Sun 9 Mar 2008
Q. I hear all sorts of horror stories about internet fraud. How do I know you will pass on my payment to the insurance company?
As a third-party intermediary we do not accept premium payments from clients. We actually prefer that you pay your premiums by credit card or personal cheque directly to the insurer.
Q. How much will an expats international health insurance plan cost? Q. How much do you charge for your services? Q. How long have you been in business? Q. How long have you been in business and are you a member of any regulatory bodies? Q. Are you tied to any particular insurance company? Q. I hear all sorts of horror stories about internet fraud. How do I know you will pass on my payment to the insurance company? Q. What criteria will you use to choose a particular plan to recommend to me? Q. Who can purchase an international health insurance plan? Q. Are there upper age limits for these insurance plans? Q. Is there a payment plan which allows us to spread the cost of the insurance? Q. Is there a family plan? Q. Do the plans cover pre-existing conditions? Q. I already have medical insurance - if I change to a new insurer will I have to start the waiting period again for pre-existing conditions to be covered? Q. We are planning to have children in the near future. Is childbirth/maternity cover available? Q. I am resident in the USA and don’t have a Green Card or Social Security Number. Can I still take out insurance? Q. I am living in the USA and have dual US citizenship. Can I purchase a plan? Q. I am currently single and living in the USA. If I marry a US citizen can she/he be covered under my plan? Q. My current insurance has diminishing cover as I have to rejoin each year and any conditions for which I’ve claimed in the current year are not covered in future years. Does this apply to your plans? Q. Can I visit any hospital or doctor for treatment or do I have to go to the insurance company’s network provider? Q. How are claims settled? Q. If I make a large claim will my policy be cancelled or will I have to pay extra premiums in future? Q. How can I be sure that the claims will be paid? Q. If I buy an international health insurance plan while living in one country and then move to another country, will my insurance still be valid? Q. Are there any hidden extras I have to pay on top of the premium (e.g. taxes etc)? Q. How long does it take to set up an insurance policy and are there waiting periods before the coverage is effective? Q. My job involves a lot of travel. If I buy international health insurance will I be covered wherever I go, and is travel insurance included? Q. Is routine dental treatment such as checkups and teeth cleaning covered? Q. If for any reason I purchase a plan and I am not happy with it can I cancel & get my money back? Q. Do international health insurance plans cover sporting activities? Q. What is in-patient treatment? Q. What is day-patient or day surgery treatment? Q. What is out-patient treatment? Q. What is an deductible/excess? Q. What is a premium loading?
If you have any questions not covered by the above please contact us.
Q. How much will an expats international health insurance plan cost?
You have to consider several factors including your age(s), geographical area, level of cover chosen and any pre-existing conditions. Please complete the quotation form to receive further details.
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Q. How much do you charge for your services?
Nothing. When you buy a plan through us you will get the benefit of our expert knowledge built up over 13 years. As there are many large and varied insurance products available worldwide, you need the help of a specialist who constantly monitors conditions, premiums, availability and, most importantly, the claims handling on your behalf. We provide this service free-of-charge to our clients as we receive a commission directly from the insurance company. The cost to you will be the same if you purchase through us or directly from the insurer.
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Q. How long have you been in business?
The company was founded in 1990.
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Q. How long have you been in business and are you a member of any regulatory bodies?
The company was founded in 1990 and we are members of the GISC, (General Insurance Council). Our membership number is 9524.
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Q. Are you tied to any particular insurance company?
No. We pride ourselves on giving truly impartial advice on all the products available. Unlike some other companies, we do not receive “marketing allowances” for promoting a particular company’s plan.
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Q. What criteria will you use to choose a particular plan to recommend to me?
Selecting the most appropriate plan for you can be complex. You can expect the following from us:
We will never ask you how much you want to spend on a plan and then sell you a product to match this figure when cheaper, suitable plans are available.
We will find the plan that is the most suitable for your personal situation, not the one that gives us the most commission or pays us incentives for reaching certain sales targets. We sometimes recommend that spouses/partners/dependants purchase separate plans if it is more cost-effective to do so generally where there is a large age gap between them.
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Q. Who can purchase an international health insurance plan?
Expatriates of any nationality living anywhere in the world can purchase a plan. Local nationals may also be able to purchase a plan subject to any local licensing restrictions.
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Q. Are there upper age limits for these insurance plans?
There are no upper age limits if you purchase a plan prior to your 80th birthday. Depending upon the current state of your health, we may be able to offer cover beyond this age. Please contact us for further details.
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Q. Is there a payment plan which allows us to spread the cost of the insurance?
Yes, depending upon the plan chosen you can pay by monthly, quarterly or half-yearly instalments, by credit or debit card.
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Q. Is there a family plan?
Yes, depending upon the plan chosen you may be able to get free or discounted premiums for your children.
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Q. Do the plans cover pre-existing conditions?
Yes, it may be possible to cover certain pre-existing conditions with a supplemental premium loading. You will have to submit a recent full medical report from your doctor, the contents of which will determine any additional premium required. You can submit a no obligation “trial application” to us to find out what terms are offered.
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Q. I already have medical insurance - if I change to a new insurer will I have to start the waiting period again for pre-existing conditions to be covered?
Not necessarily - depending on your circumstances some Insurers offer what we call “Switch terms” where you are allowed (subject to completion of a simple declaration and acceptance by the underwriters) to switch into a new scheme, but take the start date of any pre-existing condition waiting period as the start date of your previous policy. This means that you don’t have to start the waiting period again.
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Q. We are planning to have children in the near future. Is childbirth/maternity cover available?
Yes, however there is usually a 10 or 12- month waiting period before the birth of the child so you need to plan well in advance.
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Q. I am resident in the USA and don’t have a Green Card or Social Security Number. Can I still take out insurance?
Yes, plans are available to expatriates of any nationality holding a non-US passport. If your spouse/partner or children are US citizens, they can join the plan as dependants of a non-US citizen. If you have dual nationality please state only your non-US nationality on the application form.
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Q. I am living in the USA and have dual US citizenship. Can I purchase a plan?
Yes, plans are available to expatriates of any nationality holding a non-US passport. If your spouse/partner or children are US citizens they can join the plan as dependants of a non-US citizen. If you have dual nationality please state only your non-US nationality on the application form.
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Q. I am currently single and living in the US. If I marry a US citizen can she/he be covered under my plan?
Yes, the US citizen will be your dependant for the purposes of the insurance application.
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Q. My current insurance has diminishing cover as I have to rejoin each year and any conditions for which I’ve claimed in the current year are not covered in future years. Does this apply to your plans?
This is a common aspect of budget medical emergency plans but does not apply to full International Health Insurance Plans. Once accepted into a full plan, you will have met the underwriting criteria and you’ll have full cover with no reduction in your benefits if you make a claim.
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Q. Can I visit any hospital or doctor for treatment or do I have to go to the insurance company’s network provider?
You have complete freedom to choose any hospital or doctor of your choice, worldwide. However, the insurer may recommend a certain hospital should specialist treatment be required that is not available at the hospital of your choice.
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Q. How are claims settled?
For in-patient hospital treatment the insurance company usually settles all bills directly with the hospital, so you can concentrate fully on your recovery and not have to worry about payment. For outpatient treatment, such as doctor’s office visits and prescriptions, you will pay the doctor/pharmacists directly and submit the original paid itemised bills to the insurance company for re-imbursement. These are usually paid within 7-10 working days less any deductible/excess that may apply.
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Q. If I make a large claim will my policy be cancelled or will I have to pay extra premiums in future?
No, once you’ve been accepted into a plan your policy will not be cancelled for making genuine claims and you will not incur any individual loadings for future premiums. However, your cost may increase with future renewals to offset annual medical inflation or if you move into a higher age band.
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Q. How can I be sure that the claims will be paid?
Despite the sales and marketing hype, health insurance is only as good as the claims experience you receive. Although we do not handle claims or emergency assistance, (specialist companies appointed by the plan administrators do this) we will always liase between clients and the insurers to help resolve any issues that may arise. If we find that a company is not living up to the high standards we expect, we will not recommend them to new clients and will suggest alternatives to our existing clients when their policy is due for renewal.
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Q. If I buy an international health insurance plan while living in one country and then move to another country, will my insurance still be valid?
You’ll have full coverage in the geographical area originally chosen. If you move to an area of higher premiums, such as North America, you would pay an additional premium to have your cover extended to that country. Conversely, if you moved from the USA to Europe, your premium would be reduced.
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Q. Are there any hidden extras I have to pay on top of the premium (e.g. taxes etc)?
In certain countries (mainly in the European Union) your premiums may be subject to Insurance Premium Tax (IPT). The rates vary from country to country and we will advise you of these at the time of purchase. The insurer is required by law to collect these taxes and pass them on to the tax authorities in the relevant country.
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Q. How long does it take to set up an insurance policy and are there waiting periods before the coverage is effective?
It depends on the plan chosen: some are effective the day your application and payment is received; others commence on the first day of the month after your application is received; some may have a waiting period for routine cover but you’ll have immediate accident coverage.
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Q. My job involves a lot of travel. If I buy health insurance would I be covered wherever I go, and is travel insurance included?
You’ll have full cover in the geographical area(s) you choose at the time of purchase. Some plans may include travel insurance at no extra cost or as an optional extra. We can also provide annual travel insurance plans for worldwide travel from third party companies if required.
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Q. Is routine dental treatment such as checkups and teeth cleaning covered?
Yes, depending upon the plan you choose.
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Q. If for any reason I purchase a plan and I am not happy with it can I cancel & get my money back.
Yes, most plans have a “cooling off period” of between 14-30 days. If, during this period, you’re not fully satisfied with your plan you can receive a full refund subject to no claims having been made.
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Q. Do international health insurance plans cover sporting activities?
Yes, as long as you are not paid on a professional basis to engage in the sport. If you participate in professional sports, please contact us as we have a specialist plan for this.
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Q. What is in-patient treatment?
Treatment received in a hospital when you stay overnight.
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Q. What is day-patient or day surgery treatment?
Treatment or surgery received in a hospital or clinic when you do not stay overnight.
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Q. What is out-patient treatment?
Non-hospital treatment, such as is received at a doctor’s office or surgery.
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Q. What is an deductible/excess?
Amount insured pays before insurance company pays. Usually the higher the deductible, the lower the premium will be.
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Q. What is a premium loading?
An additional premium added to a basic premium because of the additional risk.
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