurance

It is absolutely essential that you have comprehensive health insurance while abroad. Ask your family to obtain written confirmation that your health insurance policy provides coverage in your country. The Bates insurance that many families subscribe to provides such coverage. If you have questions about Bates insurance plan coverage, consult the Cross Insurance Company web pages for Bates: select Bates College and the appropriate year from the drop-down menu.

Bates requires students to have comprehensive health insurance that meets the standards of the Bates/Wellfleet plan or higher, even when studying off-campus. This may result in you having multiple insurance coverage options while studying off-campus depending on your program/institution. That is perfectly normal, and can be helpful in the event of coverage.

Several companies specialize in student insurance abroad, including UHC SafeTrip, CISI WorldWide and GEOBlue. Take your policy number and the company’s address, regular telephone number, etc. with you. (800, 888, and other toll-free numbers do not work from overseas.)  You will need to pay upfront for most medical services received while abroad and then submit a claim for reimbursement.

Emergency Assistance

Many programs automatically enroll their students in an Emergency Assistance insurance policy. If your program does not provide emergency assistance, please know that you are covered by: CHUBB Travel Assistance program.

The CHUBB emergency center is open 24/7. The Bates plan number is: PDFD38454419 006. Please note that this emergency medical assistance does not eliminate the need for regular health insurance. Download the CHUBB Assistance contact card.

  • If calling from the United States, the number is: 1-800-766-8206.
  • If abroad, the number is: +1-202-659-7777 (call collect).

You should enter the appropriate telephone number into your cell phone so it will be available if needed. You can also download the CHUBB Travel App to your smartphone.

Health Forms and Immunization

It is never too early to complete any health forms and to start any immunization and other prophylactic measures needed for foreign travel.

When receiving multiple immunizations it is important to set up a schedule as soon as travel is planned. Consult your program and your personal physician for the necessary health and immunization information.

The Bates College Health Services is a valuable resource. They can provide advice, conduct physical exams, fill out health forms, and can refer you to the Central Maine Medical Center Travel Clinic for any necessary immunizations.

Health Services asks that you abide by the following guidelines:

  • Physical exams must take place at least one week before due date
  • Be on time for all appointments
  • Before your appointment check the Centers for Disease Control website to determine what vaccinations are required; bring that information to the appointment
  • Be aware that some program health forms (for example, SIT’s) require over one hour to complete

For the latest health information about specific destinations, immunization requirements, and general information about travel and health, consult the Centers for Disease Control or the World Health Organization.

For a list of travel health clinics worldwide, check the International Society of Travel Medicine.