Waiting periods are the length of time an insurance company requires before their plans and policies will apply to you. Certain coverage such as maternal and dental usually have lengthy waiting periods before expat health insurance plans can take effect so it is important to plan ahead if you want such coverage in the future. Otherwise any misfortunes that befall you before the waiting period ends will not be covered by your future plan.
Here are three different waiting periods that you may find in your expat health insurance plans:
Dental Benefits
An expat dental plan will usually have a waiting period before you can be reimbursed. That waiting period for basic and restorative dental may be 6 or 12 months. It is good idea to check your expat health plan before seeking dental treatment. Orthodontic benefits will usually have a longer waiting period and usually only apply to dependent children.
Maternity Benefits
Maternity benefits are an important part of your expat health plan if you or your spouse is planning on becoming pregnant. Because of the high costs associated with pregnancy, all individual expat health plans have a 10 or 12 month waiting period before pregnancy related benefits will be covered. Some international health plans will simply exclude all maternity benefits or you will have to pay an extra annual fee to add this benefit. Group expatriate health plans will often cover pregnancy related expenses without a waiting period.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
Some expat health plans will cover pre-existing medical conditions after a period of two years. You should read the fine print as the medical condition most like has to remain completely symptom and treatment free to become eligible for treatment and may only be covered up to a smaller policy maximum.
Feel free to contact Expat Financial for more details on the expat health plans that we offer from several different insurance providers. You can even obtain a quote for one of the expat health plans we offer online.
