brokerfish.com: insiders guide to ihi
TRANSCRIPT
The Insider’s Guide To
Buying The Perfect International Health Insurance Policy
BrokerFish
The Insider’s Guide To Buying The Perfect International Health Insurance PolicyThis eBook provides an insider’s perspective on the knowledge of how to make a well-informed choice
when it comes to buying an expatriate international health insurance (IHI) policy.
Whether you are in the market to buy a policy, are considering a switch, or are generally just looking to
learn more, our goal is to provide you with the knowledge that is critical to ensuring that you have all the
necessary information to make sure you’re on the inside track.
Besides providing you with an overview of the positive aspects of IHI, we’ll explains some of the pitfalls
which can occur and which tend not to be highlighted by Insurers, empowering you to avoid them.
Worth reading? We think so.What our guide will not do is convince you of the merits of a particular insurance policy or insurance
company. Instead, we will educate you on how you can find the best policy for yourself.
By the end of this eBook you will be able to answer:
What is international health insurance all about anyway?What are the answers to some of my FAQs?How can I choose and buy a policy that works for me?How do I get the best value for money?How can I protect myself against unpleasant surprises?
BrokerFish
Table of ContentsWhy Pay For IHI?
IHI Basics
Choosing The Right Policy
So, Now You’re Covered!
What is it?Key featuresBenefit optionsInsurance jargonEligibilityBuying IHIGoing direct
5567889
Before You Take The Plunge
Step 1 – First things to considerStep 2 – Select a suitable level of coverStep 3 – Go fishing for policiesStep 4 – Submit an application
10111415
What’s included in my membership pack?What happens if I’m unconscious and I’m rushed to hospital? Making a claimWill my premiums go up?How to keep premiums downExclusions & limitations
161617181819
Annual limitsWaiting periodsPre-existing conditionsDeveloping chronic conditions while insured Differences between IHI, local and travel plans
2021222323
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
4
Why Pay For International Health Insurance?
Many people don’t really understand the basic purpose of health insurance even after they have
purchased a policy. Here are some reasons why subscribing to an international health insurance policy
makes sense:
It’s all about certainty.
Reduce financial riskOut of pocket medical expenses resulting from serious injury or illness can be devastating. Having a good health insurance policy can literally save you from bankruptcy.
Receive World Class treatmentHaving a good international health insurance policy provides access to World Class provider networks ensuring that you are in the very best hands should you become ill.
Be healthierRegular health checks are a common feature of international health policies. Identifying health problems early can help prevent serious issues developing.
Worry lessIf the worst happens, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your future is not dependent upon state health systems or goodwill of family and friends.
“Isn’t it too
expensive to
buy coverage?”
“Not always. In fact, international
health insurance can be surprisingly
affordable. On average, BrokerFish
clients pay as little as $158 per month.”
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
5
Let’s Get Started - IHI Basics
Irrespective of nationality, gender or income, more and more expats recognize the need for an
international health insurance policy.
In essence, international health insurance (IHI – also sometimes called private medical insurance – PMI)
is:”
What is it?
..insurance that is designed to cover the costs of private medical treatment for expatriates overseas.
A basic IHI policy, provides medical treatment and reimbursement of medical expenses in the event of
disease, illness or injury and which aims to return you to the state of health you were in immediately
before suffering from the incident.
What are some key features of a typical IHI policy?
Flexible OptionsFrom budget emergency cover to hazardous
sports cover, BrokerFish plans are highly
flexible and can be tailored to suit your lifestyle.
Mobile CoverBrokerFish health policies cover you wherever
you are in the world and are available to people
from over 200 different countries.
Cashless SettlementInsurers will arrange for direct billing with major
hospitals so that you don’t need to pay out and
then reclaim the cost of your treatment.
Provider NetworkInsurance companies have partnerships
with thousands of hospitals and hundreds of
thousands of doctors.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
6
What are the typical benefit options of IHI policies?
In-PatientThe most basic form of international health
cover, In-Patient refers to treatment received
in a hospital where an overnight stay is
necessary.
Out-PatientOut-Patient refers to treatment provided in the
practice or surgery of a medical practitioner,
therapist or specialist and does not require the
patient to be admitted to hospital.
DentalRoutine dental includes an annual dental check-
up, simple fillings related to cavities or decay
and root canal treatment. Complex dental
includes gum disease treatment, orthodontics
and dental prostheses.
