J-status Health Insurance Requirement

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL VISITORS IN THE J-1 EXCHANGE VISITOR CLASSIFICATION: If you are on the UNL employee health insurance the low option does not meet the federal requirements for the exchange visitor program. You must sign up for the basic or high option for yourself and your family to meet the Exchange Visitor Program requirements. If you do not sign up for the basic or high option you will be required to purchase additional insurance that meets the requirements or UNL will be required by federal regulation to terminate your exchange visitor program. Please see a specialist in the ISSO if you have questions.

U.S. law requires all J-1 Exchange Visitors and their accompanying J-2 dependents to have health insurance for the entire duration of the exchange visitor's stay.
UNL must terminate an exchange visitor's program if the visitor (or a dependent) fails to comply with the insurance requirement.

J-1 scholars must provide ISSO with proof of coverage upon arrival at UNL for the first time and before an extension of stay will be granted.

Policy Requirements

Health insurance coverage for J-1 and J-2 visitors must include:

1. medical benefits of at least $100,000 per illness or accident; AND
2. deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness; AND
3. medical evacuation benefit in the amount of $50,000; AND
4. payment for repatriation of remains in the event of death in the amount of $25,000.

Furthermore, the insurance corporation underwriting the insurance policy must meet or exceed the following ratings:

1. an A.M. Best rating of 'A-'; OR
2. an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of 'A-i'; OR
3. a Standard & Poor’s claims-paying ability rating of 'A-'; OR
4. a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of 'B+'.

Insurance coverage backed by the full faith and credit of the scholar's home country's government meets this requirement.

Where to Purchase Health Insurance

A visiting scholar may be eligible to purchase UNL employee health insurance (check with host department or Benefits office), but the employee plan does NOT include medical evacuation or repatriation benefits. Students are not eligible for employee health insurance. Please note that the UNL employee health insurance "low option" does not meet the minimum requirements as required by federal regulations.  If you are signing up for the UNL employee insurance you must sign up for the basic or high option and purchase an additional plan from an insurance company (see below) to satisfy the requirements for medical evacuation and repatriation benefits.