Even today, too many people travel or expatriate without taking out proper health insurance. Here’s an article that will try to convince the last undecided about the vital importance of taking out health cover.
Many of you have several questions:
- Exactly how much does health insurance for living abroad cost?
- Is international health insurance really essential?
In order to provide you with the most accurate answer possible, we’ve put together a real-life situation with figures to give you a clearer picture.
To stay as close to the truth as possible and speak to as many people as possible, we decided to focus on one destination: the UK. Why the UK? Because it’s a popular destination for policyholders, whether they’re traveling or expatriating, and the medical costs are relatively high. We chose the GoldExpat Premium package because it is generally suitable for as many people and situations as possible. We have therefore developed 3 scenarios corresponding to years with higher or lower medical expenses.
Case 1: A problem-free year with low healthcare costs
In this situation, we imagine the scenario of a policyholder with no major health concerns who only visits the doctor a few times a year, buys a few drugs from the pharmacy and has one dental treatment.
As you can see, the insured person’s out-of-pocket expenses are almost equivalent to the cost of the health insurance he or she has taken out for the year. This is by far the most common situation, so buying good international health insurance means you can leave safely and avoid having to pay every doctor directly. Reimbursements are made for each expense incurred.
Case 2: A year with a few health concerns and routine medical care
In this situation, we imagine the scenario of a policyholder who has additional health concerns, such as medical examinations and hospitalization following a fall with a broken arm or leg.
As you can see, the costs involved are much higher, and without the right expatriation insurance, the insured person would have had to pay much more out of pocket. Good expatriate insurance covers at least 80% of medical expenses and 100% of hospitalization costs.
Case 3: A year with major health problems: routine care and hospitalization
Unfortunately, some policyholders fall on hard times and suffer an accident or serious illness. This means that they have to be treated over a longer or shorter period of time. It’s in this kind of situation that you really realize the importance of taking out good quality international health insurance.
In this situation, the absence of health insurance, or taking out the wrong insurance contract, can quite simply be catastrophic for the person concerned. In the event of major surgery not being taken care of, an entire family could be in debt for decades. It would be a shame to ruin your life and that of your loved ones over insurance. So make sure you’re well informed, don’t try to save a few euros on your subscription, and choose quality health insurance for your expatriation.
Taking out international health insurance
The final aim of presenting these different scenarios is to emphasize the importance of taking out international health insurance. So, depending on the situation, you now know that taking out international health insurance is well worth it, and can save you a lot of money.
Don’t hesitate to ask for a free quote to find the best international health insurance for your type of stay.
