Read on to find out more.
When considering health insurance for living abroad, you will need to consider your personal circumstances and the factors that might affect your ability to purchase health insurance.
You will need to think about:
Your age, your health background and your potential health needs in the future, as these will affect the coverage you will be looking for. You will have to be honest about your medical history, so make sure you have these details to hand when looking into your options.
Your medical history will be a key factor in what kind of cover you need. Whether you have a chronic or pre-existing condition or need a policy that will cover pregnancy and childbirth. Not all health insurance policies are the same and the way they are structured means it can be hard to compare quickly and easily between insurance providers. Health insurance is not as easy to package as home or car insurance
When you move abroad, it is likely you are not moving alone. If you are thinking of adding your dependents to your international health insurance, you will need to have their accurate medical and personal details as well.
It is not just your health requirements that will affect what you need. Health problems can be country specific, and you may need additional cover depending on your new country of residence, for example, Dengue Fever in Central or South America.
You should also consider specific healthcare costs you might need to cover in a new location. For example, paying for treatment in the USA can end up being very expensive if you are not adequately covered.
Even if you are looking for global health insurance, you might not be moving abroad permanently. If you are temporarily relocating for a year or more, your main country of residence will also be an important detail when you decide on your plan.
If you are buying your health insurance in Switzerland, but plan to live in another country, you will need to be sure that your insurance provider can cover costs for your new country of residence. Fortunately, we have helped clients arrange health insurance worldwide, from Israel, Monaco, the UK, the USA and more.
You will need to go through the policy in detail to make sure you understand what you will get out of the insurance plan. What does it cover (the inclusions), and what you will not be able to claim for (the exclusions). Knowing exactly what you are able to claim for will make it easier if circumstances mean that you need the insurance, or else you could have to pay for the full amount out of your own pocket.
This is where an international health insurance broker can come in handy. Rather than having to understand the technical and legal details yourself, your personal consultant will walk you through the small print and make sure you are happy with your chosen plan.
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The insurance provider you choose to use is as important as the plan you decide on. Picking an insurer who will be in contact when you need them, quickly process your claim, and provide you with excellent customer service is important. It is sensible to check reviews of the insurer before you make your selection, or you can place your trust in an insurance broker who works with only the best in the business.
Your insurance provider will have a network of hospitals or health facilities that you will be sent to in the case of a health issue. Check to see if this network is comprehensive so you are not having to travel too far to be seen by a professional.
There is sometimes a period after purchasing your insurance plan when you are not immediately allowed to make a claim for certain conditions, this is called the waiting period. You might find that you encounter this in a plan that has caveats for a pre-existing condition, dental or maternity benefits. Typically, it will be a period of a few months or up to 2 years for certain benefits, depending on the policy. This might affect your own decision to purchase, so check before you sign.
When you purchase an international medical insurance policy, you pay a higher premium for coverage that is more comprehensive. Many insurance providers have a minimum level of cover which can then be tailored to suit your specific health situation.
Add-on cover provides you with a more tailored insurance solution for your needs. Get a thorough understanding of what you are paying for before you purchase, what comes as standard and what add-ons are the most appropriate for you. All these factors will affect the price and it is also why it is best to get advice from expert brokers who are familiar with the insurers, their levels of cover and in which countries they operate.
You might need some tests or appointments before you are hospitalised for a health issue. Depending on the plan you choose, this may or may not be covered, as some insurance policies focus only on the treatment you receive in hospital. Read the fine print on what is included.
Some treatments and procedures can take only one day to complete and sometimes you might want to see a specialist for a short appointment. Check your policy to see if this type of shorter-term outpatient treatment is covered.
The international health insurance plans available might have conditions on when specific illnesses will be covered. Are illnesses such as cancer, organ transplants or mental health treatment covered, or do they have coverage for only a specific period. Discuss this with your provider or with your insurance broker to see if this will be an issue for you.
There are some homeopathic treatments that you may want to try, depending on your condition. Your health plan might allow for a certain amount of this type of treatment to be covered. If you are seeking this specifically, make sure you check if it is included.
There are also more cutting-edge or experimental treatments that you may want to explore depending on your condition. For example, if you develop cancer and would like to try a stem-cell therapy solution, you will need coverage that can cover this type of trial treatment.
The cost of staying in a hospital room might not be the first thing you think about when going through a health issue, but it is important that your insurance will cover this expense. If you have a long period of illness, your room rate can be expensive – make sure you understand the limit that your policy has on hospital room charges.
You may choose a policy that has a “cost sharing” element often known as a “co-payment” clause in the USA or “excess” in the UK. It means that you will need to pay an agreed percentage of the cost of your treatment. This type of policy is typically less expensive to take out, but it may not cover as much financially, so it may end up costing you more in the long term. Make sure to check your plan for this clause and see if it is right for you.
It can be overwhelming and time consuming to find suitable health insurance policies and go through the fine print of all the documentation. It can be hard to know what to look for if this is the first time you are using health insurance with worldwide cover.
That is where ASN comes in. Our personal consultant is provided at no cost to you and will help you to find a plan that is ideal for your needs.
You can expect:
We will help you to not only compare international health insurance, but to feel secure in knowing that you do not need to worry about health emergencies when you are abroad.
You can get in touch with us now if you would like to find out more, or read our dedicated page to see more details.
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