As a condition of enrollment, the University of La Verne (ULV) requires Students to participate in the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP). This requirement protects against unexpected high medical costs and provides access to quality care. The University will charge a SHIP fee to participating Students unless the Student “waives out” by completing a waiver that is approved based on the requirements listed in this policy.
Where a waiver has been approved, it is the student’s affirmative responsibility to maintain the alternate health insurance coverage at all times while enrolled at the University.
NOTE: The Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) fees and process are different from the Health and Wellness Fee (non-waivable).
Required Groups
The following Students will be charged a SHIP fee unless they provide a qualified waiver:
- Traditional degree-seeking undergraduate domestic students enrolled in 12 credit hours or more during a semester.
- Graduate and undergraduate students holding F-1 or J-1 visas (i.e., International Students), enrolled in at least 1 credit hour or more during a semester.
Exempt Groups
- Traditional degree-seeking Undergraduate domestic students enrolled in less than 12 credit hours during a semester.
- Degree-seeking Undergraduate domestic students enrolled in a Regional and Online Campus or the Campus Accelerated Program (i.e., “Adult” Students).
- Degree-seeking Graduate domestic students.
Exempted degree-seeking students enrolled in at least 3 credit hours per semester/term are eligible to voluntarily purchase the SHIP and will have the appropriate fee placed on their Student Account.
Non-degree-seeking students are exempt from this requirement and are not eligible to participate in SHIP.
Billing
SHIP billing is dependent upon a Student’s registration as well as submittal and approval of the online waiver or a student “affirmatively” enrolling in the SHIP. The SHIP charge will appear on the student’s account where a waiver has not been both completed and approved or when a student “affirmatively” enrolls in the SHIP.
- Once the charge is added to the account, the student will have through the Friday of the first week of the semester or session they first attend to complete the waiver. If a waiver is both completed and approved in this timeframe the SHIP charge will be removed within ten (10) business days of the approval.
- If a Student drops below the required credit hours on or before the end of the add/drop period of the start of the full semester, the insurance charge as well as coverage will be dropped, unless the student used the SHIP.
- If a Student drops below the required credit hours after the end of the add/drop period of the start of the full semester, the insurance charge as well as the coverage will remain.
If students enroll in insurance after refunds have been issued, the student is not guaranteed to have additional aid funds issued. The student may have a charge/fee due and they will be responsible for that charge.
SHIP Information
For information on the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) including benefit information and summary go to Benefits Dashboard – Gallagher Student Health Insurance. For questions on insurance plan contact, benefits, and services contact Gallagher at (833) 866-8931
SHIP Costs
25-26 Annual Costs: $1,700
25-26 Full Semester/Term: $850
24-25 News Students Starting at part of Term
- Session II: $425 (tentative)
- Summer: $425 (tentative)
For most current information on SHIP Costs, students should go to Tuition and Fees
Dates of Coverage
Full Semester/Term
- Fall Semester: August 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
- Spring Semester: January 1, 2026 – July 31, 2026
News Students Starting at Part of Term
- Fall Session II: October 20, 2025 – December 31, 2025
- Spring Session II: April 6, 2026– July 31, 2026
- Summer: June 1, 2026 – July 31, 2026
Voluntary SHIP Enrollment
Exempted degree-seeking students enrolled in at least 3 credit hours a semester/term are eligible to voluntarily purchase the SHIP during the open waiver/enrollment periods. Request for voluntary enrollment made after the end of the open waiver/enrollment period will be declined unless they are connected to a “qualifying life event.”
To purchase/opt-in to the SHIP plan, qualifying Students should go to: www.gallagherstudent.com/laverne. For questions on insurance plan contact, benefits, and services contact Gallagher at (833) 866-8931
Students who voluntarily enroll as part of the Fall Semester or Fall Session II will be required to enroll in the Spring Semester unless they have graduated or are no longer considered a degree-seeking enrolled student at the University of La Verne.
