Health insurance may be very common or a new concept to you depending on which part of the world you originate from. What is uniform is the benefit that it offers to individuals and families whilst they are living abroad.
Health Insurance
The one constant when buying health insurance is uncertainty. A sudden illness can carry in its wake a flood of unwelcome medical bills. The point of health insurance is to minimise the havoc from such bills.
Why do you need Health Insurance?
To allow you access to international standard hospitals whilst living abroad
To avoid expensive unplanned for medical bills
To benefit from Direct Billing which removes the need for paying cash when visiting the hospital
To benefit from e-records which keeps all of your medical records in one place wherever you are in the world
To have peace of mind that you and your family are protected wherever and whenever
Choosing The Right Insurance
Health insurance comes in many different forms ranging from emergency only through to high-end premium cover. There are key benefits however which need to be considered on most policies and these will often greatly effect the cost of the insurance.
Inpatient vs Outpatient
Most insurance policies will have inpatient treatments covered up to certain annual and lifetime limits. These include illnesses where you have to stay in hospital for at least one night or require serious ongoing treatment. Outpatient benefits often vary greatly as insurance companies look to minimize small cumulative claims. Take care to ensure that your policy has ample protection in this area and covers you for the things you need.
Waiting Periods
Certain benefits on a policy will be subject to a waiting period before a claim can be made. Examples of these will be pre-existing conditions, maternity and wellness benefits. Insurance companies want to prevent customers from taking out a policy only to start making claims straight away in these key benefit areas. However, when paying annually it is often possible to waive some waiting periods so take time to speak with one of our specialists to see if this is possible.
Luxury Providers
In order to reduce the cost of insurance some insurance companies will group expensive hospitals into ‘luxury providers’ and then will either require the policy holder to pay a portion or all of the medical bills if a claim is made at one of these providers. If you are looking for a low cost policy then this could be a great option for you, but if you are looking for a comprehensive policy then ensure that luxury providers are included 100%.
Maternity
Maternity cover is one of the most common reasons to take out a health insurance policy, and insurance companies are aware of this. Maternity cover will always have small print attached so make sure the upper claim limit is more than the cost of a maternity package at your chosen hospital. Also check to see if complicated pregnancies and new born cover are included. Maternity cover will usually have a waiting period of at least 12 months before claims can be made so bear this in mind in your family planning.
What is the price of a Health Insurance policy?
Health Insurance policies range greatly in price but people are often surprised how cheap a comprehensive policy can be and there is always an option which is affordable for any expatriate.
The two main factors effecting price are age and required benefits. Below are some example costs for plans that we provide. If you would like a personalised quotation please fill out the form at the bottom.
28 Year Old Male
- $97/MO
-
- Lives in China
- No ongoing medical conditions
- No spouse or children
35 Year Old Female
- $122/MO
-
- Lives in China
- No ongoing medical conditions
- No spouse or children
40 Year Old Family
- $499/MO
-
- Lives in China
- No ongoing medical conditions
- Two adults and two children
Get A Quote
To receive a quotation for your health insurance options please fill in the contact form.
One of our dedicated insurance professionals will then contact you and help to answer all of your questions.
