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Quick Guide to Choosing the Best Worldwide Health Insurance

Mozambique Insurance

Many people seek opportunities abroad for better jobs, higher education, and improved quality of life abroad. We often get asked for a quick guide to choosing the best worldwide health insurance when living abroad. This is especially important for future and current expats who are relocating to a new country. They know that the risk of falling ill may increase due to changes in your environment, climate, and diet, bad luck, or simply aging. If you stay abroad for an extended period, you must be financially prepared for potential medical emergencies.

Travel insurance can fill the gap for emergencies only for a few months, but only a global health plan can meet the requirements for global nomads. 

Access to quality healthcare in your destination country is a common concern for expatriates, particularly regarding safety and security. Whether you are a solo nomad or moving abroad with your family, you will need comprehensive medical insurance to protect against the high costs of medical treatment abroad in countries with different languages, cultures, and medical standards. It is essential to carefully review key aspects of your medical insurance before signing any agreements.

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What is Health Insurance for Living Abroad?

Health insurance for living abroad, or expatriate health insurance, provides global medical coverage for individuals and families living and working overseas. It is ideal for expatriates, global nomads, international citizens, expat employees, remote workers, and retirees. Expatriate health insurance programs come in different types, including:

Health insurance plans that cover only the destination country are known as local health insurance policies.

Travel insurance for living and working abroad provides coverage for a limited time and only for emergency medical bills. These plans are generally emergency only and don’t cover you back home. They are not suitable for expats and global nomads. 

Domestic Plans are generally for local citizens but only cover the person in that destination country. Most domestic plans are not available to expatriates, have a waiting period, offer limited coverage and are not portable. 

What to Consider Before Buying Health Insurance while Living Overseas?

An expat’s health insurance covers routine and emergency medical care while living abroad. Every country has its healthcare system. Some countries require expats to carry health insurance, which ensures access to medical care abroad. Here are essential factors to consider before buying health insurance to live overseas. 

1. Comprehensive Coverage

Look for a plan that includes a variety of medical procedures, emergency care, prescription medications, hospital stays, and specialized therapies. The policy should cover as much as you are willing to pay and your budget allows while you are living abroad. If you plan to have children, you should get a plan that includes maternity and pediatric care. Most plans provide comprehensive worldwide coverage across multiple countries, ensuring quality healthcare access while living abroad. It should include inpatient and outpatient care, emergency medical evacuation, preventive care, chronic disease management, mental health support, maternity services, and prescription medications. Your worldwide plan should be portable, renewable, and compliant with local regulations. Designed for frequent travelers and long-term residents, it ensures peace of mind and seamless medical care worldwide.

2. Global Coverage

Local coverage is typically less expensive than global coverage plans, but it may only cover treatments within the country. As a result, if your employment requires you to travel to different countries, you should obtain expatriate health insurance with global coverage that will cover your emergency medical bills no matter where you are. We find that most global healthcare policies will cover you globally, excluding other USA, but many plans will allow you to add the USA for an extra fee. USA coverage may be key if you are living close to the USA, such as in the Caribbean

3. Emergency Evacuation

If an expat is in a life-threatening situation in a distant place and requires essential care that is unavailable, emergency medical evacuation may be the only alternative. Your plan must include emergency transportation services to your home country or any area where you can receive medical care. Such medical evacuation and repatriation cover is essential if you are an expat living in a nation with limited healthcare facilities which are not able to treat your medical condition. Such coverage and assistance can make the difference between life and death. Uninsured medical evacuations can cost tens of thousands of dollars. 

4. Claims Process

A straightforward claims process is essential. Seek insurance providers that offer digital claims submission and can communicate with customers in multiple languages, both orally and in writing. Many expat insurers will give you access to a smartphone app that you can use to submit claims via their portal and have covered claims reimbursed into your bank account. 

5. Cost of Premiums

While affordability is necessary, the cheapest option isn’t always the best. Consider the balance between cost and benefits. While comparing policies, some may have low premiums, but the out-of-pocket expenses could be much higher. One must compare all the available plans to identify the most economical plan. There are lots of ideas in our website on how to reduce your premiums

6. Renewable Cover

Renewable expat health insurance ensures continuous medical coverage, preventing gaps in care when living abroad. It provides long-term security, covering emergencies, chronic conditions, and routine healthcare without policy disruptions. Portability across countries and financial protection against high medical costs make it essential for expats’ well-being. If you move home to your country of citizenship, your plan may not be renewable. For example, our Cigna plan can only cover you up to 180 days back in your citizenship country.

