Additional coverage is strongly recommended. Health care programs will differ depending on your exchange destination. In Australia, additional health insurance coverage may be purchased on arrival if you can show that you are a fully paid contributor to a health program in your own country. In the United States, extra coverage is essential. Despite of all the precautions taken in selecting and preparing teachers for exchange, exchanges do occasionally break down.
Most breakdowns are for genuine, emergency reasons.
Emergency situations will be evaluated individually, with compassion and concern. Unresolved problems need to be sorted out as quickly as possible. With local support from the school, administration, and community of friends, most problems are taken care of. However, when this support is unavailable or not accessed, exchange breakdowns during the teaching term sometimes occur, and they have extensive consequences. There are a lot of details involved.