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Rakis
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Posts: 32
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 Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:43 am Post subject: Gap Insurance Question |
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Right now I'm seeing what my best option might be for a health insurance provider that will cover me in the interim between the end of my parent's health coverage and entering the Japanese insurance system (a month uninsured). From what I've seen the coverage plans can be between $90-$150 or about $3.25/day.
Does anyone remember being in this position or get gap insurance coverage?
On a semi-related note, when I travel abroad while working in Japan, would I still have health coverage when I travel away from Japan? Or should I get a second coverage plan (going back to the States a few months after starting)
Thank you guys. :lol: |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:05 am Post subject: Re: Gap Insurance Question |
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| I'm always surprised at how few people know what "Travel Insurance" is and when to use it. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:09 am Post subject: Re: Gap Insurance Question |
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| Rakis wrote: |
Right now I'm seeing what my best option might be for a health insurance provider that will cover me in the interim between the end of my parent's health coverage and entering the Japanese insurance system (a month uninsured). From what I've seen the coverage plans can be between $90-$150 or about $3.25/day.
Does anyone remember being in this position or get gap insurance coverage? |
Where exactly will you be during that gap?
| Quote: |
| On a semi-related note, when I travel abroad while working in Japan, would I still have health coverage when I travel away from Japan? Or should I get a second coverage plan (going back to the States a few months after starting) |
If you have health insurance from either of the national health insurance plans in Japan, you are covered in a way when you go abroad. "In a way" means you still have to pay for all the medical expenses incurred when you are outside Japan, but if you save the receipts and an explanation for them, get it translated, you can present the stuff to the ward office near your home in Japan and get reimbursed for the 70% that you'd get if you had been treated in Japan. If it's treatment NOT covered by Japanese insurance, you'll NOT get reimbursed. |
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Rakis
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Posts: 32
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:14 am Post subject: Re: Gap Insurance Question |
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| I'll be in the USA until the 11th of the month, entering Japan on the 12th. |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:39 am Post subject: |
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As G thulhu hinted at above, you should get ordinary travel insurance to cover you from the day you leave the States for a few weeks after you arrive in Japan so that you can get NHI or shakai hoken set up here. This insurance will also cover you in case of cancellation of your flight, loss of luggage etc so is worth having. This is what I did when I first arrived in Japan.
Then the answer is the same for when you travel away from Japan- you should get travel insurance from a Japanese insurance provider, which you can do through your travel agent or at the airport when you fly out. This is what people who travel generally do regardless of which country they are living in. |
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Rakis
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Posts: 32
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| Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:03 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the posts Apsara and Glenski. This will help with what I've decided to do for travel health insurance. |
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