Archive for the ‘Major Medical Insurance for Expatriates’ Category
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Moving to France is on many individual’s bucket list. Offering visitors access to the Eiffel Tower, baguettes and wines to appease any taste, it is not a mystery why. If you are one of the few individuals who is able to fulfill this dream and check one more item off your bucket list, you will have plenty of things to start preparing for, including looking for major medical insurance in France.
Individuals residing in France for three months or longer have access to the French universal health coverage, this includes expats who qualify. However, although an expat might qualify for the universal health coverage, they will want to decide if it will be enough. Those who are unsure of where their job, retirement or life in general will take them next will want to make sure they have an insurance plan that they can rely on to follow them wherever they go.
Whether they will be spending one year or a few years in France as an expatriate, it is recommended to find a major medical insurance plan in France that they are able to keep no matter where they journey to in the future.
Expats searching for Major Medical Insurance in France that also offers flexibility specific to their travel plans are able to purchase worldwide coverage or worldwide coverage excluding the US and Canada with the Citizen Secure plan.
The Citizen Secure plan offers comprehensive coverage that includes hospitalization and outpatient treatment, prescription medication, emergency medical evacuation, mental health, pre-existing conditions, maternity, physical therapy and repatriation of remains. This plan also allows individuals to choose their deductible.
Individuals who are or will be an expat looking for major medical insurance in France can contact one of our licensed agents today to see if they are eligible for the Citizen Secure plan.
Tags: expatriate health insurance, Major Medical Insurance in France
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Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
Deciding on international health insurance that meets your needs is an important decision. Reviewing the benefits and exclusions along with looking into the other services that are offered are part of an important process to discovering if a plan is right for you. If you are in the market for an international major medical plan that will provide you with worldwide health coverage as well as other assistance services, the Citizen Secure plan might be a good option to consider. Citizens from around the world and US citizens that will be outside of the US for a cumulative 6 months out of the year are eligible for this plan.
The Citizen Secure assistance services are available twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week while the plan is in effect. A few of the services available include the following:
Emergency Message Relay: In an emergency it is important that your family knows you are safe, but it is not always possible to contact them and let them know. This service allows you to relay messages to your family, friends or co-workers when the need occurs.
Pre-Trip Destination Information: Limit the amount of research you have to do for your trip. We will provide you with up-to date information on health risks, required vaccinations, travel restrictions and weather conditions for your destination country.
Provider Referral: It’s not always an easy task to find a western-style health provider when in a foreign county. This service will provide you with contact information for medical facilities and pharmacies that speak English.
Lost Luggage Assistance: This will provide you with a tracking service for lost luggage while on the go.
Other assistance services include prescription drug replacement, emergency travel arrangements, dispatch of a physician, translation assistance, credit card/traveler check replacement, travel document replacement and medical monitoring.
If you would like further information on the Citizen Secure assistance services available or to purchase the Citizen Secure plan, contact one of our licensed agents today.
Tags: Citizen Secure Assistance Services
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Tuesday, March 13th, 2012
There are many reasons why those from all over the world have decided to become an expatriate in Portugal. One of the most appealing natural features that Portugal has to offer is the miles of diverse coastline that spans along the Atlantic Ocean. Whether you prefer a relaxing sandy beach or dramatic ridged cliffs, you will be content, since both can be found in Portugal. The water supplies not only miles to explore but a plethora of seafood to be enjoyed. Foodies along with those that simply enjoy a good meal will be able to appreciate the combination of fresh seafood along with the country-grown produce from the rich soil of Portugal’s inland.
If you are or will be an expatriate in Portugal it is important to ensure you know not only where to get the freshest catch of the day, but also where to get proper health and medical insurance.
Portugal has free basic health care to those who qualify, but if you are an expat in Portugal and do not qualify to use the public health system or if you just want extra coverage, you will need to find a private health insurance plan that fits the needs of you and your family. If you are looking for a major medical insurance plan in Portugal that is flexible it is important to explore your options. If you are not certain where you will be later in life, you will want to find a plan that will follow you, wherever you go. One popular plan option for expats in need of major medical insurance in Portugal is the
International Health and Hospital Plan (IHHP). This plan will cover you where you decide to go, including your home country. Find out more information on our IHHP health plan or the other major medical insurance plans for expatriate that are available to you.