MaternityProvides cover for medical costs incurred
during pregnancy and childbirth, including
hospital charges, specialist fees, pre and post-
natal care, midwife fees as well as newborn
care.
Well beingEncourages good health through early
detection of serious illnesses. Includes things
like cancer screening, vital signs tests and
cardiovascular system testing.
VaccinationsRefers to immunisations and booster injections
in addition to the cost of consultation for
administering the vaccine.
OpticalIncludes things like laser eye surgery, eye
tests, spectacle lenses and contact lenses.
Long-term careCare for people that suffer from chronic
illness or disabilities and who cannot care for
themselves for long periods of time.
RepatriationRepatriation, allows you the added benefit of
returning to your home country to be treated in
familiar surroundings.
EvacuationEvacuation covers you for transport costs to
the nearest suitable medical centre, when the
treatment you need is not available nearby.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
7
Need-to-know insurance jargon
Lifetime MaximumThe “Lifetime Maximum” is a cap on how much the insurance company will pay for your claims over the total duration of your policy.
Deductible / ExcessThe amount of money that you must pay before the insurance company will start paying for medical expenses. They can be per incident, per insurance period or per year and applies separately to each person insured by the policy. Not all policies require a deductible, but choosing a policy with a higher deductible will lower your premium.
Moratorium CoverSometimes, pre-existing conditions are initially excluded, but can be covered after a set time (the moratorium cover period), provided you’ve not suffered any symptoms or needed any medical advice or treatment relating to the condition.
PremiumThe money you pay to the insurance company. Premiums are paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.
Policy WordingThe policy wording is the legal description of the insurance policy and explains the full terms and conditions of the coverage provided, including all applicable exclusions, conditions and limitations of cover.
Co-InsuranceRefers to the shared amount of money that you are obligated to pay for covered medical services/treatment. In the table of benefits, you may see something like: “Dental - 20% Co-Insurance”. This means that you must share the cost of dental treatment costs with the Insurer where you will pay 20% of the bill and the Insurer will pay the remaining 80%.
“I have more
jargon questions.
Where can I find
more definitions?
“Refer to the BrokerFish.com
glossary for jargon-busting
definitions on over 150 IHI
terms. Click here”
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
8
International health insurance policies are open to expatriates of all nationalities. Professionals, students,
teachers, diplomats, retired couples and businesses are typical buyers of international health insurance.
IHI is designed for those living and travelling away from home. Some Insurers do have age restrictions
depending on the particular policy in question of around 64 years old but there are providers that will
insure people as old as 120!
Who is eligible to buy international health insurance?
How Do I Buy International Health Insurance?
Via an InsurerIf you buy direct, you will
be advised on their range of
products only so you could easily
miss out on buying a far more
suitable plan. You will also not
receive any independent help
if you have any problems with
claims, service or any issues that
may arise.
Via an AgentAgents are usually able to provide
more options than by going direct
to only one Insurer, however,
agents are typically tied to a
small number of providers and
can therefore only advise across
a limited range of companies’
products.
Via a BrokerIn additional to offering unbiased
guidance and information on
a huge range of IHI options,
brokers can also serve as
advocates if you bump up against
the system and don’t know
where to turn.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
9
Insurance companies will take into account a variety of factors to try to work out the correct price for a
policy. Typically, age is the most important factor, but a whole host of variables will be considered.
How does an insurance company decide how much to charge?
PremiumPrice
AgeArea ofcover
Benefits
excess/
deductiblePre-existingconditions
Country ofresidence
Paymentfrequency
Gender
No. Insurers use brokers to market their products and will not discount their prices for customers that
go to them directly. In fact, if anything, going to a broker ensures you will get the best deal available.
Insurers know that a broker will advise their customers based upon a comparison with other plans in the
market and therefore try to ensure that their prices are extremely competitive. If they didn’t, they would
never get any business from brokers!
Can I save money if I buy direct from the insurance company?
“So if it doesn’t
cost me anything,
then how do you
make money...”
“Brokers receive a commission
from the insurance company
for any policy they put in
place for you.”
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
10
How do I choose and buy the right policy?If you’re confused when it comes to health insurance, believe us when we say that you are not alone!
