Guide to International Family Health Insurance

A life abroad can offer amazing possibilities for you and your loved ones, from learning new languages and experiencing different cultures to travelling to parts of the world you’ve always dreamed of!

With that being said, there is lots to consider ahead of the move. For example, safeguarding your family’s health could be a priority for you, especially if you’re moving to a country where you’re unfamiliar with the local healthcare system.

Check out our guide for a detailed overview of how international family health insurance works as well as some of its key benefits.

What is international family health insurance?

This type of cover is designed to cover the healthcare needs of your entire family under one plan while you’re living, working or travelling abroad for extended periods of time.

It provides you and your family with access to high-quality, eligible medical treatment at leading private facilities across the world when you most need it. This gives you peace of mind that you’re protected if you fall ill unexpectedly.

With international family health insurance, you can include your partner, spouse and any dependants in the plan if they are eligible. You’re also able to add family members to the plan at a later point as well, for example, if you decide to expand your family and have children while you’re overseas.

What does private family health insurance cover?

A private family health insurance plan can provide cover for a wide range of medical treatment, but exactly what is included can vary based on the specific policy you choose as well as your medical history. It’s important to note that some medical conditions could be excluded or there might be a waiting period to be covered for this.

For example, pregnancy is considered a pre-existing medical condition, so a waiting period may apply. There are some exceptions to this, however, such as if there are complications that arise relating to the pregnancy.

Some of the features that can be incorporated into an international health insurance policy are:

Private visits to the doctor
Specialist consultations, diagnostic tests, x-rays, MRI and CT scans
Cancer cover
Hospital treatment
Maternity care
Wellbeing benefits
Emergency medical evacuation
Therapies, such as physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment
Mental health support

Benefits of international cover

There are many benefits to taking out international private medical insurance (IPMI) for you and your family when living, travelling or working abroad, which can include:

Flexibility: you have the freedom to choose where you’re treated and by who, providing you with plenty of choice. You and your family can also access private healthcare across multiple countries within your area of cover.
Fast access to medical treatment: another key benefit is being able to access private healthcare promptly, meaning you can avoid long waiting times.
Protection from financial loss: healthcare cover can prevent you from being left out-of-pocket if you need medical care. Without it, you could face expensive medical bills as well as delays in receiving treatment.
Could be a pre-requisite: health insurance can be a pre-requisite when applying for a visa and will sometimes have to meet specific criteria, such as having a minimum coverage level or covering you for certain types of medical treatment.

If you’re moving abroad with children, helping them adjust to life overseas may be a challenge as lots of change will be taking place. Look at our blog for some details on how you can support your child during this time.

How much is global health insurance for families?

When it comes to purchasing a plan, there are many factors that could influence the cost of your insurance premium. Some important ones to be aware of are:

Pre-existing medical conditions: your family’s medical history will often be looked at during the application process to assess your insurance risk, and existing medical conditions could be excluded from your cover, or result in a higher premium. But this can depend on the type of underwriting that is used. For example, moratorium underwriting will exclude pre-existing conditions for the first two years of cover and is a cheaper option.
How many people you want on the cover: the number of people you have covered under the plan can impact the cost.
Excess level: opting for excess as part of your cover could reduce the premium, and refers to the amount you agree to contribute towards medical treatment costs before you can claim reimbursement from your insurance provider.
Your age: as you get older, the cost of insurance is likely to increase, as you are viewed as a higher risk. Meanwhile, children are generally seen as a lower insurance risk so that cover could be cheaper for them.
Geographical location: healthcare costs can vary significantly between different countries, which can affect the premium amount. For example, countries like the USA are known to have high medical costs, so choosing to exclude these areas can make your premium cheaper.

Take the time to think about your healthcare needs and assess the offers available to you to ensure you select a cover that’s right for you and your family. Some important considerations to think about are your budget, the level of cover, and the geographical area of cover.

Why use a health insurance broker

Enlisting the support of a medical broker when purchasing private health insurance for your family has many benefits. Their role is to act as the intermediary between you and the insurance company and guide you smoothly through the application process.

They will assist you in finding the best health insurance plan for your family’s needs by comparing policies across a range of different providers, which can also save you time. They offer impartial advice and have specialist knowledge of the health insurance market that can make the process more straightforward.

There can be a lot of information and documents provided to you during this time, which may contain confusing terminology. They can help you understand difficult language in a way that is simple so you can understand the cover details properly.

Learn more about what a health insurance broker does by visiting our blog.