Job Discussion Forums

[GoLeafs]

As far as health insurance, is JMA fine? I am taking a job with NOVA and this is the insurance they offer. They are charging 6kY per month. Is it worthwhile to look for different insurance, or will this do?

I appreciate any info.

[Wolf]

I worked for NOVA from 1999-2000 (wow I was a geezer by the time I left.) I don't want to say how I know, but I'm fairly certain that JMA will not cover pre existing medical conditions. Also, a hostpital told a friend of mine that it is TRAVEL insurance.

As for kind of sorta maybe but don't check too closely filling the obligation of health insurance you need for working in Japan (although lots of people I knew over there didn't have any and even if the government knew I never heard of it being a big deal), well then yeah, it kind of sorta maybe but don't check too closely fills that obligation. I'm sorry, but when it comes to the law, some statements involving NOVA will probably need to be anteceded by "kind of sorta maybe but don't check too closely." Before you flame me - check out unemployment insurance laws in Japan (or whatever it gets called - UI is the Canadian name).

If you're actually serious about getting heath insurance beause you're worried about your health/hospital costs, my own personal advice is to look at other options. There's the government health insurance. If you're 100% sure that you'll leave after 1 year, it might be okay. After one year, it adds up to 11% of your salry. This is what I did, although Gord knows it was expensive.

Finally there's private insurance companies. I don't mean Japanese ones, though. I can't help you there. It's way cheaper than government stuff in the long run. But read policies CAREFULLY. I don't know your situation, but be sure to choose something that works well for you. The Daily Yomuri (or was it The Japan Times) did a comparison of private insurance vs national health, and they seem to think that private companies are the way to go in Japan unless you've got a big family or are 100% sure to leave after your first year.)

IMHO, this is a serious issue. Hospital care in Japan is EXPENSIVE. And LONG. And NOVA won't pay you for sick days - it sucks enough not to have any sick leave, but to have no sick leave and no insurance, and say, get bronchitis or something would suck on a level that I consider transcendental. Almost as much as my spelling.

Don't take this lightly. Too many people do (I'm not talking about posters here - I just mean people I knew during my time in Japan.) For what you pay for JMA, you may as well get something a wee bit more trustworthy. Besides, if you leave NOVA, you have to get out of JMA anyway.

[Glenski]

If you are going to be here for only a year, get Japanese national health insurance. It's only 2500 yen/month.

The catch is that if you stay longer, the price goes up drastically in the next year to 20,000-40,000 yen/month, depending on circumstances (mainly your previous year's salary and your current location).

Look at the options for other insurance on www.gaijinpot.com.

[ruggedtoast]

JMA pays out for emergency treatment and there is no excess to pay for the policy holder. I have a friend who got really sick and was really happy with JMA.

HOWEVER if you check your JMA info you will see that even the expensive plus policy only provides 3.5 million yen maximum cover. This is about 20,000 dollars. This is clearly not enough for any country let alone Japan. Avoid.

[kimbo]

I was just going to get travel insurance - I don't have the exact details with me now - but it will cover medical bills up to 1 million dollars. Does just basic old travel insurance usually do the trick?? I know that I haven't given you much concrete information.

[ruggedtoast]

Im not sure what you mean "does it do the trick". Im from the uk so the main caveat with my policy is that is I get anything expensive wrong with me and Im well enough to travel my insurers will probably insist on repatriating me.

It will cover emergencies and disasters and the like but you probably wont get on going treatment on a travel policy. Its holiday insurance after all and not meant to look after you from cradle to grave.

I would imagine a million dollars would cover most eventualities but obviously the more cover you have the better.

[G Cthulhu]

if you don't want to go the national insurance route (and you should look at it, it's not a bad deal generally) then I would seriously suggest you get a travel or insurance agent in your home country to find some *business* travel insurance for you rather than try and use a tourist policy. Most business policies cover everything you need and don't have the period limits most travel policies do. They're not all that more expensive either - worth it if you ever need to use them!

[kimbo]

what policy would you recommend out of the national policy and the JMA policy that NOVA offers if you were thinking about spending 1 - 2 years in Japan.?

Thanks

[BenJ]

how about getting national insurance for the first year and then changing in the second?

[kimbo]

Thanks for the advice. I think that is what I will do, considering I am not sure how long I will be in Japan for.

[GoLeafs]

Thanks for all the good advice.

[ruggedtoast]

you cant opt out of national once your in.

[GoLeafs]

As far as the national insurance is concerned, does the cheap year begin upon arrival in Japan or as soon as you sign up for the insurance? For example, if I was initially insured under NOVA and I switched to the national insurance after 3 months, would I still get a full year of national insurance at the reduced rate?
I was told that you need your ARC card for the national insurance and if I understand correctly, I won't have that until I am in Japan.