Frequently Asked Questions
for Student Benefits

StuHealth recommends Student Select from Assurant Health for most college students because coverage is available from doctors and hospitals anywhere in the United States.

Assurant is a Fortune 500, NYSE company (AIZ) with over $20 billion in assets and $7 billion in annual revenue. It is A- rated (Excellent) by A.M. Best. Assurant Health is one of the oldest (1892) and most respected health insurance carriers in the nation with over one million policy holders.

Please visit Assurant Health Student Select for specific questions, call 800-391-9209 to speak with a Licensed Benefits Consultant at StuHealth.com, or email info@stuhealth.com.

• Questions About StuHealth.com
• General Assurant Student Select Plan Information
• Eligibility
• Coverage and Benefits
• Doctor Information
• Health Insurance Definitions

 

Questions About StuHealth.com

How do I contact a representative of Zane Benefits Student Health?

How do I contact a Licensed Benefits Consultant to help me with questions I have about the policy?

I am having problems with my student health insurance plan or my Student Health Insurance Identification card, who can I call for help?

Zane Benefits Student Health has Licensed Benefits Consultants available to talk to you and help you with any questions you have regarding our Student Health Insurance program and Assurant Health Student Select.

Hours are Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm MST. Please call 1-800-775-3769 for further assistance from a personal representative or email info@stuhealth.com.

 

General Assurant Student Select Plan Information

What is the StuHealth Assurant Student Select plan and how does it work?
StuHealth Student Select health insurance policies feature coverage from Assurant Health. Assurant Health is one of the oldest (since 1892) and most respected health insurance companies, A- rated by A.M. Best and covers over 1 million policyholders in the U.S. This plan is only available to healthy, full-time students, offering different deductibles, the ability to choose your own doctors and hospitals anywhere in the U.S. or Canada without referrals. It provides up to $1 million in lifetime protection for eligible expenses, including inpatient and outpatient services, emergency care, and surgery at affordable rates. The doctor will bill Assurant Health directly when you show your Student Select Identification Card. You will be responsible for any amount up to your annual deductible and applicable coinsurance.

For example of how the coverage works, suppose you have a medical problem that cost $2,250 and you have a $250 annual deductible Assurant Student Select policy. You would pay 100% of the $250 deductible, as well as the co-insurance of 20% of the next $2,000, or $400. In this case, you would be responsible for $650 and Assurant Health would be responsible for $1600. If the medical problem cost $100,000, you would be responsible for $2,250 and Assurant Health would be responsible for $97,750.

What is my specific coverage and how much is the annual cost?
Specific coverage and the annual premium is based on age, the state in which your school is located, the state you live in while attending school, and your permanent state of residence (typically your parent's address), and the health of the applicant. Each student’s individual criteria will vary, providing for different annual premium costs. Get an instant quote online or call StuHealth at 800-391-9209.

Is this plan available is all states? 
The StuHealth Assurant Student Select plan is available in most states for healthy, full-time undergraduate and graduate college students. Student Select is not available for students who (all three): (1) are living in, (2) attending school in, and (3) a permanent resident of the following states: ME, MA, MT, NH, NJ, NY, RI, and VT. If you are not eligible for Student Select, our parent company, Zane Benefits, offers more than 5,000 traditional individual policies from over 125 well known insurance carriers.

How does the application process work?
Get an instant online quote by selecting the desired annual deductible and answering seven questions--then purchase your policy online. You can be covered within 24 hours of application. You can also call StuHealth at 1-800-775-3769 for any further questions or for a walk through of the online application.

When will I receive confirmation or acceptance of the application?
Applications submitted online will receive confirmation and/or acceptance by email shortly there after to the email address you provided upon application.

Applications submitted by mail must allow the approval process to take up to 7 business days upon receipt. Most eligibility decisions are made within 48 hours of receipt. If the application is complete, approved, and has a personal check for the premium included, your new Health Insurance Identification Card and contract will be sent to the "correspondence address" you provided within 3 business days of acceptance.

