In many cases, international expatriate insurance is essential if you are planning to move abroad. Here are some tips to help you make your choice.
Key questions before choosing international expatriate insurance
An expat who wishes to take out an international insurance policy must ask himself some key questions.
Health care system of the country of residence
First important point: how is the health care system in your future country of residence? The answer to this question varies greatly from country to country.
In some cases, mainly in Europe, there is a mandatory health insurance plan similar to the British Social Security system. In this case, you will have to subscribe to it, and you will have to find complementary insurance.
In most non-European countries, on the other hand, there is no mandatory plan. Each resident is therefore free to choose his or her own health insurance.
Health care cost
This is also a key factor because health care costs vary greatly from one country to another. In the United States, for example, they are particularly high: a consultation with a general practitioner costs at least $80.
In other countries, such as those in Africa, the cost of care may be much more reasonable. But it is important to know the quality of the different healthcare networks.
In Latin America, for example, care is relatively cheap in public centers, but it is also of poor quality. It is much better in private facilities, but also a lot more expensive.
Expatriate’s personal and professional situation
The last important point is the expatriate’s situation. The family situation must be taken into account, but also the professional situation.
In fact, some companies offer their employees health insurance policies for which they pay all or part of the contributions.
In this case, you should ask yourself whether this coverage suits your needs or whether it is better to have your own international expatriate insurance that meets your particular situation.
Choosing the best international insurance for expats
How to find international expatriate insurance
There are numerous offers on the market from different companies that provide international expatriate insurance with extensive health coverage and that are adapted to the needs of each individual.
The expat who chooses this type of international insurance has only one contact person for the management of his or her reimbursements.
Very often, they are even exempted from prepayment of expenses (in case of hospitalization, for example) because these insurances have partnership agreements with local health networks.
The quality/price ratio of these policies and the services offered are often the most interesting.
Adapted to the specific situation of expats and the countries in which they live, these insurances are generally the best solution for an expatriate who wishes to have an international private insurance.
We recommend that you visit an online insurance comparator, as it is the most effective way to find the best international insurance for expats.
It will allow you to search among the different offers, the best health coverage and the most competitive prices, among many other features.