SHIP Waiver Information related to waiving SHIP Coverage

Mandatory students who were registered with the University in the fall semester and were unable to successfully waive the SHIP by the September 15 deadline, may NOT attempt to waive the SHIP in the spring semester.

There is a $140 late waiver penalty for requests submitted/approved after the posted deadline due to a qualifying life event.

University Requirements for Insurance (PDF) for 2025-26

Before submitting your request to waive (opt-out), students are responsible for making sure their insurance plan meets all applicable requirements below.  Information about insurance benefits can typically be obtained by calling, emailing, or visiting the website of your insurance company or human resources department website. A summary of benefits and coverage (SBC), benefit grid, or other similiar document will usually provide the information needed.  To get an idea of what these documents might look like, view the SHIP's documents on the SHIP Resources page.  

Waiver information and insurance coverage is subject to verification.  If a waiver request fails to fully meet the requirements, or insurance coverage is not able to be verified, the waiver will not be approved. Waivers that are not approved by the deadline will result in the student being enrolled in the SHIP through July 31, 2026, and the charge will remain on the student's account.

Requirements for International Students

¹The information in this section does NOT apply to international students who are also an athlete, dance major, and/or theatre major.  The information is for international (only) students.

The following insurance plans have been deemed acceptable for international (only) students¹
Disclaimer: Point Park University will permit international (only) students to request to waive the SHIP if enrolled in one of these plans.  However, the plans are not endorsed by the University, as they do not provide coverage that is comparable to the University-sponsored student health insurance plan (SHIP).

1. Insurance provided through the Saudi Cultural Mission (SACM), OR
2. ISO International Student Insurance: Secure, Compass PPO, or Silver plans, OR
3. World Trip International Student Insurance: Student Secure Elite, Select, Budget, or Smart plans

International (only) students not enrolled in one of the above plans must either enroll in the SHIP or be enrolled in other coverage that meets the Requirements for Mandatory Students (below).

¹International students who are also student athletes, dance, or theatre majors must meet the applicable requirements listed below:

Requirements for Athletes

1. Insurance must cover injuries sustained in the practice or play of intercollegiate sports without limitation, AND
2. Insurance must pay primary, relative to the University-provided secondary accident insurance, AND
3. Insurance must meet Requirements for Mandatory Students (below)

Requirements for Dance and Theatre Majors (All Concentrations)

1. Insurance must cover injuries sustained during rehearsals and performances without limitation, AND
2. Insurance must pay primary, relative to the University-provided secondary accident insurance, AND
3. Insurance must meet Requirements for Mandatory Students (below)

Requirements for Mandatory Students

1. Healthcare providers must be able to directly bill to and receive payment from insurance; no reimbursement policies
2. Insurance must be able to pay claims to healthcare providers in US Dollars
3. Insurance policy documents must be available in English
4. Coverage must begin no later than the waiver deadline and remain active through July 31; no short-term policies
5. If the policy has a deductible, it must be no more than $5,000 per individual, per policy year
   • Note: A deductible is not the same as a copay or co-insurance
6. Policy must include coverage for pre-existing conditions with no waiting periods or other limitations
7. Policy must include coverage in the Pittsburgh area for all services the University requires to be covered
   • Emergency or urgent care-only coverage does not meet this requirement
8. Policy must include coverage for all the following services:
   • Applicable preventive and wellness services, including immunizations, screenings and related counseling, and chronic disease management
   • Emergency and urgent care services
   • Emergency transport; for example, ambulance
   • Hospital inpatient services
   • Outpatient (ambulatory) services
   • Physician services, including routine illness/injury, as well as specialist
   • Mental health and substance use disorder services
   • Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (before and after birth), as applicable
   • Diagnostic services such as laboratory, pathology, x-ray, MRI, CT scan, etc.
   • Physical therapy
   • Prescription medicines

Notice to Athletes and Dance/Theatre Majors with an Approved Waiver

For mandatory students with an approved waiver, if it is later determined the student’s insurance coverage does not meet University requirements,

1. The University will enroll the student in SHIP coverage, retroactive as early as the policy start date (August 1) through the end of the policy year (July 31).
2. The student account will be charged the rate applicable to the dates of coverage; failure to pay this charge may result in a hold on the students account, with an inability to register for future classes or receive their diploma until paid in full.
3. For students with injuries eligible for secondary accident insurance coverage, the student will be fully responsible for all medical expenses incurred that are not paid by their primary insurance or the secondary accident insurance.

