Medical Insurance
This is a summary but not the full description of the plan(s). For all terms and conditions, please refer to the Medical Pamphlets in the linked below for details.
AFS provides every participant with the Participant Medical Plan, an extensive secondary medical plan to ensure that prompt, suitable medical treatment is given to any AFS participant anywhere in the world, whenever needed. If a participant gets unexpectedly hurt or ill while on an AFS program, AFS seeks to ensure that his or her participant medical expenses will be paid.
A secondary insurance is responsible for medical expenses only if the expenses are not payable through a primary policy first, such as a national health plan or private insurance held by the natural family (the participant’s family). When no primary insurance exists the Participant Medical Plan acts as the primary source of payment for medical expenses.
Although the AFS Participant Medical Plan does not cover pre-existing conditions, it will cover treatment for illnesses or injuries that occur while abroad. We recommend that AFS participants maintain their primary insurance, in addition to having AFS’s secondary medical coverage while abroad.
All AFS Participants are provided with secondary travel medical coverage for the duration of their program.
Filing a Claim
For details on how to file a claim, please refer to the AFS Medical Pamphlet 2025 and this Medical Claim Filing Process Guide .
For all questions regarding billing and claims for medical care obtained for an AFS participant on or before December 31st, 2024, please contact AFS-USA's Participant Support and Learning Department at Participant-Support-Staff@afsusa.org or 1-800-237-4636, extension 9.