There are dozens of different insurance companies, hundreds of different policies and literally thousands
of different policy options, all wrapped up in cryptic insurance language which can be time-consuming
and confusing to figure out.
It’s no surprise that many people tend to put sorting out their health insurance on the back burner,
even though they know it is hugely important. In this section we’ll try to make your life a little easier by
coaching you on how to select a policy that’s right for you. Let’s get started!
Step 1 - First Things To ConsiderThe best place to start is with yourself. What we first want to figure out is exactly what you need from
an international health insurance policy. This will tell us a lot about what kind of cover you require. How?
Make a list of your prioritiesWhat should your policy cover? What kinds of
things are absolutely necessary and what are
luxuries? Maybe you want to ensure you’re covered
for hazardous sports. Perhaps maternity cover is
a priority. Or you may want a policy that is geared
towards emergency cover rather than day to day
coverage.
Money mattersWhat is your budget? Would you prefer to pay
monthly or save money by paying annually? Would
you want to lower your premium by choosing a policy
with a high deductible? Or one with a high level of
coinsurance?
Who’s applying?Who do you want to cover? Will everyone be living in
the same country? Will anyone on the policy require
coverage in the US or Canada?
Health & lifestyleAre you healthy? How often did you visit the doctor
last year? How much did you spend on health care
last year? Does your family have a trend of medical
illness? What is your medical history? Do you have
pre-existing or chronic conditions?
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
11
Step 2 - Select a Suitable Level of CoverTraditionally, insurance companies offered various levels of cover with names such as Standard,
Intermediate and Comprehensive. Although this format is still common, nowadays some insurers will
also allow a level of customisation across their policies which enables you to tailor something more
closely to your needs.
To keep things simple, let’s look at the traditional levels of cover and what they typically provide.
Standard insurance policies typically provide cover for In-Patient costs only. This means cover for
staying overnight in a hospital when it is deemed a medical necessity. In-Patient normally includes things
like emergency care, diagnosis and nursing costs. Standard cover is ideal for people on a budget or who
want to provide cover for catastrophic situations rather than for day to day issues.
Some standard policies will also include cover for day-patient treatment. This is when you receive
treatment which requires a supervised recovery period, but does not require an overnight stay.
Hospital costs vary widely depending on where you are based in the world. Even a few nights stay can
incur large costs, so making sure your basic policy provides good In-Patient coverage is vital. Also, check
that the ‘Annual Plan Limit’ (which is the maximum the insurance company will pay out during a year of
coverage) is sufficiently high. On entry-level plans this can often be quite low and may not be enough for
your country of residence.
Standard Cover
“If I buy a standard
policy now, can I
change my level of
cover later?”
“If after some time you find
that you need more or less
cover, you can change when
you renew your policy.”
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
12
As well as In-Patient cover, Intermediate plans will add Out-Patient Cover. This is treatment which
does not require an overnight stay or a supervised recovery period. A common example would be a
consultation with a doctor. Intermediate plans will also offer increased plan limits over Standard plans.
There is a lot of variety between plans in terms of what is / is not covered. Your list of priorities will help
you to work out which plans are likely to be the most suitable.
Intermediate Cover
These top of the range policies provide the greatest levels of cover and the highest plan limits. In addition
to In-Patient and Out-Patient cover, they will often include things such as maternity, complex dental and
optical cover.
Comprehensive Cover
For your convenience, some insurers allow you to choose to add certain modules to enable you to
tailor your level of coverage. Examples will include modules for travel insurance or for personal accident
expenses.
Extra Modules
These are variables that you can control in order to further sharpen the match between your
requirements and the policy. Typical choices here include things like:
Policy Options
How much excess / deductible you want to pay;
If you would like to co-pay for benefits and on what terms;
Hospital accommodation;
The hospital-network you have access to.
“Yes, correctly configuring your
policy options to match your
requirements can have a huge
impact on the cost of your policy”
“Are policy
options really
important?”
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
13
Brian loves underwater diving. He’s a fit lad and rarely gets sick. Looking back over
the previous year, he finds that he only went to the doctor once to cure a bad ‘flu. He
wonders what kind of policy and deductible would be sensible to keep his premiums
low while still being covered for serious injury due to a catastrophic diving accident.