Tags: Major Medical Insurance in Portugal
Posted in Major Medical Insurance for Expatriates | 2 Comments »
Friday, September 16th, 2011
As you decide to take the big step of moving overseas, you may not want to put life on hold. In fact, many people who relocate overseas continue to think about family planning and decide to start a family abroad. In cases like these, it is important to make sure that you have an international maternity insurance that will cover you and your family internationally.
Some parents prefer to give birth overseas, while others prefer to return home for delivery. There are pros and cons to both, but you’ll need to make the decision for your family. Regardless of your preference, it is important to make sure that your international maternity insurance will cover you where you’d like to deliver. These considerations include:
- Ability to hold dual citizenships
- Military service
- Cost of delivery
- Quality of facilities and care
- Maternity and paternity leave after birth
International Citizens offers many different options for maternity coverage. Many plans have a waiting period on maternity, so it is important to know your plan including what is covered, where you are covered, and if there are any waiting periods.
Here is an overview of our international maternity insurance plans for comparison:
- Citizen Secure plan – Our Citizen Secure plan is a popular option for international travelers. You will receive worldwide coverage with the option to include or exclude coverage in the US and Canada. If you are a US citizen, you will have coverage in the US a maximum of 6 months out of every year. The plan includes maternity standard on the plan, however there is a one year waiting period before inception can occur for pre-natal, delivery and post-natal to be covered.
- Global Medical plan – Our Global Medical plan also provides worldwide coverage with the option to include or exclude coverage in the US and Canada. Like the Citizen Secure plan, US citizens must be located outside the US 6 months out of every year. This plan is available in four levels: Silver, Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum. Maternity is covered on the Silver, Gold and Gold Plus level as long as you add the optional rider when you initially apply for the plan. All three of these levels have a 12 month waiting period before any pregnancy is covered (however inception can occur before the 12 month waiting period). Births in the 11th or 12th months receive 50% of the stated benefits for maternity. The Platinum level, however, has a 10 month waiting period before coverage for maternity begins.
- Global Citizen plan – Our Global Citizen plan allows you to upgrade your plan after one year of coverage to add a maternity rider at renewal. While you cannot be pregnant when you upgrade, this will give you coverage around the world with the option to include or exclude coverage in the US.
- IHHP – Our IHHP provides worldwide coverage once the plan is in effect. Since this is a modular based plan, the most comprehensive maternity coverage on the plan would be if you include Module I. The waiting period is 12 months for pregnancy and child birth.
Tags: International Maternity Insurance
Posted in Expatriate Insurance Terminology, Major Medical Insurance for Expatriates | Comments Off
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
Many expatriates living overseas purchase an international health insurance plan to cover them at home, while traveling, and when they return to their home country. Depending on your situation, having one plan to cover you all over the world can be more advantageous than purchasing a separate travel plan or a short-term policy when you return to your home country.
Why?
Pre-existing conditions. A pre-existing condition is a condition you had prior to beginning coverage. If you purchase a short-term plan or travel policy, you may find that these policies have specific exclusions or limitations for pre-existing condition coverage. However, if you have your international health insurance for expatriates you will maintain the same benefits on your plan no matter where you are. Before purchasing a medical insurance plan, be sure to ask if there are any restrictions in the coverage area.
Having your own policy to cover you year after year can also be helpful as you grow older. Depending on where you live, coverage can be difficult to find if you are in your 60′s or older. Some plans are medically underwritten which would require that your plan be reviewed by an underwriter which could mean for some people exclusions, or even denial of coverage.
Under many comprehensive international medical insurance plans, you can to continue coverage under a senior plan or to maintain lifetime coverage under the policy. If you decide to purchase an international health insurance for expatriates, you will want to confirm if you can renew your plan annually without medical questions and be sure to ask if there are any age restrictions.
