Medical and travel Insurance

The Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 requires all international students enrolled for a course for two weeks or more to have appropriate insurance regardless of the type of visa held by the student. The insurance should cover for the student’s travel to and from New Zealand and within and outside New Zealand. This is done to protect students from the high financial costs due to unforeseen incidents. In addition to that, international students are required to hold appropriate insurance for the duration of their student visa by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Please view the requirements here. 

Where you have not arranged insurance for yourself, Unitec automatically purchases cover for you with SCTI (on a renewing basis relevant to enrolment/visa status). This is offered to you at a discounted premium.

The details of the policy can be found on SCTI’s website here. The key benefits include cover for:

• Medical and evacuation expenses
• Travel delays and cancellations
• Baggage and personal items
• Cash and travel documents
• Personal liability
• Personal accident
• Rental vehicle excess

Some of the sections have sub limits for certain types of claims.

• Personal contents – you will need to advise admin@scti.co.nz to add items over $1,500 (or $2,500 for computers and cameras) per individual item value.
• Pre-existing conditions are not automatically covered, refer SCTI Application Form.

Unitec automatically covers students on a renewing basis relevant to enrolment/visa status under the blanket policy held with SCTI. Premium payment is two weeks prior to International Orientation date. The charge is separate to and not included in tuition fees.

Insurance premium is calculated on a monthly basis. The current Unitec charge for insurance is as follows:

*The insurance premium may change at the time the policy is issued.  Students will be required to pay the new charges as applicable at the time of issue of policy.

SCTI’s comprehensive plan includes cover for:

• Medical and evacuation expenses
• Travel delays and cancellations
• Baggage and personal items
• Cash and travel documents
• Personal liability
• Personal accident
• Rental vehicle excess

Please read the policy wording for details including sub-limits and conditions for particular claims.

The insurance charge is separate to and not included in your tuition fees. It can be paid with your tuition fees. Premium payment is two weeks prior to International Orientation. Information related to "How to Pay" can be found by clicking here. Receipt of payment is generated by Unitec International Finance who will advise you once processed.

No, cover is the same.

What are the benefits of opting for Unitec placed insurance?

You can add your family to the Unitec placed cover. To add family members to a student policy, you will need to email SCTI. Payment is made direct to SCTI at the time of application for your family members. You will be responsible to add family members each time your policy expires as they will not automatically be renewed under your Unitec student cover.

All international students enrolled in a course that runs for two weeks or more are required to have appropriate insurance at all times during their enrolment period regardless of the type of visa held.

Please lodge your claim online as this is not done for you by Unitec. 

For claims queries, contact SCTI here or phone 0800 800 571.

SCTI has advised that all claims must be true, valid and not misleading. If found to be fraudulent, your policy could be cancelled which could affect your enrolment at Unitec

All International students enrolled at an educational institution for two weeks or longer are required to hold insurance whilst enrolled even if they depart New Zealand during the semester break. This is regardless of the type of visa held by the International Student. All tertiary providers are required to ensure the same to comply with the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016.

Some work visa holders will be eligible for publicly funded health services. This covers the Code of Practice requirement for medical care in New Zealand but not the other three aspects that the Code of Practice 2016 states must be covered (travel, repatriation, death). As a result, work visa holders also need to hold appropriate insurance as other International Students.

If insurance is required to commence prior to the standard start date (1st February or 1st July), you will need to advise Unitec Insurance here and include copies of your Student Visa and air ticket showing departure from your home country. This may generate a small increase in premium.

When you receive your Unitec placed policy, and you have only been insured for 1 semester but paid for 2 semesters, your insurance will renew automatically for the next semester relevant to enrolment. The balance difference will be held in your Student Account and will be credited towards your next semester’s cover.

Overpaid insurance can be refunded to the student or held for the insurance cover for your subsequent semesters. Please email the refund request to our Unitec Insurance Team.

SCTI consider a pre-existing condition to be any illness or injury(including symptoms), whether diagnosed or undiagnosed, of which you are aware, or of which a reasonable person in your circumstances ought to be aware, for which in the last three years prior the start date of insurance, you have sought, been given or been recommended advice (including awaiting test results), care, treatment, medication or medical attention. This includes any pre-existing medical condition/s prior to your arrival to NZ. If you have questions about what you should or shouldn’t declare, please email SCTI here or refer to the SCTI website.

If you tell Unitec about a pre-existing condition at the time of application for cover, Unitec will then liaise with SCTI to assess if the pre-existing condition can be included in the insurance policy. It may result in an additional premium as advised by SCTI and this will be communicated to the student. If the pre-existing condition cannot be included in the insurance policy, Unitec will consider the application on a case by case basis which may require additional time. If you don’t tell Unitec about your pre-existing condition, or you tell Unitec but SCTI does not offer cover, then you won’t have cover for your pre-existing condition.

For students who are currently on Unitec placed policies- pre-existing conditions are not automatically covered under your SCTI policy. If you wish to request cover for a pre-existing condition, you will need to contact SCTI within the first 31 days of your policy being issued.  

We are happy for students to arrange their own insurance provided it meets requirements. Unfortunately, often it does not. The insurer will need to be on the list of Unitec Approved Insurance Providers listed above. Policy details should be forwarded to Unitec Insurance by the first day of the month your programme beings (new students) or two weeks prior to the expiry of your current insurance (current Unitec Students). The student is then responsible to provide renewed continuing insurance throughout their enrolment period with no break in cover. If not received by the submission date, Unitec will place SCTI cover relevant to your enrolment and charge your Unitec account.

The minimum benefits of insurance needed to meet the requirements set out by Unitec are:

• Medical – cover must be unlimited
• Repatriation – NZ$600,000
• Expatriation – NZ$30,000
• Accompanying family's emergency travel – NZ$15,000
• Travel delays/contingencies – NZ$25,000
• Personal items at least - NZ$15,000
• Personal liability - NZ$500,000

All insurance policies should cover you from the date of departure from your home, apply while you are in transit, and continue for the period of your enrolment/visa dates.