Selecting a deductible
Upon investigation, Brian chooses a Standard plan and then has the option to significantly
increase the deductible. Looking at the table of benefits and premium rate table PDFs he
finds the following information:
Brian now has to decide whether to accept the high deductible in return for a much lower premium. By
choosing the high deductible he would save nearly 50% of the premium, but if he does suffer a severe
medical emergency, he would have to fund the first $1,500 of any claim himself.
Maximum Sum Insured $2.7M
In-Patient Treatment “Full Cover”
Monthly Premium ($0 deductible) $162.69
Monthly Premium ($1,500 deductible) $88.74
An excess / deductible is the amount of money that you must pay before the insurance company will start paying for medical expenses. They can be per incident, per insurance period or per year and apply to each insured member of the policy separately. Choosing a policy with a higher deductible will lower your premium.
Excess / Deductible
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
14
Now that you have a good idea of your needs, it’s time to go out and find what is most suitable. And this
is where the services of a good broker or agent really come in.
A specialist’s knowledge of a wide range of IHI policies will really cut down
the time that you spend finding potential policies and they may find policies
from insurance companies that you missed altogether. They can also review
your requirements and circumstances to ensure you’ve not missed anything
and point out any shortcomings in the plans that you may be considering.
Using a specialist like BrokerFish will provide you with a selection of the most suitable plans, laid out in a
way that makes them easy to compare.
Step 3 - Go Fishing for Policies
Example of a quote comparison from BrokerFish
Take a deeper look:Get personalised quotes sent to your inbox now by visiting our quotation page
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
15
Step 4 - Submit an ApplicationFrom here, we can submit an application form to the insurance company. Sometimes this can be
done online, but more often than not, it will mean completing a paper application form. Submitting an
application does not necessarily mean that your application will be automatically approved. Instead it
will go through an “underwriting” process where the insurance company will look at your case and
determine if, according to their risk policy, you are insurable. If required, a broker such as BrokerFish
can help you to complete the application at no extra charge. After a few days to a few weeks, you will
receive one of the following responses:
“You’re approved!”Most of the people who apply through BrokerFish
are approved. Once approved, your health insurance
coverage will begin on the “effective date” as
confirmed by the insurance company.
“Your application is denied.”Although rare, applications are sometimes denied.
If this happens, there may be a reason to appeal
the decision. If not, we can help you to apply to a
different insurance company or we may be able to
recommend alternative health care solutions.
“You’re approved, with conditions.”The insurance company may offer you coverage but
limit benefits for specific conditions based on your
medical history. Or, the insurer may offer to include
certain medical conditions by charging a higher
premium.
“More information is required.”Sometimes, the insurance company will ask for more
information regarding your application, and
may request medical records from your doctor before
coming to their final decision.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
16
So, now you’re covered!What’s included in my membership pack?
Your Membership Card;
Your Insurance Certificate;
A Table Of Benefits detailing what kind of benefits that you are entitled to and their limitations;
Medical provider network documentation;
A Membership Guide;
A Treatment Guarantee Form;
A Claim Form.
What happens if I’m unconscious and I’m rushed to hospital – will I always be treated / covered?If you are insured there should be no problem. It’s very important to carry your insurance membership
card with you at all times. Keeping it in your wallet or purse will make it easier to find if medical
personnel need to locate your personal details so they can liaise with your Insurer in an emergency
situation.
Paper or digital, and either posted or downloaded, the insurance company will provide you with:
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
17
What if I need to make a claim?Always make sure you understand what is, and is not, covered;
If the treatment is on an In-Patient basis give the Insurer sufficient notice so they can approve
and put in place a treatment guarantee (direct payment arrangement) with the hospital/clinic;
Always carry your IHI card on your person. If a patient is admitted in a critical condition and
cannot communicate, they will be searched for identification. In some countries and hospitals,
having your insurance card in your wallet can also help to ensure that you receive the best
treatment;
Make sure that you are not excluded from cover on the basis of a pre-existing condition or you
are still subject to a ‘waiting period’;
Make sure that you have not exceeded your benefit limit;
Be honest and disclose fully when applying for your Insurance. If you try to conceal a previous
or existing condition and the Insurer finds out, they may not only reject the claim you are making
but can also void your policy. This means they could ask you to repay any previous amounts paid
under the policy, or take steps to recover from you any such payments.”
