Who are insured nomads abroad?

Many more people are thinking of becoming a global nomad or expatriate these days, especially with the ease of working abroad. Since working from home has become more normalized in the workplace due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a lot easier to work abroad now. A lot of companies are allowing their staff to relocate to become a nomad and this can be a very exciting time for those making the move.

What is a nomad?

A global nomad or glomad, is someone who is living a mobile and international lifestyle. They might be referred to as a digital nomad if they are working remotely abroad. For example, this could be an individual who has decided to move from Canada to Germany, or it could be a family relocating from living in Europe to living in South America.

But who are insured nomads?

An insured nomad is a globally mobile person who lives in one or several locations around the world and obtains international insurance to protect themselves and their family members. For nomads abroad, it is very important to buy expat health insurance, as this is a major protection for your new life as be insured nomad abroad. There are a lot of reasons for buying health insurance. In this article, we have provided 5 examples of reasons why it is worth becoming insured nomads abroad.

1- Coverage in your new country

If you are moving abroad and want to be covered in your new country, you will need to take out some form of health insurance. Travel insurance will also have a time limit on the amount of coverage this can have. For example, if you are planning to move abroad for a long period of time, a travel insurance policy won’t be a very reliable option for you as it will likely expire after a couple of months or a year and these plans generally only cover you abroad and for emergencies only. So if you happen to develop a chronic condition, travel medical insurance won’t cover you. Travel medical plans also do not cover preventative health or wellness. There is also an option with a health insurance policy to be covered for medical treatment locally, back home and globally. This will be very helpful for nomads who plan to return to their home country often to travel back and forth and for staying in other countries around the world for a long period of time.

2- Local health plans probably won’t provide enough coverage for you or cover you at all

When you are searching for the best health insurance plans to consider as a nomad, you’ll soon realize that there are many differences in the options you have. There are local plans but the problem is that these plans likely won’t have the comprehensive coverage that you will require. So if you decide to rely only on a local health plan in your new country, it can be a very risky decision. If you become sick in a foreign country abroad, it will be much more difficult to deal with than back home. But by having an international health insurance plan, you will be able to be covered and can rely on your plan whenever you need it – including when you move to another country as global nomads often do. Note that if you return home and plan to spend more than 6 months in your country of citizenship, expat health plans won’t be able to be renewed.

3- Better healthcare options in your new country

Another reason why it is worth it to become an insurer nomad is that you’ll be able to get treatment as a private patient. You’ll receive access through your health insurer and will be able to access far better healthcare options than you would if you didn’t have coverage. This can be especially worthwhile if you are moving to a remote country or a country which has a much lower standard of healthcare than you are used to. Not doing this can be a risk because you might end up paying a lot of extra money for your medical treatment. A properly designed global nomad health plan should cover you for medical treatment in your destination country, but also regionally and back home. American nomads should consider getting an insured nomad health policy that includes medical treatment in the USA.

4- It is a visa requirement in your new country

Having health coverage is often a requirement for global nomads. It is now mandatory in a lot of countries around the world to have international insurance and provide evidence of this upon entering a country. So if this is the case, then it may be a question of needing, not wanting, insurance to step foot into one of your planned destinations. Examples of these countries include Thailand, Russia and France.

5- Managing the cost of medical care abroad for global nomads

The fifth and final reason why it is worth it is down to the financial costs involved. Healthcare treatment can be very expensive, but by having international health insurance, you will be covered by your policy assuming you have purchased comprehensive coverage as per the policy terms and conditions. The price you pay for you plan will allow you to be covered so that you won’t be left paying for costs, should you require medical treatment for an emergency. As a nomad abroad, you never know when an emergency might happen, so it is very important to have an insurance policy so you are covered should you need it.

What is included in your plan as insured nomad?

Finally, you may be wondering what sort of things will be included in your healthcare plan and what you will be covered for. The good news is that your health insurer will provide you with a full breakdown of what is included in your plan, along with terms and conditions of your policy. Typically, your international health insurance plan will include things such as:

• Hospital Care
• Access to 24-hour emergency support
• Emergency evacuation support
• Prescription benefits
• The ability to choose which hospital or medical facility you use

Most major health insurance companies, such as Allianz and Cigna, will be able to provide you with excellent customer support options and online apps and platforms to assist you with any healthcare enquiries. This can be very helpful for willing to be insured nomads who have any questions they would like answered about their health insurance plan.

Expat Financial – An Expat Health Insurance Resource for Insured Nomads

Expat Financial offers international health insurance plans for individual expats & expatriates as well as those who would like cover for their entire family. Note that global health plans for individual nomads and expats are subject to medical evidence and your premium and coverage is also subject to the insurance company’s underwriting approvals. Expat Financial offers health plans from leading global nomad health insurance providers. We’ve got further advice and articles with information for expats in our blog. Get in touch to discuss your global health insurance needs.