Health Insurance When Living Abroad

It may come as a surprise to you,
but if you are planning on going
abroad your local insurance will
not give you coverage. You must
take out an international policy,
offered by a multinational insurance
company. You may find them hard
to locate, but it is by far the best
way to ensure that, should an
accident occur or you fall ill you
will be able to receive medical
attention when needed.

Typically, these plans will give you
cover for up to six months in another
country. When making contact with the
insurance company, you must be prepared to divulge a large amount of information to them. This will include any health problems you may have had in the last ten years, hereditary conditions and any record of substance abuse. You must be prepared to disclose almost anything to do with your health record. If your travel plans will include other family members, you must be prepared to divulge information for those family members also.

In most cases basic coverage should include emergency treatment regardless of which facility it is administered. This is not the case with minor medical treatment. It is important to know whether you are purchasing an insurance plan that is an health maintenance organization (HMO) or a preferred provider organization, (PPO). If you are under an HMO, then your care will be limited to providers who are in their network. You can obtain a list of all the companies within your insurer's network upon request. Under a PPO, you have the opportunity to choose the best facility you see fit, but only a portion of the cost will be covered by your insurer.

If your stay abroad will exceed six months you will need to look into what is called expatriate health insurance. Only the larger companies supply this type of insurance, as it is much more extensive with the type of options that can be applied to each policy. The type of treatment options that are covered with expatriate health insurance are those that are labeled as specialty treatments, such as chiropractic therapy and acupuncture. There are many options that can be applied to expatriate health insurance depending on your family's needs and how long you plan on spending abroad.

As with most health plans, the options for health insurance when traveling abroad are varied. Many people may never consider taking out a separate insurance plan when visiting another country, but this should be given top consideration when planning a trip. Health insurance cannot be dismissed lightly. Make sure you understand all aspects of your policy before making your decision to go with a particular company.      Copyright 2007 HealthInsuranceInfo.50webs.com