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Information for Faculty and Staff

AXA Assistance - International Travel Medical Insurance

All UK faculty and staff traveling abroad in the course and scope of UK employment or representation, and all UK students traveling abroad for academic reasons, are eligible for coverage under the University's blanket international travel medical insurance and evacuation policy. The summary of benefits for employees can be found here. The summary of benefits for students is available here

This coverage extends to dependent children, spouses and domestic partners of UK employees or students who are traveling on the same trips. Coverage is not available for employees or students who are traveling solely for personal reasons (e.g., vacations). 

Please note that this coverage is completely separate from UK's employee health plans. 

To help ensure that you do not experience coverage interruptions overseas, and that UK is able to communicate instructions on access to coverage with you, please remember to register your trip with the UK International Center before your departure. After registering, you will receive a detailed e-mail with instructions on how to access your coverage. 

This plan is not intended as nor should it be construed as comprehensive medical coverage. For continuity of care, you should maintain domestic health insurance coverage. 

Coverage Information

UK's insurance policy includes coverage in a variety of areas, including the following:  

  • Medical expenses, up to $250,000. 
  • Medical evacuation expenses, up to 100% of incurred costs. 
  • Repatriation of remains, up to 100% of incurred costs. 
  • Emergency Reunion benefits, up to $12,500, for a family member to travel to you if you are hospitalized for more than 24 hours, or if you are the victim of a felonious assault. 
  • Trip cancellation benefits, up to $2,500 if you are prevented from taking your trip due to certain covered events. 
  • Trip interruption benefits, up to $2,500 if you must return home early due to certain covered events. 
  • 14 days of additional coverage, if you plan to use personal time immediately before or after a business trip. 

Cost of Coverage

Insurance coverage is offered to full-time UK employees at no charge. UK students (including student employees), medical residents and post-doctoral fellows are charged $10.50 per week (rounded up to the nearest full week) for the coverage. The charge will be posted to their student account statement as one lump sum during the term in which they are abroad, and will only be charged for their international program dates- not for the entire term. 

 

If you have questions regarding coverage, please direct them to Jason Hope, Director of Global Risk & Strategic Operations, at jasonhope@uky.edu.

Prescription Medication Information

If you will need to have a prescription refilled while you are abroad, make sure to contact AXA Assistance as soon as possible. They will need certain information from your prescribing physician in order to assist you in refilling your prescription. Make sure to have your doctor complete this form, and send it to AXA Assistance as soon as possible to begin the process.

Please also note that some medications are illegal overseas that may be legal in the US. For more information on this consideration, and for tips on determining any regulations surrounding your medication, click here.

Political Security and Natural Disaster Evacuation Services

In the event of certain covered natural or political disasters in their host country, travelers covered by UK's International Travel Medical Insurance policy are also eligible for evacuation service. The evacuation service will coordinate and pay to evacuate you to the nearest place of safety, or to the U.S. If you have a security concern or require evacuation, seek shelter as soon as possible, and call AXA Assistance at 1-312-935-3542. Then call the UK Police Department at 1-859-257-8573, who will relay your information to the appropriate authorities on campus. Both AXA Assistance and the UK Police Department's phone lines are staffed at all times.

Claims Submission Information

In the event of an emergency where you are unable to contact AXA Assistance before seeking treatment, you may submit claims after the fact for reimbursement. A detailed description of the claims filing process can be found in this document.

There are two forms which you may need to submit, depending on the circumstances: the medical claim form, and the trip cancellation or interruption claim form. Please ensure that you input your employee or student ID on the "Member ID" line of the appropriate claim form. This will allow you to digitally track your claim's status.

Make sure to review the claims process before your departure to ensure that you are able to gather the required information from your healthcare provider. 

More information about filing a claim and tracking your claim status can be found here.

Long-Term Disability Coverage

For international travel in potential war zones, long-term disability coverage requires registration with the UK International Center and approval by the President, Provost or an Executive Vice President. Contact Director of Global Risk & Strategic Operations Jason Hope at jasonhope@uky.edu for further information on this requirement.

Insurance on Personal Trips Abroad

Travelers should note that insurance coverage through AXA Assistance is only applicable on international business trips, with 14 days of additional coverage built in for personal travel immediately before or after those trips. Travelers going abroad for purely personal reasons (e.g., vacations) should consult their private insurance provider regarding the applicability of their insurance benefits overseas, and they may wish to consider purchasing additional short-term travel medical insurance coverage. More information about employee medical plans abroad can be found on UK Human Resources' website, at this link.

All benefit eligible (.75 FTE or higher) employees have access to limited personal travel benefits via a Travel Assistance Plan through UK's Group Accidental Death & Dismemberment Carrier. For more information on this benefit, contact UK Human Resources or Dale Baldwin, UK's broker through the MPM Group.

Personal Property Insurance

UK students traveling abroad are eligible to purchase personal property insurance through GradGuard. This insurance may cover items such as laptops, cell phones, books, etc. For more information on this optional coverage, please visit this link and scroll down to the "Personal Property" section.