When does my coverage begin?
Coverage begins when a complete submitted application has been accepted and approved for coverage and the full premium payment has been received by Assurant Health. After you have been accepted, the day your coverage begins is the effective date, which can be requested on the application. If the application is submitted via mail, the earliest possible effective date is two days prior to the date the application was received by Assurant health. The 29th, 30th, and 31st days of each month are not eligible effective dates.

Can I renew my student plan every year, even after I graduate or transfer schools?
Assurant Student Select is guaranteed renewable indefinitely, until age 65, as long as you need it and as long as the annual or semi-annual premium payments are made on time. Once the application has been submitted, you must be a full-time student for 31 days. After this time, regardless of student status, postponement, transfer, or graduation, you can renew your health insurance policy until age 65. Your annual renewal rate is the same as a healthy student would pay until age 30. After age 30 the cost of the renewal rate is correlated to a similar traditional individual health insurance policy from Assurant Health.

For example, there are students who have developed health issues after purchasing health insurance and have been able to keep and renew their Student Select policies for 20 years or more, without any major increases in their annual premium rates due to their health.  

What are my choices for the methods of payment?
Pay online using Visa or MasterCard for the fastest method of payment. Personal checks are accepted by mail, but will delay the application approval process.

How do I notify my school I will be using Assurant Student Select as my preferred health insurance provider?
Some schools require you to submit a waiver form in order to be withdrawn from their automatic enrollment insurance program. Check with your school for this waiver form, as well as their approval deadline dates.

What if I apply for insurance, and then realize I need to cancel?
You can cancel your Assurant Student Select health insurance policy at anytime. You will receive a pro-rated premium for the remaining months left in your policy period.  You can also cancel during the initial 10-day free trial period and receive a 100% refund.

When can I apply for a policy? What if I am not going to be a student for a few months?
You can apply for an Assurant Student Select policy as soon as you are enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student.

What is the effective date and can I request a later date?
The effective date is the day your Assurant Student Select coverage begins and the day you should cancel your other coverage. Do not cancel your other coverage until you have received confirmation of your Assurant Student Select effective date. Your policy Contract and Health Insurance Identification Card will be sent out as soon as the application has been received and approved, including payment of the full premium.

How do you protect my information?
Information supplied to www.StuHealth.com is kept confidential and never disclosed to any third party members. 

Assurant Health is required to keep your information safe and confidential at all times.

All health providers and insurers are bound by HIPAA government regulations in order to cover the privacy of your personal policy information.

 

Eligibility

Who is considered an eligible student?
An eligible student must be enrolled as a full-time student, usually 9 or more semester units, or defined by their specific institution to be considered an undergraduate or graduate student and under the age of 30.

Some schools operate on a quarterly schedule so I only take 6 units, can I still qualify for full time undergraduate status?
Students can apply for Assurant Student Select whether their school operates on quarters, trimesters, or semesters. If your school operates on quarters or trimesters, supply this information with your application and state you are meeting your school's definition of a full-time undergraduate or graduate student.

Will I lose coverage when I graduate, postpone, or transfer?
Assurant Student Select is guaranteed to be indefinitely renewable as long as you choose to renew the policy and pay the annual premium on time.

Does this policy provide coverage when I go out of state?
Assurant Student Select travels with you anywhere within the United States, its possessions, and Canada.

Will I be covered overseas when I Study Abroad?
Assurant Student Select does not provide coverage outside of the United States, its possessions, or Canada. To be insured overseas you can purchase additional coverage, such as Travelers or Temporary Insurance by calling the StuHealth parent company, Zane Benefits at 1-800-775-3769.

I am a foreign exchange student, am I eligible?
Foreign exchange students are considered eligible applicants by meeting the student eligibility requirements as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student.

What does the last question on the application mean by saying "do you have coverage that will not terminate"?
The last question on the Student Select application refers to the previous health insurance coverage you may have. In other words it is asking if you have health insurance coverage that will not be able to cancel if you purchase Assurant Student Select. You would not be eligible for Assurant Student Select, for example, if you have health insurance coverage provided for full-time military personnel coverage cannot be canceled.

 

Coverage and Benefits

How does the coverage work?
For example, suppose you have a medical problem that cost $2,250 and you have a $250 annual deductible Assurant Student Select policy. You would pay 100% of the $250 deductible, as well as the co-insurance of 20% of the next $2,000, or $400. In this case, you would be responsible for $650 and Assurant Health would be responsible for $1600. If the medical problem cost $100,000, you would be responsible for $2,250 and Assurant Health would be responsible for $97,750.

What are the additional benefits?
Additional benefits such as maternity (sometimes limited to complications only), psychiatric, substance abuse/mental illness, alcohol, and rehabilitation can be added to the student plan, but these options vary by state.

What is not covered under this plan?
Conditions not covered under Assurant Student Select include preexisting conditions incurred in the first 12 months, maternity, outpatient prescription drugs, dependant coverage, mental illness, substance abuse, dental, vision, routine physical exams, and intercollegiate sports injuries. Please visit Assurant Health for further information.

Are prescription drugs covered?
Prescription drugs are only covered if you are hospitalized as an inpatient. However, since outpatient drugs are usually provided by most university Health Care or Wellness Centers at cost or for free, they are not a covered benefit of the Assurant Student Select health insurance policy.

Does Assurant Student Select provide coverage for annual well-visits, OB/GYN, or healthy patient visits to a physician?
In order to keep Assurant Student Select premiums at a low cost, policies do not cover routine physicals, annual OBGYN exams, or well visits. Students can conveniently schedule annual checkups with their on-campus Student Health Care or Wellness Centers. Any visit to a doctor or OB/GYN for a specific issue is a covered benefit. Additionally, once you are covered by Assurant Student Select, you will save on your annual premium many times the cost compared to paying for routine annual check-ups.

What can I do about services and prescription drugs that are not covered?
Most schools maintain Student Health Care or Wellness Centers on campus, charging a fee for use automatically under your tuition. Their services will provide you with coverage for annual well visits, physicals, OBGYN check-ups, prescription drugs, and minor colds and infections. Assurant Student Select provides greater coverage anywhere outside of your school campus and for major medical needs.

 

Doctor Information

Are there restrictions on which physicians and hospitals I can use?  Will I need a referral to see a specialist?
There are no restrictions on which physician or hospital you can use. You can choose any doctor or hospital in the U.S., its possessions, or Canada, without the need for a referral. Unlike school, parent, or regional policies that require you to stay within their assigned doctor network and usually require referrals for specialist, there are no non-network penalties that can be incurred with Assurant Student Select. All doctor, medical, and hospital expenses are paid at the usual and customary rate.

Do I need pre-authorization from the Assurant Health before I can see a specific health-care provider?
Pre-authorization from Assurant Health is not needed for health-care, doctor, or emergency visits. However, you need to notify Assurant Health in advance in the case of a scheduled surgery or hospital stay. This is required as it determines whether or not the hospitalization or surgery is actually medically needed. To maximize benefits, it is always best to follow the pre-authorization procedure and call Assurant Health ahead of time to make sure a health-care, doctor, or hospital visits are covered. The pre-authorization phone number can be found on the back of your Health Insurance Identification Card.

 

Health Insurance Definitions

What is a StuHealth Student Select health insurance policy?
StuHealth Student Select health insurance policies feature coverage from Assurant Health. Assurant Health is one of the oldest (since 1892) and most respected health insurance companies, A- rated by A.M. Best and covers over 1 million policy holders in the U.S. This plan is only available to healthy, full-time students, offering different deductibles, the ability to choose doctors and hospitals without referrals, and provides up to $1 million in lifetime protection for eligible expenses, including inpatient and outpatient services, emergency care, and surgery at affordable rates. Get an instant online quote for your Assurant Student Select policy.

