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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Expat Health Insurance
Who has an expat health or medical coverage plan? What companies are good to use that will cover you at any hospital or clinic? I have begun shopping online. But, they all want my contact information so they can call me back with their quotes. The last thing I need is a flurry of phone calls from these people. You advice would be greatly appreciated. And, I will even enjoy reading the :snarky" comments. Those are fun sometimes when they are witty and fun.
9 years 17 weeks ago in Health & Safety - China
I've just done some digging into my healthcare plan as I couldn't remember all the details. It's going in a new post, not a comment, so it is clear.
Broker: www.brokerfish.com (regulated by Malaysian insurance authorities)
Insurer: IMG (www.imglobal.com) - head office Indianapolis. I'm registered with IMG Europe based in the UK.
Cost: £637 (GBP!) for 1 year
Plan: Global Fusion(SM) Bronze sub-plan Area 3
Maximum Limit: £1,375,000 GBP
Deductible: £138!
Area of cover: Worldwide!
Cover: Full inpatient cover. Reasonable outpatient cover
No dental, no TCM, no AIDS/HIV, no maternity.
Payment of claims: For emergency treatment pay up front & claim refund. Hospital admissions (planned) must be pre-certified. They do include "direct settlement" in the plan depending on the country & medical provider.
Hope me the above helps. I spent a lot of time last year looking at international medical cover & this was the best value I could find for the amount of cover.
I don't know much about it, but my employer covers some health insurance for me.
You can (maybe) find some good suggestions on old threads, just add 'Health insurance' to search above.
China Life has a pretty good policy/plan for under 1000 RMB per annum.
Keep in mind that almost any plan is pay first, get reimbursed later and no pre-existing conditions will be covered.
As for any hospital / clinic, you would be better off purchasing the traveler's insurance if you really want comprehensive insurance w/out paying thousands per month for coverage.
SaifMalik:
Do you have a link? How do I sign up? I am asking about Chinalife
Sinobear:
Have a Mandarin speaker call 95519 (China Life's Hotline) and inquire as to the agent nearest you.
The policy is all in Chinese, and a physical may be required depending on your age (and they randomly select people who are enrolling in their plans).
I have a quite comprehensive worldwide medical policy through IMG (International Medical Group) which I purchased though a Malaysian insurance brokers www.brokerfish.com. I bought the bronze level which has enough cover for my needs. It cost £637 for one year which was considerably less than any other similar policies.
For minor issues you pay up front & claim back. For anything major recommended by medical specialists you'd have the payments agreed & covered by IMG
To be honest I can't remember how I found the brokers! It might have been through an insurance comparison site....
I've just signed on for another year at my school and in the contract noticed a change to what it said about health insurance.
Previous contracts were a bit vague about it but my school did take out a policy for me which was pretty basic and, in my opinion, not really adequate.
The annual premium wasn't much and I couldn't get them to pay any more.
The new contract I've signed has said that they'll take out comprehensive insurance suitable for foreigners and referenced this web address... www.picchealth.com
The site is Chinese.
Anyhow, I've hit them up with the issue and they've responded that they don't have any money to take out anything other than the basic policy they've previously done.
I pointed out their responsibilities vis a vie the contract and they said bad luck. No money. I said I'm going to a lawyer and they said bad luck....this is China.
The actually said that.
So, that's all.
so to give some figures:
inpatient international cover (except US) around 1100 RMB p.M. (I am yound shall be noted)
Outpatiet: 2300 RMB p.M.
Axa through an agent
Hotwater:
That's very expensive compared to what I pay. Mine is about 7000rmb per year as stated above. Can't remember exact cover details.
dom87:
i guess yours is not direct billing (no advance payments), incl. international hospital coverage.
Hotwater:
It's direct billing where the hospital accepts it and the cover is worldwide (except USA? Can't remember) & does include international hospitals.
Hotwater:
I noticed your comment to BHGAL. I think mine is inpatient only.
Hotwater:
Check my answer below. Dug out the policy details earlier and added them below.
I continue to pay for my BC medical back home, BC Canada.
no idea why - about $70/m
they do not cover me here in China or will not pay to get me home.
the thing Hotwater put on here may help for another $80/mo ...who knows what they will do for you. maybe just fly me home and let my local coverage take over.
insurance is a huge scam, until you need it!
small things are easy to just pay for in China, but should something serious arise, poor guy/gal. My brother-in-law broke his arm in an e-bike accident, cost him 14000rmb... he might make 7000 this year. family helps.
I have been just over a year with no insurance and it is starting to worry me. what if???
anybody from Canada, I think BCAA or CAA is better than Pacific Blue Cross. pretty big difference ..... I have extended medical and dental from my previous employer which does me no good while I am in China. It is frustrating.
that $80/month from Reside Plan Seven Corners, I intend to look in to over the coming days. also from Brokerfish.com thanks Hotwater.
really all they gotta do is promise to get me home in an emergency or tend to things that I can't just pay for.
I hate insurance companies .... I love being looked after in times of need.
I hate paperwork, distrust and small print.
dom87:
you can choose to pay the small things like visiting doc for a cold.
That would be then an insurance only for inpatient (stationary treatment in hospital)
My local TCM doc tells me (my wife) that I am OK for my age ...the gray hair is not a problem ( confirmed that black shoe polish is not a really a good option), the smokers cough is normal and the beer belly is typical.
Here have some of these twigs , seeds and dried leaves, to enhance your daily activities, and true rejuvenation to a life of bliss to which we are all entitled.
The only real important thing to do is, ...keep coming back, and be sure to stay on the straight and narrow. The twigs, seeds and leaves prices will not go up!!!! don't over boil and don't under boil, if it is fresh stuff don't let it wilt "too much" and seeds can be stored and used for a long long time.
HAPPY LIFE TO ALL!!!
I have HK health insurance through the company. Manulife if the health company. Same as the others, mostly pay upfront and claim back if in China.
Might be worth a look at on the interweb.
Hotwater:
Manulife are good but from memory a bit pricy. They also wouldn't allow invasive surgery in China.
BHGAL:
company insurance is good, stay with that outfit.....minute you leave, go to another, start again... some transferrable but you never know.
I have Manulife Life Insurance ..... huge out fit, but I have never conceded to their International Health/Travel Insurance... expensive I think.
everybody should have a little bit of insurance on their own..... not relying on "the company" .... especially young folks ....
I've just done some digging into my healthcare plan as I couldn't remember all the details. It's going in a new post, not a comment, so it is clear.
Broker: www.brokerfish.com (regulated by Malaysian insurance authorities)
Insurer: IMG (www.imglobal.com) - head office Indianapolis. I'm registered with IMG Europe based in the UK.
Cost: £637 (GBP!) for 1 year
Plan: Global Fusion(SM) Bronze sub-plan Area 3
Maximum Limit: £1,375,000 GBP
Deductible: £138!
Area of cover: Worldwide!
Cover: Full inpatient cover. Reasonable outpatient cover
No dental, no TCM, no AIDS/HIV, no maternity.
Payment of claims: For emergency treatment pay up front & claim refund. Hospital admissions (planned) must be pre-certified. They do include "direct settlement" in the plan depending on the country & medical provider.
Hope me the above helps. I spent a lot of time last year looking at international medical cover & this was the best value I could find for the amount of cover.
I am a little off the wall, but I would definitely recommend that everybody gets their own insurance and not rely on a Chinese contract or school or promises to "look after you" ... get your own!!!! use theirs if it is real.... get your own!!!
Thank you for all the great suggestions. I will begin to look at these options and see what is best for me.