Insurance Comparison 2026
WorldTrips StudentSecurevs.Compass Student Insurance
An independent side-by-side comparison covering benefits, costs, and coverage details.
✓ Based on official policy documents ✓ Updated April 2026 ✓ Independent comparison
Comparing featured plans: WorldTrips StudentSecure StudentSecure Select, Compass Student Insurance Compass Care. Each provider offers multiple tiers.
| Feature | WorldTrips StudentSecure View Details | Compass Student Insurance View Details |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Monthly price | $106 | from $84 |
| Annual price | | |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Medical Coverage | ||
| Medical coverage Maximum payout for medical care | | |
| Deductible What you pay before insurance kicks in | $0 per injury/illness | $250 per period |
| Prescription drugs | | |
| Emergency repatriation | $50,000 | |
| Mental Health | ||
| Mental health coverage Therapy, counseling, psychiatric care | | |
| Dental | ||
| Dental coverage What dental treatments are covered | | |
| Eligibility | ||
| Age limit | up to 64 years | up to 64 years |
| Who can apply Country and visa requirements | Full-time students or scholars residing outside their country of citizenship for educational purposes, on F-1, J-1, or comparable student visas | International students on F-1, J-1, or M-1 visa at U.S. universities, J-1 scholars, OPT participants, K-12 international students |
| Pre-existing conditions | Covered after 6-month waiting period | |
| Visa compliant | | |
| Service & Support | ||
| English support | | |
| Digital services App, online claims, telemedicine | | |
| VisitWorldTrips StudentSecure → | VisitCompass Student Insurance → | |
WorldTrips StudentSecure View Details
Compass Student Insurance View Details
Pricing
Monthly price
$106
from $84
Annual price
Currency
USD
USD
Medical Coverage
Medical coverage
Maximum payout for medical care
Deductible
What you pay before insurance kicks in
$0 per injury/illness
$250 per period
Prescription drugs
Emergency repatriation
$50,000
Mental Health
Mental health coverage
Therapy, counseling, psychiatric care
Dental
Dental coverage
What dental treatments are covered
Eligibility
Age limit
up to 64 years
up to 64 years
Who can apply
Country and visa requirements
Full-time students or scholars residing outside their country of citizenship for educational purposes, on F-1, J-1, or comparable student visas
International students on F-1, J-1, or M-1 visa at U.S. universities, J-1 scholars, OPT participants, K-12 international students
Pre-existing conditions
Covered after 6-month waiting period
Visa compliant
Service & Support
English support
Digital services
App, online claims, telemedicine
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
For most full-time U.S. graduate students staying 12 months, Select ($106/month) is the sweet spot — $1M coverage, 6-month pre-existing waiting period, $300K evacuation. Budget ($53) works for healthier students on a tight budget. Smart ($32) is for short stays only — its $200K max may not meet strict universities. Elite ($181) is for those needing maximum protection or with university requirements above $1M.
WorldTrips designed StudentSecure with zero deductible to compete on simplicity — you don't pay anything upfront before insurance kicks in (other than copays). This is unusual for U.S. plans and helps students predict costs more easily.
Universities require minimum coverage that varies by school. Smart ($200K max) often does NOT meet waiver requirements. Budget ($500K), Select ($1M) and Elite ($5M) typically do. Always check your school's specific waiver criteria — and remember WorldTrips will provide a waiver form on request.
No. StudentSecure does not allow dependents. If you need spouse or family coverage, look at IMG Patriot Exchange or ISO instead — both let dependents apply independently.
ACA-compliant plans meet all Affordable Care Act mandates (preventive care, maternity, mental health, no annual limits). Most international student plans are not fully ACA-compliant because international students are exempt from the individual mandate. Compass's Benchmark tier is 'ACA-comparable' — it covers the major ACA benefits and is accepted by universities that require ACA-style coverage.
If you submit your Compass plan to your university for waiver and it is rejected, Compass refunds your premium — provided you have not yet filed any insurance claims. This is helpful if you're unsure whether your school will accept the plan. Always run the waiver check first.
Most U.S. student plans force you to buy in monthly blocks. Compass charges by the exact number of days you select. So if you arrive on August 22 and your university plan starts on September 1, you only pay for those 10 transitional days — useful for the gap between arrival and your school's coverage start.
Yes, Compass offers dedicated OPT plans for F-1 students entering Optional Practical Training. Coverage during OPT is critical because traditional student plans typically end at graduation. Compass also covers the gap between graduation and the start of employer-sponsored insurance.
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