Packing up your life and relocating to a brand new country is a trauma for anybody but for expats moving abroad the decision to be made regarding private health insurance can be an extra stress that is just not needed.
Often the decision is made for you by your new employer to form part of a complete relocation package. For expats without this comfort though it can be a chore to trawl through the dozens of providers all offering competitive deals; and when you have just uprooted your life and landed disoriented in a strange country it can be the last thing you need on your plate.
Just as finding car insurance providers can be a simple task, finding health insurance providers is not that difficult. Nonetheless, making the correct decision about your chosen insurer can be a head scratcher and so is the case for your health insurance provider.
Andrew Wilson, CEO of April Medibroker, an independent specialist broker advising expatriates on international medical or healthcare insurance says: “Many of our clients are aware from their own research, that there are more insurers than ever competing against each other. Therefore they come to us for advice and guidance,”
“Expats should seek the advice of an independent broker, who is not tied to one provider and who has access to a large number of insurers, before signing up to any plan,” continues Wilson. “We have a team of expert staff who specialise in finding clients the best plan for their needs. They are all salaried staff who do not receive commission so can therefore be unbiased when it comes to selecting the right insurer.”
When choosing an insurance provider it is important to consider every possible scenario and for this reason it is always best to seek good, unbiased and informative advice. Things to consider are:
- The cover policy on pre-existing medical conditions
- Choosing the right area of cover – i.e. Europe, Worldwide etc
- Where you would like to be treated in the event of serious illness such as cancer – would you seek local treatment or fly back to the UK where healthcare facilities may be better?
Every individual case will be different and an insurance provider that is perfect for one person may be inadequate for another. Getting expert advice for your individual decision is the best way to ensure that the decision you make is the best one.
“There really is a lot to consider,” adds Wilson. “In the 12 years experience we have gained, things are changing more than ever, and more quickly than ever before in the insurance market. That’s when the expert advice and guidance of an experienced broker becomes vital.”