What to consider when moving abroad as an expat
Deciding what to consider when moving abroad as an expat can be an overwhelming experience. Relocating abroad will almost always involve finding somewhere to live, looking for a new job, and finding schools for your children to attend. With so much to consider, it is often easy to forget to look into an essential ingredient to having a successful and happy period abroad: international health insurance.
International Health Insurance
International health insurance is an absolute necessity when relocating abroad. What do you need to consider? Let’s explore what you will want to take with you in an insurance plan.
The most important part of relocating abroad is to acquire an appropriate international healthcare plan. Your domestic health insurance will not cover you, contrary to popular belief. This is a very common misconception – that your domestic plans will cover you abroad but the truth is that when you leave your native country, a lot of the time, most domestic health insurance plans become void. From an insurance company’s perspective, an expat is no longer a resident in their home country when living abroad.
Another misconception is that as soon as you move to another country, you will be entitled to healthcare coverage from the state. While this is sometimes the case in some European countries, more often than not you will not be eligible for local healthcare through the government or a local insurer. In addition, healthcare standards in other countries (which may include your destination) are often inconsistent and have lesser standards than that of your home country.
Expert Advice
Because of all these misconceptions, you need to seek out expert advice. Receiving this advice will seeking international health insurance, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions which require coverage, is essential.
When relocating for your expat assignment, you also need to consider the following: moving expenses, cost of living, location, language requirements, and cultural differences. It is critical that you budget appropriately for your various needs; however, without international medical insurance, an unexpected injury could cripple your financial situation. This is what makes international health insurance to critical for you to obtain BEFORE you depart.
Finding the right international medical insurer is an extremely complex issue. There are many different levels of healthcare around the world, as well as vastly changing local regulations. Therefore, it’s very important to ensure you’ve selected an international health insurance plan that fully protects you and your family.
Expat Financial offers a variety of international insurance health insurance plans for a group or individual basis. To maximize your expat experience and avoid unforeseen risks and costs, please contact us today to discuss your international insurance needs and requirements.
