So it's time to talk insurance. Having medical insurance is a requirement of the program and in all honesty I'd buy it even if it weren't. The cost of getting medical attention in the US, whether it be a doctor's appointment or a hospital visit, is utterly ridiculous. Being covered in case of emergency is an absolute must. In this post I'm going to talk about the insurance Disney uses and how to get it.
If you're not inclined to read this whole post my video on medical insurance can be found here.
Firstly, let's go over the medical insurance a bit. In previous years Disney would send participants a list of requirements that their medical insurance must cover and then send them into the world to look for a policy that fits the bill. Apparently that didn't work too well because in the last couple of years the policy has changed.
Now participants are sent a link to a company called HTH Worldwide who have three policies tailor made for Disney cultural exchange program participants. Participants can no longer choose which insurer to go with and MUST purchase insurance through HTH Worldwide. But while you cannot choose your insurer you do still have a few options in terms of price and coverage. HTH Worldwide has three policies that participants can choose from all with varying levels of cover and varying prices.
It is recommended that you choose a level of cover that suits you based on policy features rather than cost. For example, if you use prescription medications these may only be covered by one policy so the cheapest policy might save you money but if your prescriptions are being paid out of pocket it may cost more in the long run. Read the PDS for all three policies and decide which is best for you.
But we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves.
The process of purchasing the medical insurance occurs in three distinct stages:
- Choosing and paying for your policy
- Registering your details online
- Printing out your ID card.
We'll go through these one at a time.
Choosing/Paying For Your Policy:
Right after officially accepting your offer you should receive an email entitled 'Mandatory Medical Insurance'.
The email tells you that, as the title of the email suggests, medical insurance is mandatory and you have to purchase insurance to be able to embark on the program. It also lists in detail the requirements of the insurance policy. You don't really need to pay too much attention because all three of the insurance policies provided by HTH Worldwide meet these requirements so it's not actually possible to buy a policy that doesn't fit the bill.
The email should have a link to the HTH Worldwide Disney specific policy options. Our round of emails did not contain the link though. The site can be easily located but plugging 'HTH Worldwide Disney' into Google.
Once you've followed the link or found it on Google it's time to do some serious thinking. As I mentioned above, carefully consider each option and make sure you choose the one that's right for you. While you're looking at each option keep in mind that you MUST pay for your policy in full. The site lists a monthly rate but you cannot pay monthly.
When you've decided what policy you want, click the lovely green 'Enroll Now' button underneath it. You'll be taken to a page that has some generic terms and conditions on it that you agree to and then you can progress.
The next page lists what you need to fill in the application. This page is really important so pay attention. The first thing you need is the dates that you'll be in the USA. It's important to note that this is NOT the dates of your program. So if you're checking in on the 13th but you're arriving in the USA on the 11th you MUST be covered from the day you arrive. Similarly, you MUST be covered until the day you depart the USA rather than the day you check out of the program. If you are planning on extending just buy enough for the initial stay because it is incredibly easy to add more time to your policy.
The second thing that this page says you need is the Disney campus address. Before you start flapping your arms and shouting 'I don't know that!' (don't worry, I did it too) stop, take a breath, and read on. It's actually listed on the page for your convenience. Write the address down so you've got it when you need it and you're done. Feel free to proceed.
The email should have a link to the HTH Worldwide Disney specific policy options. Our round of emails did not contain the link though. The site can be easily located but plugging 'HTH Worldwide Disney' into Google.
Once you've followed the link or found it on Google it's time to do some serious thinking. As I mentioned above, carefully consider each option and make sure you choose the one that's right for you. While you're looking at each option keep in mind that you MUST pay for your policy in full. The site lists a monthly rate but you cannot pay monthly.
When you've decided what policy you want, click the lovely green 'Enroll Now' button underneath it. You'll be taken to a page that has some generic terms and conditions on it that you agree to and then you can progress.
The next page lists what you need to fill in the application. This page is really important so pay attention. The first thing you need is the dates that you'll be in the USA. It's important to note that this is NOT the dates of your program. So if you're checking in on the 13th but you're arriving in the USA on the 11th you MUST be covered from the day you arrive. Similarly, you MUST be covered until the day you depart the USA rather than the day you check out of the program. If you are planning on extending just buy enough for the initial stay because it is incredibly easy to add more time to your policy.
The second thing that this page says you need is the Disney campus address. Before you start flapping your arms and shouting 'I don't know that!' (don't worry, I did it too) stop, take a breath, and read on. It's actually listed on the page for your convenience. Write the address down so you've got it when you need it and you're done. Feel free to proceed.
On the next page you finally get to start actually filling in some forms. The form asks for your name, date of birth, the Disney campus address, your email address, home country, host country and the dates of your arrival in and departure from the USA. Chuck in your deets, check that they're all correct and you're ready to move on.
The next page asks for your payment information so you can pay for your policy. Make sure there's enough money in your account to cover not only the cost of the policy but also the conversion, conversion fee and tax. Once you've checked and double checked your details you can hop on over to the next page which is.....
Payment confirmation! You have just bought yourself insurance for your trip. You should print a copy of this page for your records before you quit the window. You'll also receive an email that confirms your payment and lists your policy details. You've successfully completed stage one of the insurance process.
The next page asks for your payment information so you can pay for your policy. Make sure there's enough money in your account to cover not only the cost of the policy but also the conversion, conversion fee and tax. Once you've checked and double checked your details you can hop on over to the next page which is.....
Payment confirmation! You have just bought yourself insurance for your trip. You should print a copy of this page for your records before you quit the window. You'll also receive an email that confirms your payment and lists your policy details. You've successfully completed stage one of the insurance process.
Registering Online:
After a little while (I waited around an hour) you'll receive another email from HTH Worldwide telling you to register on their website. This email actually contains its own instructions that are quite reliable but I'll continue anyway just in case.
Before you click the link in the email you are told to print a copy of the email. At the moment I'm not 100% sure why this is but it specifically asks you to do it so it's probably best to just listen and print it.
Follow the link to a page that asks for your email address and if you're signing in for the first time. Once you've filled in the right details click 'sign in' to head to the next page. On the next page you are asked for your certificate number, your name and your policy end date. You then have to confirm your login details and address.
Before you click the link in the email you are told to print a copy of the email. At the moment I'm not 100% sure why this is but it specifically asks you to do it so it's probably best to just listen and print it.
Follow the link to a page that asks for your email address and if you're signing in for the first time. Once you've filled in the right details click 'sign in' to head to the next page. On the next page you are asked for your certificate number, your name and your policy end date. You then have to confirm your login details and address.
After you've made sure all of your details are correct you should be done with your registration and stage two of the process.
Printing ID Card:
You'll receive a final email from HTH that confirms your registration and lists a whole bunch of actions you can take now that you have an account. One of the options, and the only one we care about at the moment, is 'Print your ID Card'. If you click this link and log in to your account you'll be taken to a page that lists your policy and its details.
Over to the right, under Print Docs, it lists ID Card as a printable option. Click that and it will open up a PDF version of your ID Card which you can then print. It's also a good idea to save a copy of this to your computer just in case. Once you've printed a physical copy of the card you've completed stage three of the process and you're all done with insurance.
Over to the right, under Print Docs, it lists ID Card as a printable option. Click that and it will open up a PDF version of your ID Card which you can then print. It's also a good idea to save a copy of this to your computer just in case. Once you've printed a physical copy of the card you've completed stage three of the process and you're all done with insurance.
- Lily
P.s. Posts about police checks and my birthday are coming. Eventually.
P.s. Posts about police checks and my birthday are coming. Eventually.
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