What is the term of insurance?
The term of insurance is the amount of time you will be covered under the policy and have the ability to renew. Assurant Student Select policies are guaranteed renewable until age 65; you will never be denied the right to renew your policy, even after graduation, termination or postponement of classes, or in the event of an accident/illness.

What is the calendar year?
The calendar year is the year in which you pay you annual premium and will have to pay up to your deductible and coinsurance amount. The Assurant Student Select calendar year begins January 1st and ends December 31st. Your deductible and co-insurance will start over on the first day of each calendar year and this is the time to renew you policy.

What is the premium?
The premium is the periodic payment made on an insurance policy or is the price of the policy, usually broken into annual (one time yearly) or semi-annual (two time yearly) payment periods.

What is the deductible?
The deductible is the annual amount you must pay out-of-pocket before the carrier, Assurant Health, will begin to cover medical expenses for the annual calendar year, beginning January 1st and ending December 31st. The deductible as well as the cost of co-insurance is the amount you will be expected to pay.

Why are there different deductibles?
There are different deductibles in order to give policy holders the option for the amounts in which he/she has to pay out of pocket. Assurant Student Select offers the choice of $250, $500, $1,000, and $2,500 deductible amounts, each directly affecting the cost of the annual premium.

How often does the deductible start over?
Assurant Student Select health insurance policies have "calendar-year" deductible schedules. The deductible will start over on the first day of each new calendar year, beginning on January 1st and ending December 31st. One major benefit of the plan includes a carryover deductible feature. Any charges made in October, November or December, in full amount, will carryover to next year in order to help meet your new calendar-year deductible.

What is the co-insurance or rate payment?
Co-insurance or rate payment is the percentage of covered expenses you are responsible for after you have met your deductible. Every student, individual, parent, or regional policy has co-insurance or rate payment included in their plan. The best way to compare Health Insurance policies is to look at the annual deductible plus the co-insurance or rate payment.

For example, if the coinsurance is 20% up to $10,000, the health insurance carrier will pay benefits at 80% of covered expenses up to $10,000. After $10,000 the carrier will pay 100% of your covered charges, up to the policy maximum or per illness cost, $100,000. You are responsible for the 20% amount the health insurance carrier does not pay.  

For an example of how the coverage works, suppose you have a medical problem that cost $2,250 and you have a $250 annual deductible Assurant Student Select policy. You would pay 100% of the $250 deductible, as well as the co-insurance of 20% of the next $2,000, or $400. In this case, you would be responsible for $650 and Assurant Health would be responsible for $1600. If the medical problem cost $100,000, you would be responsible for $2,250 and Assurant Health would be responsible for $97,750.

What is the out-of-pocket maximum?
The out-of-pocket maximum is the deductible and coinsurance added together. This is the maximum amount you will have to pay per annual calendar year.

What is the maximum benefit and maximum lifetime coverage?
The maximum benefit is the highest amount Assurant Health will pay in the event of an accident or illness. The maximum lifetime coverage is the maximum amount Assurant Health will pay over the lifetime of the policy holder. The maximum benefit per accident or illness is $100,000 and the maximum lifetime coverage is $1 million.

What is pre-authorization and is it required?
Pre-authorization is the process in which a policy holder notifies the insurance company in advance of a scheduled surgery or hospital stay. This is required as it determines whether or not the hospitalization or surgery is actually medically needed. To maximize benefits, it is always best to follow the pre-authorization procedure by calling Assurant Health ahead of time to make sure a health-care, doctor, or hospital visit is covered. The pre-authorization phone number can be found on the back of your Student Health Insurance Identification Card.

What is a pre-existing condition?
A pre-existing condition is defined as a prior illness or injury for which the policyholder has produced signs of or has had symptoms within the first 12 months of coverage or has received medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or services from a physician within the 12 month period prior to the person's effective date.

What is an inpatient?
An inpatient is a patient who is staying overnight in a Hospital.

What is an outpatient?
An outpatient is a patient who is seeing a doctor for an office visit and does not have an overnight stay in a hospital.

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