Another benefit for international medical insurance plans is that you do not need to decide your future now. Do you want to stay abroad? Do you think you will move back home? Are you going to do extensive traveling? All of these questions do not have to be answered if you have a flexible plan that will travel wherever you are.
One popular option is the International Health and Hospital Plan (IHHP). This plan is designed to cover individuals all over the world, including in their home country. While the plan is individually underwritten, you can renew the plan every year without medical questions. Additionally, this plan is designed to cover you as you age. Once you are enrolled in the international health insurance plan for expatriates, you will get lifetime coverage which would allow you to keep comprehensive coverage all around the world.
If you have any questions, contact our licensed agents for more information about a right plan for you.
Tags: International Health Insurance for Expatriates, international medical insurance plans
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Thursday, February 10th, 2011
Let’s face it; we all know that health insurance lingo can be complex and difficult to interpret at times. Especially, if it’s international/expatriate insurance and the terminology isn’t what most people are typically used to. Insurance agents/brokers selling insurance inside the US are required to be licensed in order to even sell various insurance products. So how does the regular insurance consumer know what benefits they are getting when it comes to expatriate insurance terminology?
The following is a brief overview of common expatriate insurance terminology and definitions that are found in expatriate health insurance:
Premium: This is the actual amount of money charged by insurance companies to be insured. An insurance premium can be collected in several ways; monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and of course, pay in full. If the insured (the person to be covered) fails to make a scheduled payment, the insurance company can choose to cancel policy.
Deductible: a deductible is a specified dollar amount that you would pay to a doctor or hospital before the insurance pays for claims. A deductible can offset the cost of your premium (what you pay for the plan itself). The higher you set the deductible, then the lower your premium cost will be. However, in most cases, you will need to pay the deductible before the insurance will pay any benefits (claims).
* Please note: in the UK and some parts of Europe this is also known as an “excess”.
Coinsurance: Coinsurance is a percentage of the medical bill that you pay. Many plans offset the cost of the premium with coinsurance. By sharing a portion of the medical expenses, it reduces the premium rate because you’re paying more out-of pocket. For example, if a plan has 80/20 coinsurance the insurance will pay 80% of the medical expenses and you would pay the remaining 20%.
PPO or Provider Network: PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization or Network. A PPO is an organization of medical doctors, hospitals, facilities and other health care providers who have a contractual agreement with an insurer to provide health care at reduced rates to the insurer’s or administrator’s clients. You are strongly encouraged to visit medical provider and facilities that are part of the insurance plan network. This usually allows for direct billing and can remove the need for you to pay up front for medical expenses.
Underwriting: International major medical plans are medically underwritten. This means that your family’s medical status and history will be used to determine your eligibility for coverage. When you apply for a major medical plan you will have to answer a series of health history and lifestyle questions. Based on your responses to these questions, the insurer can decide the following things:
- Issue coverage and complete your application
- Request further information regarding your past medical history
- Request that a rider be placed on your application that limits or excludes certain medical conditions
- Request a premium increase due to your medical and/or family history
- Deny coverage
You are notified if the terms will be different than what you applied for – to ensure that you still want to proceed with the policy under new terms or conditions. If you are not happy with anything you can withdraw the application with no penalty.
Usual Reasonable & Customary (URC): Usual Reasonable and Customary is a term that insurers use to describe a limitation on their responsibility to pay for eligible medical expenses. Basically, URC refers to the fee typically charged by a provider for a specific procedure in a specific geographic location. If a particular procedure typically costs $5,000 in the New York City area, and most providers customarily charge about $5,000 for that procedure, the insurance company will not pay your provider in New York City $10,000 for the same exact procedure. Instead, they will limit their payment amount to “Usual Reasonable and Customary” – in this example, $5,000.
Emergency Medical Evacuation: This benefit will provides transportation (emergency air and/or ground) to the nearest hospital that is qualified to provide medically necessary treatment when treatment is not available locally.
