If you are a British citizen living abroad, then ensure you are covered with medical insurance. If not, you could be in for a rude awakening if you fall ill.

That’s basically the view of British insurance companies. They recently held a meeting at the RAC Club in London. Delegates were informed that the cost of providing medical care abroad was extremely high.

Speaking at the meeting, Andrew Apps who is the director of UK-based insurance firm ALC Health said: “You tend to think treatment costs in Asia are cheap. Forget it. Singapore and Hong Kong are the two most expensive areas in the world.”

If you are an expat, what sort of medical costs could you incur?

If you require treatment for a stroke in China for instance, you should expect to pay around £93,000. Cancer treatment could cost as much as £76,000 in Germany while similar treatment in Greece will set you back a staggering £157,000.

Delegates at the insurers meeting were also told about a road accident victim in South East Asia who was billed £108,000. Other examples given were £91,000 for a work injury in South Africa and a £40,000 bill for a back injury sustained in the Middle East.

At the meeting, delegates were also informed that in China there was only one hospital that was considered to be of Western standards; this was also the costliest.

Mr Apps told insurance company representatives: “The simple reason they are so expensive is that they are the only game in town.”

The aim of the meeting was in fact to highlight the potential benefits for UK-based insurers. Mr. Apps believes there is an untapped market which can be exploited. He told fellow insurers: “Expats need medical insurance and we in the UK have a lot of credibility. We are already in advance of anyone else, and people want their treatment in Europe.”