SHIP waivers are coordinated by Gallagher Student Health

Please direct all questions regarding SHIP waiver to Gallagher Student Health.

Students who are NOT required to have health insurance (voluntary students) do not submit a request to waive the SHIP.  A voluntary student who believes they have been incorrectly classified as mandatory and charged for the insurance needs to take action.  See Mandatory vs. Voluntary Status.

Students who ARE required to have health insurance (mandatory students) automatically have the cost of the SHIP added to their Point Park student account their first registered semester of the academic year (fall or spring).  

It is the student's responsibility to take action and determine whether they have insurance that meets University requirements, and either enroll in or waive (opt-out of) the SHIP.  Students are also responsible for reading all information and instructions, follow the proper procedures, and meet all deadlines.

Mandatory students who do NOT wish to enroll in the SHIP:

• Have insurance coverage that fully meets all applicable University requirements, AND
• Successfully submit their online request to waive the SHIP every academic year they are mandatory, AND
• Have the waiver approved by the deadline.
• Students who miss the waiver deadline or whose request is not approved by the deadline will be enrolled in the SHIP and the charge will remain on their student account for the year.
• No late waivers or early termination requests are accepted unless there is a qualifying life event.

How do I submit the waiver? 

• Visit Gallagher Student Health to get started.   
• Log into the portal (register if it's your first visit).
• Complete and submit the application to request to waive the SHIP.

NOTE:  Waiver requests that have the SHIP as their insurance will be denied.  You must have other insurance coverage that meets university requirements.  How can you tell if it's SHIP coverage?  The card will be show Highmark group 017242-1x (last number varies) and the ID begins with YYM.

Waiver processing time: It can take up to 14 days from the time the waiver is successfully submitted. If additional information is needed to process the waiver the student will receive additional email correspondence. Not responding to a request for information in a timely manner can result in delay or denial of a waiver request.

View your student account to see if the the charge has been credited.  Also, see below After Submitting the Waiver, and Waiver Denial for more information.

An email confirmation from Gallagher Student Health is sent upon successful submission of the waiver.  If no email confirmation is received (after checking spam/junk box), login to the Gallagher Student portal to check the status, or contact the Gallagher Student Health Help Center.

Waiver information and insurance coverage is subject to verification.  It is the student’s responsibility to check their email, including the spam/junk box (and Other tab if Focused Inbox is on in Outlook), on a regular basis for additional information requests until the waiver is approved or denied.

Weekly status updates are available to Point Park, and student accounts will be credited accordingly. It is the student’s responsibility to check their university student account to make sure they’ve received the credit, and to follow up with Gallagher Student Health in a timely manner if they do not.

Once the waiver is approved and the credit has posted, the waiver process is completed for the academic year. A new waiver needs to be submitted every academic year the student is mandatory and does not want to enroll in the SHIP.

Waivers that are unable to be approved must be resolved before the waiver deadline, or the student will be enrolled in the SHIP, and the charge will remain on the student account for the remainder of the academic year.

No waiver requests or appeals will be accepted beyond the posted deadlines without a qualifying life event.  

To check the status of your waiver, login to the Gallagher Student Health student portal.  

If there is a request for a copy of the insurance card or other insurance document, you must provide the requested information.

If your insurance does not meet University requirements, you must provide documentation that shows your insurance meets the specifically denied criteria.  For example,

• If your insurance coverage shows that it is terminated, you must provide proof that it is currently active.
• If your coverage shows your deductible exceeds the allowed amount of $5,000 per individual, per policy year, you must provide proof that your deductible is no more than the allowed amount.

If you are unable to resolve the issues preventing approval of your waiver request:

• Enroll in the SHIP as soon as possible so you have access to coverage as early as August 1 when the plan year begins--January 1 for spring-only enrollment (see SHIP Enrollment)
• If you have not already done so, make arrangements for payment of the insurance charge on your Point Park student account.
• If you do not enroll, you will be enrolled by the University, but your enrollment will not be active until after the waiver period closes in mid-September.