The Insurance System
The insurance system is established to help minimizing the damage that used to take place before due to visa problems in specific. The system was designed in the term 2007 – 2008 to help avoiding the problems that took place the term before.
However, due to misusing the system and taking advantage of it for no valid and rational reasons, the following terms and regulations had to be officially documented.
The system
For every contract fees, the student pays an included sum of money (150 LE). The money that comes from all the contracts sold is gathered and is considered the total amount of insurance money.
The more the contracts sold, the bigger the amount of money.
When the system applies, the student that should take the money may receive a total or a partial refund according to the number of students who deserve to be refunded.
The more the number of students who deserve to be refunded, the smaller the amount of money.
The amount of money should be decided upon only by the end of the term when all the students have traveled already.
The refund takes place in the last March of the term (of the next year).
The insurance system applies only in the following situations:
1- Problems with the visa
2- Death of a first degree family member
3- Failure of an exam
The following are the conditions that has to be fulfilled in order to obtain the right for a partial refund according to the insurance system
1- Problems with the visa:
a. The problem has to be due to reasons other than the organization (the IFMSA and the SSS).
b. The organization (the IFMSA and the SSS) is responsible for providing the card of acceptance and the invitation letter (soft or hard copy) at least three weeks before the date the clerkship starts.
c. The only reason that allows a total refund is when the student does not receive these documents on time. There is no other valid reason for a total refund.
d. The student has to apply at least one week after the date of arrival of the card of acceptance in the database.
e. If the student did not check his E-mail for the card of acceptance or did not apply at least one week after the date of arrival of the card of acceptance, the insurance system doesn’t apply in his or her case.
f. In case the embassy has no appointment or the appointment is very late despite the fact that the student has tried calling for on at least one week after the arrival of the card of acceptance and the invitation letter, the student has to inform the local exchange officer about the situation in the same week. If the student does not inform the local exchange officer in the same week, the insurance system does not apply anymore.
g. There are no valid reasons for a delay in the visa application process; including exams or rough times.
h. The student has to provide all the necessary and required documents as stated by the embassy including health/travel insurance, certificate of enrolment, vaccination and/or any other health certificate, preliminary ticket, criminal record, parental approvals and any other document the embassy requires.
i. If the student fails to obtain any of the required documents or shows any delay that causes missing the embassy appointment or postponing it, the insurance system does not apply.
j. Visa rejection has to be officially proven by the stamp of the embassy in the passport. The reason of rejection may be provided.
k. If the passport does not have the official stamp of the embassy that states the rejection or the student had to take his or her passport from the embassy before that - for any reason - the insurance system does not apply.
a. The death of a family member has to be at least in the last three months before the date of the clerkship.
b. A death certificate of the family member has to be provided.
c. If the death of the family member is earlier than the specified period, the member is not a first degree relative, or the death certificate is not provided, the insurance system is not applied.
3- Failure of an exam:
a. By definition, failure of an exam means entering the exam and not getting the required pass-mark. It DOES NOT include postponing the exam.
b. A score certificate of the corresponding exam must be presented.
The rules and regulations of the insurance system should be explained by the local exchange officer in the introduction session of the program. It is the responsibility of the student to read through the above mentioned points and ask for any clarifications.
Postponing an exam, failing an exam, weddings and engagements, other travel plans, or any reasons other than the mentioned above are not valid for the insurance system to apply.
If the student did not understand, misunderstood, or ignored these terms, they will still have to take place.
Breaking any of the rules by the local exchange officer should be regarded as major damage to the organization and disrespect to its image. The board members should take action accordingly.
Created by Mousa Azer, and edited by Amir Assaad.