Are you moving and working abroad soon? You are about to embark on an exciting and life-changing adventure! Of course, it is important to be optimally prepared for this new adventure. The right preparation will save you from many unnecessary problems during and after your move. One extremely important aspect to check before you move (especially in times of pandemic) is whether the health insurance offering in your new country suits your needs. If not, or to complement your local health insurance, you should take out international health insurance. In this article, you will find out all about international health insurance options and what you need to know when choosing one.
Make sure you have the right health cover before your departure
Good health insurance is essential abroad! Imagine you have no or insufficient cover and you fall ill in your host country. If you need an operation or an ambulance it can quickly cost an arm and a leg. Before you leave your home country it is important to have a good overview of the healthcare system in the welcoming country. Also, you should take a few moments to think about what matters to you and your family when it comes to health: would you prefer to go home for important outpatient (GP visit, pediatrician, and similar) or inpatient treatments (surgeries, rehabilitation, and similar)? Is having easy access to emergency evacuation services and private care a priority? Do you want to have access to the best medical providers, even if it means traveling out of town or even internationally?
It is also important to think about your long-term plans: maybe you will be relocating to another country in a few years or simply planning to return to your home country.
Overall, what really matters is to take the time to understand your needs and what your host country has to offer when it comes to healthcare.
What impact will your relocation have on your health and medical treatments?
When it comes to getting medical treatment abroad, things can get complicated. In many countries, healthcare costs can be much more expensive than in your home country, whether for consultations, hospitalization, or medication. It is not uncommon having to pay a hundred euros to see a general practitioner.
Depending on the region where you are, the local conditions of care can also pose a problem:
- Lack of staff and language barrier
- Lack of equipment or infrastructure in the public sector
- Knowledge, education, and reliability of the medical staff
- Very long waiting times for treatment
- Long care treatment facilities not available
You then need to turn to the private healthcare sector, and potentially to international clinics that are only present in large cities and at higher prices.
In the event of a lack of local infrastructure, repatriation is sometimes the only solution. If you have not taken out international health insurance, the entire medical costs will need to be paid by yourself.
What is an international private medical insurance (IPMI)?
An international health insurance provides comprehensive benefits without age limitation and global portability. This means that if you relocate again a few years later, you can continue your policy without having to file a new application and risking new exclusions for health conditions that you may have developed in the meantime. Benefits can be tailor-made but typically include similar elements as the local health insurance in your home country:
- for medical emergencies
- during hospitalization following an accident or because of an operation
- during diagnostic tests
- at check-ups
- during post-treatments
In addition, you may want to continue as usual with preventive medical check-ups, dental treatment, examinations during pregnancy, or a visit to the ophthalmologist. In these cases, international health insurance will cover the costs of treatment abroad.
How will a broker like SIP Medical Family Office help to choose the right insurance?
The range of international health insurance policies is large and can quickly become confusing. As long-standing brokers, the experienced employees of SIP have an overview of the various offers on the market. We will put together a tailor-made insurance comparison and identify the options with the best price-performance ratio. We will also make sure your new insurance cover meets the local regulations and your visas requirements if needed.
What additional services does a broker like SIP Medical Family Office offer?
In addition to the choice of the optimal health insurance, SIP offers you numerous other services, which are also free of charge. You benefit from our more than 25 years of experience and our good contacts with the most important providers of international health insurance worldwide. We offer you the following free additional services:
- You will have a central contact point for all matters relating to international health insurance. We can advise you on all aspects of life, which of course includes the whole family.
- We check numerous offers and draw up an insurance plan tailored to your needs and budget.
- We support you in the worldwide search for the optimal hospital and the best specialists for your treatment.
- Our included claims service takes care of the reimbursement of the medical expenses you have incurred. You send us the invoices and we take care of the prompt reimbursement to you.
- We reliably and professionally take over the entire administrative work in connection with your insurance company! This means time and administrative relief for you, while at the same time providing you with optimum security.
- We can also provide you access to our Medical Family Office services and take care with you of your most valuable wealth: your health.
Contact information Muvzilla Partner SIP
Location: Klosbachstrasse 110, 8032 Zurich
Phone: +41 44 266 6111
Mail: zurich@sip.ch
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