NOTE: Students need to have an active enrollment (at least 3 units) for the semester/term (i.e. be enrolled in the fall if seeking to opt in the fall) students are seeking to voluntarily enroll in.
For questions regarding the voluntary enrollment process contact (833) 866-8931.
Affirmative Enrollment
Students wishing to ensure that their insurance is active as soon as possible, within the coverage dates, are encouraged to go to the SHIP dashboard (www.gallagherstudent.com/laverne) and actively enroll each semester during the open waiver/enrollment period.
Waiving Out of SHIP
Students can “waive out” of SHIP by providing proof of insurance that is Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant and meets the criteria listed.
- Students can “waive out” of the SHIP each academic semester during the Waiver/Enrollment period. Students who are not able to waive out during the Waiver/Enrollment period will be required to have SHIP for the full semester.
- Students whose first semester/term of enrollment for that academic year is Fall Session II, Jan Term, Spring Semester/Jan Term, Spring Session II, and Summer can waive out during the corresponding waiver period.
- Waiver requests MUST be submitted during the open waiver/enrollment periods. Waiver requests made after the open waiver/enrollment period ends will not be approved, and the charge for the SHIP will remain on the Student Account.
- Students can waive out of SHIP by submitting Insurance information at https://www.gallagherstudent.com/laverne
Insurance information submitted as part of the waiver process will be reviewed for compliance. Students whose insurance is not in compliance will be informed and will have the SHIP charge remain on their student account.
NOTE: Students need to have an active full-time enrollment (12 units) for the upcoming semester/term to submit waiver for that semester.
A Step-by-Step guide on submitting a waiver is available.
For questions regarding waive out process contact Gallagher at (833) 866-8931.
Open Waiver/Enrollment Periods
- Fall Semester: May 14, 2025, through August 25, 2025.
- Spring Semester: November 19, 2025 – February 9, 2026.
- Summer Session: April 29, 2026 – June 9, 2026
Students with the initial term of semester enrollment for the academic year as:
- Fall with Session 2 enrollment only: TBA
- Spring with Session 2 enrollment only: TBA
Waiver Criteria
In order to qualify for a waiver, the Student’s alternate health insurance plan must:
- Be fully compliant with all aspects of the Affordable Care Act;
- Be underwritten and administered in the United States;
- Provide access to local doctors, specialists, hospitals, and other healthcare providers near campus;
- Provide coverage for urgent and non-urgent care including;
- Preventative and routine benefits;
- In-patient and out-patient surgery and hospitalization;
- Lab work, diagnostic x-rays, physical therapy, chiropractic care, emergency room treatment, ambulance services and prescriptions;
- In-patient and out-patient mental health, substance abuse, and counseling services;
- Health insurance coverage must be maintained throughout the entire academic year (August – May ).
- Must define the plan service area to be in Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and Orange County. All other counties will be considered out of the region for the University of La Verne. Students are encouraged to change their plan’s coverage area to the identified counties to meet waiver criteria.
Where a waiver has been approved, it is the student’s affirmative responsibility to maintain the alternate health insurance coverage at all times while enrolled at the University.
Please see the guide to submitting a waiver
For questions regarding waive out process contact Gallagher at (833) 866-8931.
Waiver Approval
- If the student’s waiver is approved, the Student’s account will be credited within 10 business days accordingly.
- If the waiver is denied the SHIP fee will remain on the student’s account. Students whose alternative insurance does not meet the waiver criteria will be informed and advised of their options, including re-submitting of waiver and/or opting into SHIP.
For questions regarding waive out process contact Gallagher at (833) 866-8931.
No Continuous Waivers
A waiver approval never extends beyond the academic year for which it was approved. Each subsequent academic year, during the waiver/enrollment period, a Student must affirmatively opt-out (i.e. submit a waiver) for that academic year.