 

Information for Students

AXA Assistance - International Travel Medical Insurance

All UK students traveling abroad on trips explicitly endorsed by the University are required to have insurance coverage under the University's blanket international travel medical insurance and evacuation policy. The summary of benefits for students is available here

UK’s coverage extends to dependent children, spouses and domestic partners of UK students who are traveling on the same trips. Coverage is not available on trips taken solely for personal reasons (e.g., vacations). 

Please note that this coverage is completely separate from the student health fee and any domestic insurance plan.

This plan is not intended as nor should it be construed as comprehensive medical coverage. For continuity of care, you should maintain domestic health insurance coverage. 

To locate a provider near you for which AXA Assistance can set up a guarantee of payment, or for assistance in emergency situations, contact:

  • Worldwide Contact Number: 1-515-365-3990
  • USA Contact Number: 1-888-287-4741
  • E-mail: medassist-usa@axa-assistance.us
  • For customer service, eligibility verification, plan information or to file a claim, contact:
  • Administrative Concepts, Inc.: 1-888-293-9229 (from inside the U.S.) or 1-610-293-9229 (from outside the U.S.), fax 610-293-9299, or e-mail aciclaims@visit-aci.com.
  • Mail claims to: Administrative Concepts, Inc., 994 Old Eagle School Rd., S. 1005, Wayne, PA 19087-1706. Keep copies of all documents for your records.

Coverage Information

UK's insurance policy includes coverage in a variety of areas, including the following:  

  • Medical expenses, up to $250,000. 
  • Medical evacuation expenses, up to 100% of incurred costs. 
  • Repatriation of remains, up to 100% of incurred costs. 
  • Emergency Reunion benefits, up to $12,500, for a family member to travel to you if you are hospitalized for more than 24 hours, or if you are the victim of a felonious assault. 
  • Trip cancellation benefits, up to $2,500 if you are prevented from taking your trip due to certain covered events. 
  • Trip interruption benefits, up to $2,500 if you must return home early due to certain covered events. 
  • 14 days of additional coverage, if you plan to travel independently immediately before or after a program. 

Cost of Coverage

UK students (including student employees) post-doctoral fellows, and GME staff/residents are charged $10.50 per week (rounded up to the nearest full week) for the coverage. The charge will be posted to their student account statement as one lump sum during the term in which they are abroad, and will only be charged for their international program dates- not for the entire term. 

If you have questions regarding coverage, please direct them to Jason Hope, Director of Global Risk & Strategic Operations, at jasonhope@uky.edu.

Prescription Medication Information

If you will need to have a prescription refilled while you are abroad, make sure to contact AXA Assistance as soon as possible. They will need certain information from your prescribing physician in order to assist you in refilling your prescription. Make sure to have your doctor complete this form, and send it to AXA Assistance as soon as possible to begin the process.

Please also note that some medications are illegal overseas that may be legal in the US. For more information on this consideration, and for tips on determining any regulations surrounding your medication, click here.

Political Security and Natural Disaster Evacuation Services

In the event of certain covered natural or political disasters in their host country, travelers covered by UK's International Travel Medical Insurance policy are also eligible for evacuation service. The evacuation service will coordinate and pay to evacuate you to the nearest place of safety, or to the U.S. If you have a security concern or require evacuation, seek shelter as soon as possible, and call AXA Assistance at 1-515-365-3990. Then call the UK Police Department at 1-859-257-8573, who will relay your information to the appropriate authorities on campus. Both AXA Assistance and the UK Police Department's phone lines are staffed at all times.

Claims Submission Information

In the event of an emergency where you are unable to contact AXA Assistance before seeking treatment, you may submit claims after the fact for reimbursement. A detailed description of the claims filing process can be found in this document.

There are two forms which you may need to submit, depending on the circumstances: the medical claim form, and the trip cancellation or interruption claim form. Please ensure that you input your student ID on the "Member ID" line of the appropriate claim form. This will allow you to digitally track your claim's status.

Make sure to review the claims process before your departure to ensure that you are able to gather the required information from your healthcare provider. 

More information about filing a claim and tracking your claim status can be found here.

National Student Exchange (NSE) Program Information

Students who participate on National Student Exchange (NSE) programs within the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii are not eligible for coverage under UK's international travel medical insurance and evacuation policy, and are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate insurance for their time away from UK.

Students participating on NSE programs in Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for and required to take UK's international insurance, which will be billed to them at the normal rate.

Additional Information for International Students

When international students (i.e., students in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa) are traveling to their home country and they are part of a trip or program led by one or more UK employees, they are required to take UK’s international insurance coverage.

In situations where international students are traveling independently to their home country, they can choose to opt out of UK’s international insurance coverage.

Personal Property Insurance

UK students traveling abroad are eligible to purchase personal property insurance through GradGuard. This insurance may cover items such as laptops, cell phones, books, etc. For more information on this optional coverage, please visit this link and scroll down to the "Personal Property" section.