Job Discussion Forums

[eslmommy]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a bit of advice on medical insurance. From what I understand the medical insurance offered by most schools is pretty basic and it may be desirable to purchase additional coverage. Are there any recommendations for a insurance company?

I will be traveling to China with my 9 year old daughter and would just feel comfortable knowing there would be few issues with health problems carrying our own insurance.

I did search this topic but the posts were a couple of years old. I'm hoping for more up to date information.

Thanks in advance
Joanne

[China.Pete]

If affordability is a concern, which it may well be if you're planning to work at a typical language school or university in China, you might consider the "expat" policies offered by some specialty insurance companies. Seven Corners, for instance, offers a defined benefit policy with per sickness or accident deductibles starting from $70 (you must pay the first $70 for each illness or accident; the insurance company pays the rest up to the maximum benefit amount). A mother-daughter policy could be had for as little as $1,061 a year. You can find out more at http://www.sevencorners.com/brochure/resideapp2007.pdf. This option could be ideal when combined with the free or relatively inexpensive consultations available at on-campus clinics or public hospitals for non-critical care. Previous discussions on this board have focused on buying better-known travel insurance policies, such as those offered by World Nomads. See http://www.worldnomads.com/pricesandbenefits.aspx?Country=CAN for purposes of comparison.

[China.Pete]

"I have not tested the medical component, but they offer good benefits which I have [included] in my policy." -- Aska Wino

That may be fortunate, because if you read the TravelEx insurance policy you will find that the sickness and injury benefits max out at $10,000 each per contract period. A typical expat policy may offer up to $5,000,000 in lifetime benefits (up to $500,000 for treatment received inside the United States or Canada); thus, the huge differential in premiums, $1,061 per annum versus $217. World Nomads' policy offers up to $1,000,000 in family medical coverage for $1,130 per annum. The OP will need to compare carefully the costs, benefits and exclusions of each type of policy. That is why I supplied links to examples of both.

[China.Pete]

You can get a side-by-side comparison of the costs and benefits of various health insurance plans available to "the global citizen," including both travel health and international health plans, by clicking on http://www.insurancequest.com/.

[Tsuris]

There are a couple of good leads for health insurance plans especially tailored for those who are teaching English in China in that FT guide I once mentioned.