Students who obtain a SHIP waiver during the fall semester will automatically waive coverage for the entire academic year and do not need to submit a waiver for the spring semester. However, such Students may request to enroll in SHIP in the Spring, or any time after the Fall enrollment/waiver period if the request is connected to a “qualifying life event” by submitting an application at https://www.gallagherstudent.com/laverne
Students who receive a health insurance waiver for the spring semester must submit a waiver again the following fall semester/term.
Qualifying Life Events
Where a Student loses coverage outside the open/waiver enrollment period, ULV strongly encourages the Student to contact Gallagher at (833) 866-8931. Students can also visit https://www.gallagherstudent.com/laverne
Students who lose their health insurance coverage, have 30 days to qualify for a Special Enrollment in SHIP under a “qualifying life event.” Students must provide proof of loss of coverage in the form of a letter from their former health insurance plan.
Examples of qualifying life events or events that result in “loss of coverage” include, but are not limited to:
- Termination of employment
- Termination of the other health plan
- Death of the spouse
- Legal separation, divorce or annulment
- Reduction of hours of employment
- Employer contributions toward a health plan were terminated
- A child no longer qualifies for coverage as a child under another health plan
Automatic Loss of Student Health Coverage
School Withdrawal
All Students who withdraw from school are NOT eligible to purchase the University-endorsed health insurance plan. Students who withdraw before the end of the add/drop period will have their SHIP backed out, and will not be covered by the SHIP. Students who withdraw after the add/drop period will not have their charges backed out and will be covered by the SHIP for the rest of that particular semester.
Dependent Coverage
Spouses, domestic partners, or dependent children are not eligible to enroll in the Student health plan.
Student Athletes
All student athletes will be required to submit proof of insurance as part of their medical clearance process for athletics. Insurance must comply with the University of La Verne’s insurance requirements as listed in this policy.
Failure to maintain appropriate insurance coverage throughout the year will put the athlete at risk of being financially responsible for all costs incurred from an athletic injury.
(For additional information go to https://leopardathletics.com/sports/2023/5/18/insideAthletics-AthleticTraining-Information-Forms.aspx). For questions regarding Student Athletes contact: AthleticTraining@Laverne.edu
International Students
All Students holding F1 visas at the University of La Verne must have health insurance as a condition of enrollment. All Students holding J-1 visas are required by the U.S. Department of State to maintain health insurance from the date of entry into the U.S. through any post-completion academic training.
All Students holding F-1 and J-1 may participate in the insurance waiver process outlined in this policy. Students not waiving out will be automatically enrolled in SHIP as outlined. Students wishing to waive out must provide records of insurance that are ACA compliant and meet other requirements as stated in this policy.
International students should check that if they waive out, their alternate health insurance includes a “medical evacuation and repatriation” benefit. Should students need this benefit, they can go to Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk.
For questions regarding F-1 and J-1 Visas contact: international@laverne.edu
Students participating in Study Abroad
Traditional undergraduates students participating in Study Abroad are participating in programs as enrolled students at the University of La Verne. As such they are required to participate in the Student Health Insurance Plan or “waive out” as outlined in this policy .
Students with Military Insurance (Tri-Care & VA-Care)
Tri-Care will be an accepted form of primary coverage. Students with Tri-Care are encouraged to consider the location of their PCP. In situations where the PCP is a significant distance, students are encouraged to consider opting into the SHIP.
Medi-Cal/Medicaid/HMO/IPA Insurance
- Out-of-state Medicaid insurance will not qualify as an alternative health insurance plan eligible for waiver. Students should consider other insurance options including opting into SHIP.
- Out-of-area Medi-Cal (counties other than Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and Orange County) will not qualify as an alternative health insurance plan eligible for waiver. Students should consider changing their service location or opting into SHIP.
- Out-of-state HMO/IPA insurance will not qualify as an alternative health insurance plan eligible for waiver. Students should consider changing their service location or opting into SHIP.
- Out-of-area California HMO/IPA insurance will require students to change their primary care physician (PCP) to a PCP in the La Verne area (i.e. L.A. County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County). If they are not able to, they should consider opting into SHIP.