PSI Health Insurance

What PSI is

PSI Health Insurance is the trading name of Professional Service, Inc., which its About page says "was incorporated in 1996. And specializes in providing insurance services to the international student and visitor market." It sells health plans under the PSI name, but it is a licensed insurance producer rather than the insurer. Its Licensing & Legal page lists "PSI NPN 3006548" with a producer license number for each state it sells in, from "Virginia 111305" and "California I10913" to "Florida L080259," and lists a second, individual producer with her own state licenses. The FAQ refers to "Our carrier" when explaining eligibility checks, but no page names that carrier, and none gives a financial-strength rating.

The About page states the company's focus plainly: "We specialize in only selling Health Insurance for International Students," and "If you hold a J1 or F1 visa you are able to pick from our selection of International Student Health Insurance plans." It also calls PSI "the biggest provider of on-line International Student Health Insurance in the world," which is the company's own claim. Its timeline adds that PSI "developed the International Visitor Medical Emergency Insurance" in 1997, a plan for students' "visiting parents and friends," and in 2002 "launched the Graduated International Student Medical Insurance Plan" for people "no longer eligible for a student plan and not yet covered by an employer sponsored plan."

What it sells

The whole business is built around the university waiver. The find-a-plan page says PSI aligns "our plans with school waiver requirements" and positions them as "a waiver-eligible alternative to the university's student health insurance plan." The find-a-plan page is explicit that "PSI is not affiliated with or endorsed by your university." Its core pitch is price: "Our plans start from just 25% of the cost of a comparable University health insurance plan," and the homepage says "Average cost saving is 45% per year compare to university sponsored plans."

The homepage sorts buyers by status: "Full-Time University/College Student with F-1 Visa," "Full-Time F1 Visa on Graduation Term," "Full-Time J1 Visa Student," "All J1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program," "Middle/High School F1 or J1 visa," "OPT, Summer/Winter Camps Students" and "H1B program participants." Each has a product line: plans for full-time F-1 and J-1 students, "Comprehensive and affordable plans for middle and high school students," "J1 plans designed to meet the U.S. Department of State requirements," "Short-term insurance options for those who are on their F1 OPT," plans for H-1B holders, and travel plans "For NON-US Citizens/Residents traveling from other countries to USA or USA worldwide." The FAQ mentions plan tiers named Bronze, Silver and Ruby in the context of prescription reimbursement.

Prices, deductibles and plan maximums come from the quote tool, which asks for status, age, school name and state. The find-a-plan page says a school search shows "available insurance options, waiver guidance, pricing, and enrollment information," and the PSI app lets a member "View your Plan Summary, deductible and other plan highlights."

Eligibility

The FAQ sets the rule: "International students who are full-time (as defined by their educational institution) and enrolled in an eligible program are qualified to enroll." Attendance is required: "home study, correspondence, and online courses do not satisfy this requirement," and "The Company reserves the right to verify eligibility and attendance records. If requirements are not met, coverage will be terminated." Students graduating in the current term must prove full-time status before buying, because, the FAQ says, "Our carrier has strict eligibility criteria" and a student who is not full time risks "future claims may not be covered." Students can buy "any PSI Plan posted to the school they are attending"; in other cases PSI "reserves the right to cancel the plan and refund premium."

Buying and paying

The FAQ gives a five-step purchase: go to the site, "Select Your School to Find the Right Plan that meets your university insurance requirements," fill in the online application (available in Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Spanish), pay, and download the "Insurance Policy Brochure," "Claim Form," "Confirmation Letter," "Sales Receipt" and "Waiver/Compliance Form" for the school. Payment is by card with a US billing address, by ACH from a US bank account, or in cash at any Wells Fargo branch using a deposit slip in the name of Professional Service, Inc. The app promises "3 minutes to complete your purchase."

Cancellation and refunds

The FAQ's rules are strict. "PSI does not allow cancellation of coverage." The one exception is a plan that fails the school's requirements, and then only "if PSI receives a letter from your school within 30 days of your coverage start date, clearly explaining which specific requirement the plan fails to meet." Once any claim is filed, "no refund will be issued, even if your waiver is later denied." "Plan upgrades are not allowed once your policy has started, unless your school requires the upgrade for waiver approval." The find-a-plan page frames the waiver case as a "100% Refund Promise": if the school denies the waiver during its official waiver period and no claims have been filed, "we refund your premium in full." The same page claims a "99.8% Waiver Approved" success rate and a "4.9/5 score based on 2,500+ student reviews."

Using the plan and claiming

The Using & Claim page says to print the ID card from the PSI account and present it "to your Doctor or Hospital so they can submit your claim directly to us." The page tells a sick or injured student to "visit the Student Health Service first," then a preferred provider, because preferred providers "have a contract to bill us directly" and "have agreed to contracted pricing for covered medical expense." Out of network, a student may have to pay at the visit and then claim, sending a completed claim form with a copy of the ID card and the bills or receipts. Treatment can go ahead before the ID card arrives, with the provider verifying cover through the number on the confirmation letter. Members can also generate a Worldwide Coverage Certificate from their account.

Support runs by phone, email, WeChat and a Chinese-language line, and the app advertises a "24/7 expert insurance consultant online," claim status checks, a signed waiver form and plan renewal.

Who it suits

On its own terms, PSI fits a full-time F-1 or J-1 student at a US school that allows a waiver, who wants a lower-cost alternative to the university plan and help getting the waiver approved. It also serves OPT, H-1B, middle and high school students and visiting family. The no-cancellation rule and the 30-day school-letter window are the FAQ terms that decide whether a buyer can get money back.