Health-y-Insurance

Securing quality medical care for employees working overseas is essential, as local medical facilities can be basic, expensive, or even inaccessible. With this in mind, most employers with staff based abroad ensure that an international or expat health insurance plan is in place.

Overseas employees who are covered by a private healthcare plan are able to receive prompt access to medical experts and facilities. This reduces absences resulting from sickness and helps to maximize productivity. Where non-emergency treatment is needed in hospital, the employee will be notified of the date in advance, meaning that their employer can make arrangements to cover for their absence.

Private healthcare plans offer varying levels of medical cover, so you need to be fully aware of what you are and what you are not covered for. Clearly, if you have your family are overseas with you, then you will need to find out whether whether they are covered by your healthcare plan or not.

It is essential to cover yourself for all possible contingencies, remembering to include cover for chronic conditions. Whilst nobody really likes to dwell on worst case scenarios, evacuation and repatriation should also be taken into account.

Medical costs across the world are increasing at a faster rate than the cost of living. Many insurers will try to defer increases in premiums by either reducing the range of cover or introducing penalties, meaning that it is imperative that you read the small print.

Of course, the quality of care being offered is highly important. A healthcare package provider with a network of clinics and hospitals is ideal. This strong network also means that invoices can be settled directly between the provider and the hospital, leaving the patient to recover in peace.

It is also an advantage to find a healthcare insurance provider who has a local presence in the area where you are staying, as this is always extremely valuable when it comes to resolving difficulties overseas and even more so when there is an illness to deal with. Finding one that provides access to a 24 hour advice line, as well as a foreign language interpretation service, is beneficial too.

Companies that provide a quality private healthcare package for their overseas staff are considered to be caring organizations that respect their employees’ well-being. Unfortunately, not all companies provide a healthcare package for their staff who are based overseas, and, if that is the case, then you will need to find your own, as it is too much of a risk to simply do without it.
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The Premier Choice Group are an effective independent insurance brokers. By offering impartial access to all of the major insurers, they give peace of mind to many people living and working overseas. Please visit the PCH website for access to the best possible expat health insurance rates for all levels of cover, irrespective of your country of residence.