Repatriation: In the event of a covered injury or illness resulting in your death, this benefit provides the following benefit: air and/or ground transportation of bodily remains or ashes to the area of your residence, and usually includes reasonable costs of preparation of your remains necessary for transportation.
This is just a few of the most common definitions and benefits that come with most expatriate insurance plans. When choosing a plan that right for you, it’s always a smart idea to pay close attention to the policy benefits and exclusions – making sure that you choose a plan that’s right for you and your health needs.
If expatriate insurance terminology becomes too daunting and you’d like assistance in choosing the right plan for you, please contact one of our licensed expatriate insurance agents. They will be happy to help!
Tags: Expatriate Insurance Terminology, expatriate plan terminology, international insurance agents, International Insurance Definitions, International Insurance Terminology
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Monday, January 31st, 2011
Many retirees dream of enjoying their retirement as an expatriate, immersing themselves in a new language, culture and way life. Living out your golden years in another country can be exciting, thrilling and nerve wracking- all at the same time. As the number of older expatriates is increasing so are some concerns like healthcare and insurance. Health insurance for aging expatriates can difficult to understand and find. Some important questions you should consider before retiring are as follows:
- Will my policy end when I reach a certain age?
- Will I be covered if I return back to my country of citizenship?
As you begin to research the many expatriate plans out there, you will notice that a big eligibility factor with most of them is age. Unfortunately, age is a huge underwriting factor with most health insurance plans for aging expatriates. As we get older, we “age” out of eligibility for a lot of health plans that are available.
For some plans the age for eligibility completely ends at 65 years. Other plans offer “senior coverage” if you’ve had their plan for a specified length of time (this is usually 10 years of continuous coverage. Most plans that offer “senior coverage” have limited benefits and reduced maximum policy limits. Because of this, it’s wise to have an annually renewable international health plan in place – early.
There are several types of health insurance plans for aging expatriates available in the marketplace today. Some are annually renewable, providing worldwide coverage and others are short-term plans that will provide coverage outside the home country.
If you are considering a long-term, annually renewable plan then the Global Medical plan provides worldwide health insurance for aging expatriates. This plan offers lifetime coverage if you enroll in the plan by your 65th birthday and maintain continuous coverage to age 75. Prior to your 75th birthday you will receive a summary of benefits for the new plan, “Global Senior Plan”, and an enrollment form for coverage. There is no additional medical underwriting required! You simply need to review the benefits, complete and return the enrollment form with your premium.
If you’re already over 65 and haven’t been enrolled in a long-term plan there are still other options available. The IHHP health plan offers annually renewable coverage to expatriates until 80 years of age. If taken out before 80 years of age, this plan will offer lifetime coverage, as long as you maintain your premium. This is a great health insurance for aging expatriates.
Tags: expat insurance for seniors, expatriate health insurance, Health Insurance for Aging Expatriates, insurance for senior expats, International Health Insurance
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Monday, January 24th, 2011
As we develop into a more global society, living abroad is becoming more common than ever before. Whether you’re living outside your country temporarily or permanently the experience can be rewarding, exciting and life changing. There are many reasons that people choose to live abroad. For example, some are students wishing to learn a new language or culture and some have relocated for their careers or new employment opportunities. While the majority of global citizens have found wealth and happiness since moving abroad, it seems that doesn’t apply when it comes to healthcare.
According to a recent survey by Bupa International, almost half of expats believe the standard of healthcare is worse in their new country. The research also shows that one in five expats say they would rather be treated outside their country of origin or current residence if they fell seriously ill.
The perfect solution to this dilemma is a major medical insurance plan for expatriates that offers worldwide coverage. International Citizens offers several major medical insurance plans that work for well for global citizens and the short-term traveler. A solid major medical insurance plan can not only protect your finances if the unexpected happens, it also provides peace of mind – knowing that you have access to great healthcare, should you need it.
As healthcare needs vary so can major medical insurance for expatriates. There are many types of plans out there available for global citizens. Some plans allow you to pick and choose which benefits you want while others have fixed benefits. The IHHP plan is an example of a major medical plan that allows you to pick and choose your benefits. This is great option for many global citizens needing worldwide coverage. The Global Medical plan is another great option, offering fixed benefits (meaning the benefits cannot be modified). If you have any questions about which plan is right for you or your family, please contact our licensed insurance agents who will be happy to assist you.