For out-patient treatment, check whether your insurer has a direct billing arrangement in place
with the hospital or clinic;
Always keep your original receipts and ensure that, if you need to complete a claim form, all
sections are completed, the treating Doctor has signed where necessary and the form has been
correctly stamped and dated.
1.2.
3.
4.
5.6.
7.
8.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
18
Will my premiums go up?
As people get older they typically need and receive more medical treatment and, as such, premiums for
IHI tend to increase with age. In addition to this, premiums are likely to increase due to:
The steady year-on-year trend of more and more people making claims;
The increasing sophistication and cost of treatments;
Increasing wage growth in the healthcare sector;
Increasing losses suffered by insurers due to fraudulent claims being recovered by increased
premiums across the board;
Are there ways to keep my premium costs down?”
Don’t claim!Some Insurers now offer a no-claims discount
policy. Investigate this with your insurance
company to see if you are eligible.
Can you enrol in a group scheme?Joining or creating a new group scheme can
often significantly reduce the cost of insurance
for each member of the group.
Policy optionsIncreasing your excess / deductible or increasing
your co-pay options can save you up to as much
as 60%.
Go back to basicsAre you paying too much for benefits that you
don’t really need?
Consider switching insurerA lot can change in a year. On renewal, take
some time to investigate if switching to another
insurance company or policy is wise.
Pay annuallyInsurers offer significant discounts for yearly
payments.
There are several things that you can do that can help to keep down the cost of your insurance.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
19
All IHI policies come with a list of things that will not be covered (exclusions) and a list of restrictions on
the benefits. Common to many IHI policies are the following exclusions:
What your IHI policy will not pay for
Treatment outside the geographical area of cover.
1.
Over the counter drugs such as vitamins, minerals or dietary supplements.
2.
Medication that can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription.
Plastic or similar surgical procedures carried out for wholly cosmetic reasons.
Injury, accident or illness resulting from natural disaster, war or terrorism.
Treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.
Self-inflicted injuries which can also
include alcohol or substance related abuse.
Experimental medications and
experimental treatments.
Investigations into, or treatment of, sleep disorders, including apnea and insomnia.
Medically unnecessary treatment.
3.
4.
5.
7.
8.
9.
6.
10.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
20
The medical expenses in Bali, the evacuation costs and resulting treatment in Singapore exceeds the
$50,000 annual cover limit meaning that she needs to pay for costs in excess of her $50,000 annual
limit.
Buy a policy with a reasonable annual limit to help avoid such scenarios.
Anne has a basic policy with a $50,000 annual limit. On holiday in Bali she gets bitten
by a dangerous spider! The nearest quality medical facility that can provide the vital
treatment is in Singapore and as such she needs urgent medical evacuation.
Bitten by a dangerous spider in Bali!
Anne pays: $5,000
Medical support in Bali: $10,000
Air ambulance $25,000
Medical treatment in Singapore $20,000
Annual Limit - $50,000
All IHI policies will have a total policy payment limit. Once you reach this limit, no further reimbursements
will be available. If you haven’t got a sufficiently high annual policy limit, you could be caught out:
Annual Limit
Before you take the plunge..When considering IHI policies, there are a number of things to bear in mind.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
21
Typical examples of waiting periods for IHI plans are:
Maternity 10-12 months
Dental 6-9 months
Well being 12 months
Pre-existing conditions 24 months
As you can see, in order to receive full maternity cover you would need to put the policy in place before
becoming pregnant.
Angela and Denis are uninsured and are planning to start a family in the near future.
Should they take out a policy today to cover pregnancy or should they wait until Angela
becomes pregnant?
Meet Angela & Denis
What are “Waiting Periods”?Some policies apply a “waiting period” for specific benefits. This simply means that after you buy a
policy, cover for certain benefits will only be available after the waiting period has expired.
Buy now and become
pregnant 10-12 months later
Buy later when Angela is 6
months into her pregnancy
Angela is covered for the entire
duration of her pregnancy
Angela will not be covered for the
entire duration of her pregnancy
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
22
The BrokerFish definition as it relates to IHI is as follows:
What is considered a pre-existing condition?
Medical conditions or any related medical conditions for which one or more symptoms have surfaced prior to commencement of cover.
In the past international health Insurers have excluded cover for pre-existing conditions. However, there
are now some Insurers that will look at medical history on a case by case basis and will try to cover pre-
existing conditions. Expats with pre-existing conditions can consider the following options:
Can I get cover for pre-existing conditions?
