For European expatriates who are searching for global medical insurance, there are lots of different options out there on the market, with any different companies to choose from. Companies such as Allianz and Cigna are both leading providers of health insurance and they offer plans for expats all over the world, including European global nomads & expats.
International health insurance plans are meant for people who are living, working or retiring abroad in a country where they aren’t originally from. There have been reports of some European expats struggling to get treatment back in their home country and having to pay high costs for treatment when living abroad. Even with your European health coverage back in your home country, you can’t just assume that you’ll be covered because you are a European citizen.
For European expats, having international health insurance can be extremely valuable when living outside the EU, such as in the USA, South America or Africa. In this article, we’ll explain more about the reasons why international healthcare can be so important for you and your family members.
Here are seven important reasons why UK expatriates need to buy global medical insurance:
1- Cover anywhere in the world
Having international health insurance can help EU expatriates as it will allow them to receive health coverage for treatment pretty much anywhere in the world. This means that if you are an expat that has moved from Italy or Germany to Thailand, you’ll be covered for medical treatment with international health insurance.
Note that most international medical policies for European citizens will cover them globally including OR excluding the USA. If for example, you are a Danish citizen living in the Bahamas, you will probably want to include medical treatment in the USA as any serious medical issue will probably require medical evacuation or treatment in Miami. A European expat living outside of the USA or near America will probably not get a plan that includes treatment in the USA, but it will cover emergencies for a set number of days for a short trip the United States.
If you are someone who moves around a lot for work, then having global medical insurance can be very helpful for you. It means that you will never be forced to have any gaps in your coverage, and you’ll always have access to the benefits that you deserve to have.
2- Cover back in the your European country
Another reason why it is important for European global citizens and expatriates to buy global medical insurance is because if you travel regularly back to the Europe, then it’ll be important for you to have cover back in the Europe for when you come home.
It will still be useful for you even if you only visit back home in the your Euro zone country of citizenship on occasion. Having a global medical insurance plan will help to keep you covered as you don’t want to be left facing challenges to receive treatment back in the the EU zone.
3- Additional healthcare benefits
When you are taking out a global health insurance plan, the health insurance company you decide to go with will provide you with details of what exactly what is covered by your plan.
Your coverage will vary depending on which health insurer you decide to go with but your plan will typically include cover for:
• Prescription benefits
• Emergency evacuation support
• Access to 24-hour emergency support
• The ability to select which medical facility or hospital you visit
Along with these standard levels of cover, you can also be given the option of selecting add-ons to your plan to give yourself extra benefits. Different companies offer different ones but usually include cover for benefits such as:
• Vision care
• Dental care
• Maternity plan
4- Travel insurance plans won’t be enough for you
If you decide to only go with travel insurance, you may be taking a big risk. Although the cost of taking out travel insurance can sometimes be a lot cheaper than taking out medical insurance, you won’t receive the same level of cover as you would get with medical insurance. Travel medical plans are not meant for expatriates as they are for people who still retain their healthcare back home and only need emergency coverage for a year or less.
You need to remember that regardless of the financial costs, travel insurance will not be a replacement for comprehensive health insurance cover. Your job might involve frequent trips all over the world. From Europe to Asia and beyond. If this is the case, you shouldn’t really rely on travel insurance as it won’t be enough.
5 – Cover for emergencies and repatriation cover
The final reason why it is vital that European expatriates take out global medical insurance is because of the coverage you will receive. By taking out a global medical insurance plan, you will be covered for medical emergencies.
You might also receive access to emergency evacuation and repatriation cover. Emergency evacuation cover can be really useful for you as it means you will be covered for the transportation costs to the nearest hospital or medical facility in the event of emergency treatment not being available for you locally.
Repatriation cover will allow you to be repatriated to your home country for treatment should you need it. Plus as well as cover for emergencies, there will be some countries where having medical insurance will be a mandatory requirement for you to obtain a visa.
This is the case in countries such as France and in the UAE, so you will only be allowed to move there and receive an expat visa as long as you meet the health insurance requirements.
6 – International medical coverage is often required for your visa
Over the past few years and especially during the pandemic, more and more countries around the globe, such as Spain and Thailand, are making health coverage a requirement to obtain entry or a long term visa into their county. The primary reason for this is to protect the medical system as they are afraid of expats moving to their country and becoming a financial burden if they fall ill or become injured.
7 – Peace of mind
Like expats and global nomads outside of the European Union, the peace of mind that having a global medical plan provides is vital. There are many stories of people who have moved abroad without medical coverage who have been severely impacted by a medical emergency or chronic condition that wasn’t covered.
Expat Financial – Experts in providing international health insurance for European expats like you
Expat Financial offers several different international health insurance plans for expatriates across the globe.
We offer plans from several different international health insurance companies.
If you have questions about our international medical insurance plans or you want to discuss your needs and produce a customized quote, please contact us or complete the quote form.
Rely on us to guide you in choosing the best international health insurance to fit your unique needs. Call us for inquiries or request a free quote to get an idea of what we can offer to make your stay abroad safer and more comfortable.
