University Offers Insurance to Travelers

With the Curricular Review encouraging more study abroad options, the University has been preparing to provide emergency medical and evacuation assistance to students, faculty, and staff traveling overseas for University-related activities.

In July, Harvard contracted with International SOS, a worldwide provider of medical assistance and services, to insure Harvard-affiliated travelers.

The insurance program began in September and will automatically be included in student and faculty study abroad and internship programs.

“This is the best kept secret at Harvard,” said Dillon Professor of International Affairs Jorge I. Dominguez, who is the director of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. He added that he has been trying to raise more awareness among students and staff about this new service.

Students and university employees do not have to sign up or pay up front to use the service, according to Lee Ann Ross, director of insurance at Harvard’s Risk Management and Audit Services (RMAS). RMAS arranged the program.

SOS “will pay the cost up front, and then they will work with your insurance carrier to seek reimbursement afterwards,” Ross said.

The insurance offers a range of services, including emergency medical care in remote locations and evacuation in cases of natural disaster or civil unrest.

In addition to emergency assistance, SOS provides non-emergency medical and dental referrals and can also arrange for students and employees to obtain travel documents, cash, and traveler’s checks. SOS also offers a translation service.

“Over the last few years looking at and reevaluating our programs, I felt with more and more travel going on around the university, this was something that would supplement the insurance already in place,” Ross said.

Harvard travelers will be given an SOS membership card with telephone numbers of the three major worldwide International SOS Alarm Centers.

All University students, faculty, and staff are eligible to receive the benefits of SOS, regardless of the school with which they are affiliated.

RMAS has been meeting with each school to publicize the program to students and employees.

“We’re working with [the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS)] right now so that their study abroad programs and internship programs are aware of this and FAS personnel are aware and communicating to students that this will be available,” Ross said, adding that a description of SOS has been added to the FAS website.