iNext

What iNext is

iNext, which signs its pages iNext International Travel Protection, is a plan brand and seller rather than the insurer. It is "a division of CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange and a strategic partner of IASIS, the insurance non-profit associated with the World Youth Student & Educational Confederation." The legal notice on its individual plans page says iNext "markets the travel insurance in these plans on behalf of USF," meaning United States Fire Insurance Company, and gives an office at 400 Congress Street, Portland, Maine, with "California license number 0174067."

iNext sells two broad families of products, and each names its own carrier or partner:

• Travel outside the U.S. (individual retail plans for travelers leaving the U.S.): "Insurance benefits in this plan are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company."
• Group plans for institutions: "The Group Plans are underwritten by Crum & Forster SPC."
• Travel to the U.S. (plans for J-1, F-1 and OPT visitors): the J-visa page says, "A division of the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), iNext has partnered with Total Scholastic Solutions, a truly international private medical insurance company with health plans for today's international students."
• Security evacuation: the individual plans page calls the iNext Basic Security Evacuation Option "underwritten by Crisis 24," while the security evacuation page says "Evacuation services administered by Crisis 24" and the services page lists Crisis 24 among non-insurance assistance providers. The site describes Crisis 24's role in these two different ways.

The homepage sums up the range as "5 base plans + optional add-ons," with "daily, monthly, and annual rates."

Plans for visitors to the U.S.

Sunflower (J-1). The J-visa page says the plan "Meets minimum U.S. health insurance requirements for valid J-1 visas in USA / ages 16 to 64 / non-US citizens." Its key features table lists a cost "From $78.30 per month," a "Maximum per Illness/Injury" of $100,000, co-insurance of "100% (Prescriptions 80%)," a deductible of "$100 per injury/illness," and pre-existing conditions "Covered After 12 Months." It gives access to "Premium Care Physicians and at In-Network Facilities with UnitedHealthcare Options PPO," which the page describes as a network "of over 1.2M+ providers," plus "Worldwide Coverage (excluding Home Country and certain limitations apply)," "Instant proof of coverage," medical evacuation and repatriation, and "80% Prescription medication and contraceptives included through CVS Caremark." The page adds telemedicine, appointment setting and multilingual service. Terms of sale: "All plan options are available at daily rates. Minimum purchase is 3 months." "J-2 dependents only eligible if enrolled with the J-1 participant," and "Purchases are non-refundable."

F-1 and M-1 plans. The travel-to-the-U.S. page names iNext Freedom, Security and iNext Navy250 for academic visas. Buyers confirm they are F-1 students; "F-2 dependents are only eligible if enrolled with the F-1 participant," and the plans are "Not intended for OPT, non-academic visas, or leisure travel." The same page says the Freedom and Sunflower plans are also available for J-1 participants and that "All plans satisfy all J-Visa requirements." No figures for Freedom, Security or Navy250 appear on the pages here.

OPT250. This is "a travel medical plan. Not intended to satisfy F or J Visa requirements." It is for people outside their home country in "Optional Practical Training (OPT), H1B work program, summer or winter camp," and students arriving before their term starts, and "Individuals must be a minimum of 18 years and a maximum of 50 years." The key features table gives a cost "From $78.90 per month (minimum 3 months)," a medical maximum of "$500,000 per injury/illness," a deductible of "$250 per injury/illness," "Emergency Repatriation for Medical Treatment $50,000," co-insurance of "80% of allowable charges In Network," "Repatriation of Remains $25,000," pre-existing conditions "Covered after 12 months," prescriptions at "80% coverage through CVS Caremark. Max $2,000," and mental health at "Max $50 per visit up to $1,000. Co-pay applies." The bullet list higher on the same page gives different evacuation and repatriation figures, "Up to $100,000 for emergency medical evacuation" and "Up to $50,000 for repatriation of remains," so the page states two sets of numbers for the same benefits. The plan "does not cover wellness, preventive care, maintenance, or continuation of Treatment of a Pre-Existing Condition" and "does not cover U.S. citizens residing in the United States."

Plans for travel outside the U.S.

The individual retail plans come in two types, with a supplemental line "Ideal for travelers who already have primary insurance." The page says they include medical cover for COVID-19, emergency evacuation and medical transportation, 24-hour medical, legal and non-insurance assistance, and loss or theft of baggage, with optional trip cancellation and interruption and security evacuation. One rule is strict: "iNext travel protection plans must be purchased PRIOR to departure from the U.S. and are invalid if purchased or renewed from abroad." The legal notice mentions "an exclusion for pre-existing medical conditions."

Group plans

Group plans are "Available to institutional partners only." Supplemental Group plans run on an annual basis, "valid for 364 days anywhere in the world outside of the United States," in Basic, Premium and Platinum tiers. Accident medical expense runs up to $25,000 on Basic and up to $100,000 on the others; sickness medical expense up to $15,000, $20,000 and $100,000; emergency medical evacuation up to $300,000 on Basic and up to $1,000,000 on the others; repatriation of remains up to $25,000 or $50,000. The deductible is $0 on every tier and pre-existing conditions are "Excluded" on every tier.

Comprehensive Group plans, sold "on a daily, monthly, or annual basis," come in Basic and Ultimate. Both carry accident medical expense up to $500,000 and evacuation up to $1,000,000; sickness medical expense is up to $250,000 on Basic and $500,000 on Ultimate, with mental health matching those figures. Both have a $0 deductible and exclude pre-existing conditions. Group add-ons include trip cancellation at benefit levels from $1,500 to $7,000 and a security evacuation option at "$40," available with Premium and Platinum only.

Security evacuation

The Standard option "provides up to $100,000 per person for emergency evacuation to a point of safety in the face of a covered event," with hibernation "Up to 60 days maximum" and kidnap and ransom consulting of "$250,000 per person, per Policy Period." The Enhanced option adds terrorism cover, preemptive evacuation "if declared necessary within 10 days of departure from Host Country," trip interruption or cancellation due to terrorism "Up to $5,000 per person, per year," and temporary lodging "Up to $200 per person/day up to 14 days." The page calls its table "for illustration purposes only."

Assistance and claims

Non-insurance assistance comes "through International Medical Group (IMG) and Crisis 24," and "Emergency Response is coordinated through single-point-of-contact phone number" that accepts collect calls. IMG's services list includes 24-hour multilingual contact centers, dispatch of a doctor, medical monitoring, "Hospital expense payment assurance" and "Direct billing to medical providers." Travelers also get IMG's Travel Risk Intelligence Portal with country risk ratings, a drug translator and a medical provider search. The homepage promises "One phone number connects you to everything from emergency assistance to claims follow-up," and a wallet-sized ID card.

Who it suits

On its own terms, iNext fits a J-1 participant aged 16 to 64 who wants a visa-compliant plan with a stated $100,000 maximum, a $100 deductible and the UnitedHealthcare Options PPO network; an OPT or H-1B traveler aged 18 to 50 who does not need F or J visa compliance; an American traveler buying before leaving the U.S.; and a school or program buying group cover with a $0 deductible. Minimum terms of 3 months and non-refundable purchases apply to the visitor plans.