If you are going abroad for a year, it is highly likely that you will be giving up your domestic health coverage, which may not cover you abroad. Thus it is important to obtain a global health policy that will cover you and your family while living and travelling abroad AND also back home.
You have the option to purchase an emergency travel medical insurance plan, which would be less expensive, but it will only cover emergencies and only while abroad – you will want to keep your domestic cover in place. Travel medical insurance plans are often best suited for short and medium term trips abroad.
Global Health Insurance
A comprehensive global health insurance policy would generally be your best option. You can often choose from basic to comprehensive plans with small or large deductibles. Most plans offer you customisable options, beginning at basic hospital coverage with the option to add options as you need:
- Out-patient care – covering expenses that you may procure outside if a hospital, such as prevention, diagnosis, and rehabilitation.
- Wellness – such as seeing a medical doctor for a basic checkup as well as counselling
- Medical Evacuation – In case you are unable to be treated locally, medical evacuation is an important option to relocate you to a hospital that has the proper facilities.
- Dental and Vision – coverage for basic check-ups with a dentist and optometrist
- Coverage for the USA – this is a very important add-on if you are an American expat or reside close to the USA and are required to obtain medical care in the United-States.
Note that when you obtain a quote, you will need to tell the insurer what the main country of residence will be – meaning where you plan to spend the majority of your time as the rates are determined by where you will be living. Most plans are able to be quoted and purchase online to facilitate the process.
At Expat Financial, we can help facilitate the process, as well as answer any questions along the way that may arise. We specialise in obtaining international health insurance, life, travel and disability insurance for individuals, as well as dependent family members while living abroad. We are a leading source of international health insurance plans with best global health insurance coverage from various insurers that offer the best international health insurance.
