Health Insurance for Expats

William has been working for a pharmaceutical company for the past 10 years. The excellent service has been well observed by the bosses. A promotion is near and it is just a matter of time before the papers finally came.


The bosses called William to the office and sure enough, the promotion came. The hard work for many years paid off and there will be a salary raise and a new position. The only catch was that this was no longer to be based in the United States.


William will be sent off to France to head the office there. The entire family will also be relocated so this wouldn’t be a problem. The only thing needed now will be to get some form of insurance since this man will become an expatriate.


Expatriates or expats for short are sometimes considered consultants when given a foreign assignment. There are a lot of benefits that regular employees don’t get to have so this was really something.


The company had an insurance plan but William felt this was not enough. The hospitals in France may not honor the insurance of the American firm, which is why William asked around for international health insurance.


There are a lot of companies that offer international health insurance. These firms promise to give the expat and the family the best care possible. This means access to doctors and hospitals sometimes free of charge.


Some companies will not allow an applicant over the age of 65 to become a member. This shouldn’t be a problem of William who is just 32. The best insurance plan to get should also cover the other members of the family.


The application process starts by filling out the form. The person can get one from the internet and answer the questions there. If the individual needs time to think, this can also be printed then faxed to the number.


The company will also need a medical exam to make sure the person is in healthy condition. When all these documents check out, the individual will become a member and get the policy in 2 or 3 working days.


How much does this cost? This will depend on the type of package the person chooses to get. There are the basic plans and the more advanced ones, which also include annual physical examinations that can be availed of.


Some insurance companies may not have an office in the country where the person will be working in. This is the reason that the emergency contact number which is located on the back of the card can be accessed anywhere in the world toll free. A multilingual staff will be ready to assist to answer any concerns or problems that the expat will encounter.


There are other benefits when the expat is a member. The person can access the company website at any time to receive news and other updates which are important for the individualized plan.


First timers can start off with the basic package first. If the company has proven to be very good in its services, this can be upgraded later on.


Life as an expat and working in a different country may be challenging. The person should just be prepared with the changes that may need to take place as part of the adjustment phase.