7. Lifetime Coverage for Retired Expats

Many global citizens move abroad for retirement or plan to live abroad for life, so you should choose a worldwide global healthcare policy that can cover you for life as long as you remain an expat. Lifetime coverage in expat health insurance ensures uninterrupted medical protection, even as health conditions change with age. This can also give you long-term security, financial stability, and access to quality healthcare worldwide, providing peace of mind for expats throughout their lives.

8. Extensive Medical Network

A sizeable medical network is essential for global health insurance for expats because it ensures access to quality healthcare wherever they live or travel. International citizens often relocate to regions with varying healthcare standards, and a broad network provides reliable hospitals, clinics, and specialists worldwide. It minimizes out-of-pocket expenses, facilitates direct billing, and reduces administrative hassles. Additionally, a strong and large medical network ensures faster medical assistance in emergencies and continuity of care for chronic conditions. This can often allow expats to get medical care without paying and getting reimbursed afterwards. If you are out of the network and needing hospital care, you can often call your expat insurer and ask for a Guarantee of Payment (GOP) that informs the medical facilities that you are covered and they will get paid.

 

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Tips for Finding the Best Health Insurance Worldwide

We know that choosing the right coverage is not easy. We offer lots of insurance provider’s policies and we are here to help. To make the process easier, follow these tips:

1. Research Extensively

Read reviews, compare providers, and ask for recommendations from fellow expats. Note that you have to expect some bad reviews as no insurer is perfect, and some customers may be wrong in their coverage assessment or simply unable to be satisfied. Online tools and comparison websites can help you evaluate different plans side-by-side.

2. Assess Your Needs

Factors to consider include age, health status, family size, age and healthcare standards in the host country.  A key factor for most older expats is their health history. Individual global medical plans for individual ex-pats will be medically underwritten, and the insurer might cover that pre-existing condition of yours, decline you outright, exclude it or ask for an extra premium. Remember, these are offshore insurance plans, and the insurer will not cover someone whose claims will almost certainly exceed the premiums they take right off the bat. 

3. Seek Professional Advice

Insurance plans are often very complex, and there may be verbiage and contract language you may not understand. Most experts agree that you should talk to an international insurance specialist, a resource such as Expat Financial, which is owned by TFG Global Insurance Solutions. They have a team of professionals who can assist you before and after you make a purchase. They can assist you in selecting the right plan based on your needs and budget.

4. Understand the Fine Print

Policy documents should be read thoroughly to understand coverage limits, exclusions, and waiting periods. Do not hesitate to consult your insurer or us to clarify the policy details and coverage. This is a service that we offer to our website visitors at no cost and is a significant benefit to buying via Expat Financial. 

5. Check for Portability

This factor is critical when planning to travel from one country to another, so look for a portable plan. This way, you are always covered regardless of your location at any particular time. Expats and international citizens are often globally mobile and will go from one country to another or travel extensively. Note that domestic plans, while cheap, won’t cover you back home or outside your country of residence. 

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How Expat Financial Can Help

At Expat Financial, as a TFG Global Insurance Solutions Ltd division, we have a dedicated team that fully knows the numerous challenges expatriates face. Here are our services to assist you in choosing the Best Health Insurance Worldwide today. Our services include:

Personalized Advice:

After that, we evaluate your needs and offer recommendations that suit you. We are accountable to you and provide independent advice and support for the lifetime of your worldwide insurance plan. We can often give you access to other plans, such as expat life and disability insurance. 

Access to Top Providers:

Most of the time, we have plans with some of the best insurers worldwide. We work diligently to ensure the plans can meet the needs of expats. 

Download the International Health Insurance Guide!

If you are still uncertain which global health plan is right for you, download our comprehensive global healthcare guide with many tips. It helps you compare plans, understand local healthcare systems, and find the best policy for your needs. A guide can clarify important details like emergency coverage, repatriation, and direct billing with hospitals. It also provides insights into country-specific requirements, ensuring visa and residency regulations compliance.

Ongoing Support & Advocacy:

From policy selection to claims assistance, we’re with you every step of the way. One of the best reasons to buy via our website is that we can provide you with ongoing support and advocacy while purchasing global healthcare, but more importantly, after you get coverage. If you ever have a problem or claims issue, we are here to assist you and advocate. 

Some Final Thoughts for Global Citizens

Selecting the right health insurance is one of the most significant decisions an expatriate will make. It can provide access to quality healthcare, depending on your policy details and healthcare provider. Let us help you explore available options to find a policy that best suits your needs. For expert guidance, consult Expat Financial.

Let us know if you’re ready to find the right health insurance policy! Contact us today at Expat Financial, and let us help you get the protection you need.

Written by: David Tompkins is a leading expert in international insurance for expatriates, specializing in global health, life, and travel coverage. With decades of experience, Tompkins is a trusted advisor, speaker, and writer in the field, known for his expertise in risk management and tailored insurance solutions for globally mobile clients.