Having pre-existing conditions does not necessarily mean that your insurance rates will be higher. But,
if the pre-existing conditions fits into a company’s definition for such, it may mean that those conditions
will not be covered by your insurance or in return the Insurer will typically increase your premium cost
(“premium-loading”) to cover their costs.
If the condition is to be excluded from coverage then this means that you will not be able to claim for
treatment of that condition or any related condition.
Excluding the condition from coverage;
Moratorium underwriting (waiting period until the condition subsides);
Premium loading; or
Medical history disregard.
“What happens if I
don’t tell the Insurer
about my pre-existing
conditions?”
“If not declared it may be that not
only your pre-existing condition is
not covered, but the insurer refuses
to pay for other issues due to the
dishonesty of the application!”
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
23
What happens if I develop a chronic condition while insured – will they refuse to cover this condition in future years as it is by then a ‘pre-existing condition’?
This table compares IHI, local and travel policies. Please note that due to the range of plans available, the
table gives an overview of the typical cover that each type of plan will provide:
What are the major differences between IHI, local and travel policies?
Designed for
Level of cover
Maximum benefit limits
Premium costs
Area of cover
Benefit options
Hospital accommodation
Full In-Patient Treatment
International Policies Travel PoliciesLocal Policies
Premium cost on renewal
Hospital network
Exclusions
Pre-existing conditions
Language support
Renewability
Expats
High
High
High
Worldwide
Many
Private
Yes
Standard
Worldwide
Some
Some
Multilingual
Life
Locals
Medium
Medium
Medium
Limited
Few
Public / Private
Limited
Standard
Country Specific
Many
Excluded
Local
Per Year
Holiday Makers
Low
Low
Low
Trip Specific
Few
Semi-Private
Yes
Standard
Worldwide
Many
Some
Multilingual
Per Trip
Some Insurers will provide full cover for chronic conditions as long as you remain insured with them,
whereas others will have restrictions and limits. Chronic conditions can become very expensive and as
the level of cover varies greatly by insurer, always make sure you understand what cover is provided.
If this is an important consideration for you then speak to a broker before you take out a policy so they
can short-list suitable plans.
Before You Take The P
lungeS
o, Now
You’re Covered!
Choosing The R
ight Policy
IHI B
asicsW
hy Pay For IH
I?BrokerFish
Limitation of liabilityBrokerFish Buying The Perfect International Health Insurance Policy and the
brokerfish.com Website contain information regarding product benefits, prices and
other product information. In no event will BrokerFish be liable for any damages,
including without limitation special and/or punitive damages and / or consequential
damages and / or losses or expenses arising from, out of or in connection with this
document or the brokerfish.com website. The information contained herein or any
linked site or use thereof or inability to make use thereof by any party, or in connection
with any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, defect, delay in operation
or transmission, computer virus or line or system failure, even if BrokerFish or any
agents and / or representatives thereof are advised of the possibility of such damages,
losses or expenses.
About usBrokerFish is a brand of Direct Health, a division of the Tenbridge Group Limited, a
licensed International insurance broker regulated by the Labuan Financial Services
Authority, registered in Labuan at Brighton Place, No U0215, Jalan Bahasa, P.O. Box
80431, 87014 Labuan, Federal Territory of Malaysia, Registered No. BS200863.
Tenbridge Group Limited is also a member of the Labuan International Life Insurance
Association, Registered No. 200804-142.
The correspondence address for BrokerFish is 19A-LGF-1, Lower Ground Floor, UOA
Centre, 19 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur 50450.
BrokerFish – we’re here for youContact BrokerFish for any assistance that you need. Whether you want impartial advice and assistance in finding the right policy,
need help in cutting through the jargon or even need assistance in resolving a dispute with an insurer, we’re here to help.
Our focus on providing cost-free, impartial advice, coupled with our outstanding customer service, is why our clients love
BrokerFish and why we continue to succeed.
Contact usBrokerFish
19A-LGF-1, UOA Centre
19 Jalan Pinang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
www.brokerfish.com
Helpline:
Call us: +60 3 2162 4077
Call back: click here
Further Resources
Get Quotes Now GlossaryFAQsArticles
© Copyright 2010 Tenbridge Group Limited. All Rights Reserved