Health Insurance

Many of our international visitors enjoy excellent health insurance coverage in their home countries, and in the event of a catastrophic illness would return home for care. While working here, though, it is necessary to carry individual health insurance to cover short-term illnesses or non-work-related accidents.

Graduate students, whether domestic or international, are eligible for coverage under Dartmouth's Student Group Health Plan.

All research associates who are paid by Dartmouth accounts are eligible for a standard benefits package that provides the equivalent of a $250 deductible single-coverage health insurance plan. (The deductible is the amount of money you would be expected to pay out-of-pocket toward your medical costs before the insurance policy covers subsequent medical expenses.) Research associates who remain on the Dartmouth payroll for three years or more receive more flexible and comprehensive coverage under Dartmouth's Dartflex plan. Research fellows who are paid by outside organizations but through a Dartmouth account administered by Dartmouth's Office of Grants and Contracts are eligible to be covered as part of the College's group health insurance via the standard benefits package. However, this accessibility is contingent upon the laboratory supervisor's ability to fund the "employer benefit credit" from a reserve or other account. When such funds are not available, research fellows (both international and domestic) often purchase private insurance at very reasonable rates. Two local insurance agencies who write individual policies for health insurance are: Centurion Corporation (policies for New Hampshire residents via Connecticut National Insurance Company) and Rankin Insurance Agency (policies for New Hampshire residents via American Republic Insurance Company, and soon for Vermont residents via Mutual of Omaha).

Research fellows who are paid from sources outside of Dartmouth's payroll system are not eligible for health insurance coverage through the College's employee benefits plan. There are several insurance companies that provide month-to-month individual health insurance policies for international visitors. To find specific information on-line from some of these companies, you may want to check out Champion Insurance, World Medical Plan, International Community Service, and/or World Travel Center.

To request a pamphlet describing either the standard benefits package or the Dartflex plan, send an email to Human.Resources.Benefits@dartmouth.edu.

Health insurance coverage for research associates and employees is arranged at the time of arrival at Dartmouth. Research fellows may investigate insurance coverage either beforehand or upon arrival. Students will be notified about the Dartmouth Student Group Insurance plan and given instructions during the summer prior to their arrival.