Major medical insurance plans are medically underwritten. This mean, you will have to complete an application that has health and lifestyle questions about yourself and/or dependents. This application is reviewed by an underwriter. The two key purposes of the underwriting process are as follows:
- decide whether to offer or deny coverage
- determine what premium rate to set for the policy
Medical underwriting is necessary for the insurers as it prevents people from purchasing health insurance coverage only when they are sick, pregnant or need medical care. You can see from this how important it is to have a great major medical insurance plan for expatriates in place – before the unexpected happens.
Tags: expat health insurance, expatriate health insurance, International Health Insurance, International Travel Insurance, major medical insurance for expats
Posted in Expat News, International Expatriate Health Insurance, International Health Insurance, International Travel Insurance, Major Medical Insurance for Expatriates | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
Every year, more and more US citizens are establishing permanent residency in Mexico. In fact, Mexico is now ranked #1 for the country with the most US Citizens living abroad. If you are an expatriate in Mexico or are thinking about relocating, one of the most important considerations is proper health and medical insurance.
Health and medical insurance in Mexico is considered a “pluralistic” health care system meaning that there are both private and public health insurance options. The public option is called the Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social (IMSS) which covers public facilities only. In order to be eligible for the national health care system as a non-Mexican citizen, you will need to be employed. The health care system withholds a portion of your salary and your employers pay a large contribution to cover the insurance premiums each year. The coverage includes doctor visits, hospitalization, prescriptions, labs, x-rays, etc. However, some pre-existing conditions are not covered and the public system has longer wait periods to obtain care than in private facilities.
Because of this, many expatriates living in Mexico prefer to have a private international health and medical insurance plan in place. In many cases this allows individuals to choose either a public or private facility. An additional advantage is that expatriates have the option to receive treatment in the country of choice – whether in Mexico or their home country.
Many expatriates find that the Citizen Secure plan is well designed as a health and medical insurance for Mexico. The plan features worldwide coverage and you have the option to include the US and Canada as well. Securing a private insurance plan will allow you to choose your doctor or hospital – including private facilities – and can be annually renewed to give you the protection you need year after year.
Furthermore, you will have the option to seek treatment either in Mexico or at home. Many international health and medical insurance plans also provide translation services which may be helpful in Mexico if you are not as familiar with Spanish. Contact one of our licensed agent for more information on health and medical insurance plans in Mexico.
Tags: Expatriate insurance for Mexico, Health and Medical Insurance for Mexico, health insurance for mexico, medical insurance for mexico, travel insurance for mexico
Posted in International Expatriate Health Insurance, International Health Insurance, Major Medical Insurance for Expatriates | 2 Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
An important question to ask before purchasing your international insurance plan is, “what is the procedure if I want to use my plan?” Whether you are looking for a travel or international health insurance, you’ll want to know how much you will pay out-of-pocket before the plan covers you and also how claims are paid. This will determine if you will pay the full service fee up front or whether you will just pay your out-of-pocket expenses.
Most international insurance plans do not have an international network outside the US. Depending on the plan, claims are generally paid 2 ways:
1. The insurance company will pay directly to the doctor or hospital
2. You will pay for the treatment and be reimbursed
Some insurance plans may not have an international network, but may still reach out to your doctor or hospital to pay directly. Some companies have an international network where you can find nearby hospitals or doctors that they have previously worked with and recommend. Other companies have a client relations phone number you can reach, and they will work with you to find a local provider.
This may not be as important for a doctor visit – but knowing how your plan works in case of something major, like hospitalization or a medical evacuation, can save you thousands of dollars (or its equivalent) up front.
We recommend that you call your customer service representative to find out the procedure for the policy you are interested in.
Tags: How Claims Are Paid, International Health Insurance Claims, International Insurance Claims, International Medical Insurance Claims
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