CISI International Insurance

Insurance Overview

Allegheny College partners with Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) to provide insurance coverage for all study abroad students. The plan includes coverage for accidents and illnesses abroad, emergency medical evacuation, travel assistance, personal property, and 24/7 support through AXA Assistance.

Students are automatically enrolled by the Global Education Office and will receive access to their insurance card, benefits information, claims instructions, and the CISI Traveler App. The app allows students to access insurance documents, locate providers, and contact assistance services while abroad.

Students can access both virtual and in-person medical care, with no in-network or out-of-network restrictions. AXA Assistance is available 24/7 to help with provider referrals, emergencies, continuation of care, mental health support, and guarantee of payment arrangements.

Students are to review all policy benefits, exclusions, and claims procedures before departure. Travel within the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii are not eligible for coverage

Benefits

The insurance policy is primarily an accident and sickness plan. The insurance policy with CISI includes coverage for:

  • Minor/major accidents and illnesses while abroad
  • Medical evacuation/repatriation/security evacuation
  • Accidental death and dismemberment
  • Travel benefits: see policy brochure for details
  • Personal property: see policy brochure for details
  • 24/7/365 – Team Assist – AXA assistance: medical, travel and technical assistance

Full benefit details and exclusions can be found in the policy brochure here.

Enrollment

The Global Education Office will enroll students for the duration of their program. Students will receive a welcome email from enrollment@culturalinsurance.com to their Allegheny email address. The email includes:

  • Insurance card
  • Summary of benefits
  • Consulate letter (if necessary)
  • Instructions for submitting a claim
  • Instructions for creating their myCISI Participant Portal
  • Links to the CISI Traveler App

Students are responsible for reading the summary information and reaching out if they have any questions. Students are required to verify their information is correct on their insurance card and alert the Global Education Office as soon as possible for corrections.

Insurance is only in effect between the official start and end dates of the student’s program abroad.

Students must also retain their existing US-based health insurance: study abroad insurance does NOT replace comprehensive, US-­based health insurance as required by Allegheny college. You may not participate in an Allegheny study abroad program without certifying that you have US-based coverage or are purchasing the Allegheny College student health plan.

CISI Traveler App

Students are encouraged to download the CISI Traveler App. The app allows students to:

  • Access their insurance card and Consulate letter, even when not connected to Wifi
  • Locate a provider
  • Access itinerary information
  • Check in
  • Review their summary of benefits
  • Access contact information

AXA Assistance

AXA Assistance works in conjunction with CISI to provide students with a worldwide, 24-hour emergency assistance service.

AXA can assist students with:

  • Provider referrals
  • Medical monitoring for inpatient care
  • Evacuation services: medical, security, and repatriation
  • Translation assistance
  • Continuation of care
  • Remote behavioral health assistance
  • Guarantee of payment

Opening a Case with AXA

AXA is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Contact Information

AXA will ask participants for:

  1. Caller’s/Participant’s First and Last Name
  2. Contact Details
  3. Type of Service Requested
  4. Brief Summary of Request/Incident
  5. Location where Assistance is Requested
  6. Policy plan number — Allegheny College’s policy number: GLM N18660945
  7. Participant ID — found on the insurance card emailed to students

Please click here and here for more details on AXA’s services.

Minor Illness or Injury

DR.PLEASE!

For students who require non-urgent medical services, Doctor Please! is a 24/7/365 virtual medical care service available via app or phone with trained, licensed, and experienced doctors with multi-language capabilities. Doctors diagnose and treat minor illnesses, injuries, infections, colds, and allergies.

Click here to follow the steps to access Doctor Please! Please note that not all countries offer this feature.

Locating a Provider for in Person treatment

There are no in-network or out-of-network restrictions. Students can locate a provider through the Participant Portal, calling or emailing AXA, and/or via the CISI Traveler App Provider Search feature.

In the case that students attend a visit and guarantee of payment was not pre-established, students should hold onto all documents, bills, and receipts to submit a claim for covered expenses.

Students can locate a provider in the following ways:

Option A:
Log into the myCISI Participant Portal or the CISI Traveler App and click “Provider Search.”

Option B:
Go to the Personal Security Assistance tab within the myCISI Participant Portal:

  1. Click on the policy number
  2. Click on the medical bag icon

Option C:
Contact AXA:

AXA can assist with locating a provider, scheduling an appointment, and/or obtaining a guarantee of payment

Emergencies

Seek care without delay at the nearest facility. After admittance, students should open a case with AXA by:

Opening a case for inpatient care allows AXA and CISI to monitor the case, provide regular updates to the student’s program and family, and address any concerns students may have. Depending on the condition, if deemed medically necessary, the medical evacuation benefit will apply.

Mental Health

Students can contact AXA for assistance locating a therapist. Some international practices or individuals allow students to receive treatment virtually.

Here is a short list of providers CISI has worked with that offer online counselling sessions. Students do not need to be studying in the country to access therapists from the list.

Pre-Existing Conditions

Students with pre-existing conditions who will need continuation of care while abroad are encouraged to open a case with Team Assist, AXA, prior to departure.

Continuation of care can range from:

  • Verifying whether a specific medication is available or legal to bring into the country
  • Sourcing specialists
  • Making arrangements to carry out a specialized treatment plan

Students can open a case with AXA by:

Please review the information here for opening a case for pre-existing conditions and continuation of care.

Claims

Submission of claims can be completed through the student’s online portal, email, mail, or fax.

Please click here to follow the instructions for submitting a claim via the online portal.

Students should keep all bills, documents, and receipts after treatment in order to submit a claim. Please click here to access the claims form.

Additional Benefits

The insurance plan includes additional benefits such as:

  • Trip Cancellation
  • Trip Delay
  • Trip Interruption
  • Baggage Delay
  • Lost Checked Baggage
  • Emergency Medical Reunion
  • Technical Assistance
  • Travel Assistance
  • Quarantine

For more information on these benefits, please click here or contact:

Exclusions

The insurance includes limitations and exclusions for students. Students are responsible for reviewing the limitations and exclusions and abiding by them. Please review the limitations and exclusions here.

Students are prohibited from operating a motorized vehicle of any kind.

Medical expense benefits will not cover the following activities:

  • Mountaineering (ropes and guides)
  • Hang gliding
  • Parachuting
  • Bungee jumping
  • Horse racing
  • Parasailing

This is not an exhaustive list, and students are responsible for understanding the limitations and exclusions.

If students have any questions, please contact: