Private medical insurance can give you cover for treatment in several situations:
- You are an expat and want treatment in the country where you are currently living
- You live in your home country but want more treatment options — such as choosing your own doctor or hospital, or shorter waiting times
- You want treatment in another country
The sections below walk through the questions worth asking before you choose a plan.
Do I need worldwide cover?
You can pick different coverage areas with medical insurers. Usually, most plans cover either worldwide or worldwide excluding North America.
If you are not from the US or rarely travel there, it may be worth choosing worldwide excluding North America, as that is usually more cost-efficient.
Do I need maternity care to be covered by my medical insurance plan?
Most inpatient medical insurance plans cover the cost of emergency treatment during pregnancy.
However, if you are thinking of having a child, you may want to add a maternity rider to your plan. These typically cover routine costs up to a maximum limit — such as pre- and post-natal check-ups, scans, and delivery costs.
With maternity riders there is usually a waiting period of 9–12 months.
That means you need to have your medical insurance in place for that length of time before you can claim under the maternity benefit.
Do I need routine and complex dental care to be covered by my medical insurance plan?
Whether you are at home or abroad, dental care can become very expensive.
Inpatient medical insurance usually covers emergency dental treatment if you are admitted to hospital.
You can also add a dental rider to your plan, which can cover everything from regular check-ups and scale-and-polish visits to complex work such as crowns, dentures, and bridges.
Do I need to declare any pre-existing conditions?
Pre-existing conditions are any medical conditions you had before taking out insurance.
You need to declare all of these on your application. Otherwise the insurer may decline or reduce payment when you claim.
Some insurers will cover pre-existing conditions, but only if certain criteria are met.
Always check the terms and be honest on your application.
Still deciding what you need? Get a free comparison of expat health plans tailored to your situation.