Job Discussion Forums

[Orange U?]

A colleague of mine in his mid fifties recently died, in my estimation, from underinsurance: Insurance cover provided by his employer maxed out well short of $100,000USD - an amount insufficient, in our country of residence, to cover an operation he needed. He lived about another six weeks. Rudely reminded of my own mortality, I started shopping around for a strong International Health Insurance Plan.

I'd be interested in hearing others' experience. What have you done? What have you learned?

Here's what I've found so far:

Exclusions abound. I've recently been approved for a health plan from IMG and, after reading the contract, I'm relieved that there's a 15 day period during which I can cancel the policy without taking a big financial hit. Meanwhile, I've continued shopping.

IHI out of Denmark seems to offer some very expensive platinum plans. Unlike IMG, they have no residencey requirement (IMG requires the insured to plan to live outside the US for at least six months of the year), and they guarantee reinsurability, so the policy is completely portable. While their policy is (at least) almost twice as expensive as the IMG policy, their contract is a lot more straightforward than IMG's: it seems likely, in the absence of the large number of loopholes I've seen in other contracts, that IHI will actually pay more in the unpleasant eventuality that I need the medical cover.

The only other strong candidate I've run across so far is a group plan offered through American Citizens Abroad (aca.ch). I'm still making early inquiries (and now they're shut down for the next week due to the holidays), but the terms of their group plan sound like a slightly watered down version of the IMG plan ... and it costs about a hundred dollars a year more than the IMG plan I have already been approved for.

I have also already visited TESOL.org and attempted to find info about international cover through the company that offers TESOL's group plan (which is restricted to US residents, btw). Having requested information from that company, I'm still waiting for a reply.

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I'd appreciate hearing what any of you have learned on this topic, especially if you can suggest any alternatives I have overlooked. Thanks.

Orange U?

[scot47]

Reasonable employers - of whon there are fewer and fewer - will set up a group insurance scheme. Mine does in KSA through Mednet Insurance.
(tel KSA 800 2445 5511 ext 32 or 33)

I used to have cover from Exeter Friendly, which is a UK-based friendly scosity (ie non=profit org)

There are rip-off merchants around !

[Orange U?]

Reasonable employers: Yeah, tell me about it.

I checked on the maximum insurance level for the group plan (Bupa Middle East) I'm covered under through my contracting company: 75,000 per year. Note that this is SAUDI RIYALS, not dollars or euros. Nor can I raise this amount without lining up at least 7 other employees and getting the cooperation of the contracting company (Good Luck).

What I wouldn't give for comprehensive single-payer universal insurance for all US citizens!

My least favorite clause of the private GMI contract I am currently covered under: "The Company's commitment and the insured persons' ability to renew is also subject to termination upon thirty (30) days written notice to the other party prior to the expiration date of the then existing Period of Insurance."

Translation: "Start claiming against the $5million lifetime cover you're paying for and we'll drop you, leaving you with uninsured and uninsurable pre-existing conditions."

My second least favorite clause:

"In no event will the Company reimburse the Insured Person for (7) charges for any treatment or supples that are (g) incurred by an Insured Person who was HIV+ at the initial effective date of this insurance; whether or not the insured person had knowledge of his/her HIV status at that time and whether or not the Charges are incurred in relation to or as a result of said status..."

So the insured has to arrange and pay for a test AFTER the effective date in order to demonstrate HIV- status in case (through transfusion, dental treatment or some other cause) s/he seroconverts at some later time. Of course, in such an event, the unfortunate insured could expect to get 30 days notification prior to the renewal date that IMG doesn't want his/her business any more. And if it turns out the insured is HIV+ and can't prove s/he was not when the policy took effect ... the company will cover NOTHING, whether it's related to the HIV status or not.

Thirty days' notice. Sheesh!

Then again, I have yet to find any individual international insurance policy that guarantees renewal at a policy rate based soley on payments for the insurance class - and I've been looking.

Is there any such thing as security?

Orange U?