International Health Insurance: Pros and cons put into perspective

Constantly confused by international health insurance and which policy is the best choice for your team? With so many different types of cover available, the international health insurance market is complicated to navigate, meaning that knowing which policy to select for your travelling staff can sometimes be far from easy. International health insurance covers you for both emergency and routine medical treatment when working or overseas for a prolonged period, which is why it’s so important to secure the correct policy for your business. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of international health insurance and how you can find the most suitable policy for your workforce.

What are the benefits?

There are a whole host of great benefits that international health insurance can offer your travelling team overseas. With international private medical insurance, your team will be able to fly home or to a hospital of their choice for treatment should they need it, rather than being taken to the nearest place that can deal with their situation. It’s helpful to know that international health insurance can also cover your team for pre-existing medical conditions as long as these are disclosed by a medical declaration before the policy is taken out.

Alongside receiving treatment that suits you, most international health insurance policies on the market give you 24-hour access to a customer services helpline, ensuring that you have the support you need, when you need it, and in a language that you understand, making accessing the right treatment when you need it a whole lot easier.

What should I bear in mind?

You may be tempted to wait until your team land overseas to sort out their international health insurance using a local insurance provider who can offer cheaper premiums. However, local insurance will rarely cover you or your team outside your country of residence – so you wouldn’t be covered if you plan on returning home to visit, or if you’re travelling. Unlike international health insurance taken out at home, local health insurance doesn’t offer as much flexibility which means that your team will have little control over where and when they get treatment abroad. 

As an employer, it’s also important to note that travel insurance often doesn’t meet regional regulations, so if your team is going to be working abroad for longer periods of time, it’s essential to make sure your team have suitable international health insurance instead of travel insurance. You the employer, have a liability and duty of care to your employees that are working/seconded abroad on behalf of your business. 

International health insurance is designed to provide your team with cover in countries where there isn’t a public or state-run scheme, which is why it is the most suitable choice for covering your travelling team who are operating overseas. Employers also need to be aware that around the world there are a number of countries with strict regulations on how, when and where an international health insurance is set up. You need to seek expert advice on this. 

Costs of covering your team

When it comes to international health insurance, what you can expect to pay for your team will depend heavily on a number of factors. The cost of international health insurance varies depending on your team members’ age, medical history and the type of cover you’re looking to take out. The cost of your team’s international health insurance will also depend on which country it is that they are travelling to or working in. Medical care in countries such as the US can be extremely expensive, the costs of which will be reflected in your premiums.

International health insurance is a specialist product, and it’s provided by a number of larger and specialist insurers. With so many policies to choose from, selecting the right one for your team can prove tricky. At Protectus, we make finding the right policy simple and straight forward. With over 20 years of experience in the health insurance industry, we can navigate the market to find you the policy that works for you and your employees. If you’re ever unsure about which international health insurance policy you need, you should seek the help of an experienced independent health insurance adviser.

We understand just how important it is to keep your team covered whilst carrying out important business overseas. That’s why we use our industry expertise to ensure your business has the correct type of policy in place for your team to work at their best knowing that their health is in good hands. Contact us to discover how you can put you and your team’s mind at rest over the future of their health.

https://www.protectushealthcare.com/company-insurance/international-private-medical-insurance/