As an employee, ensuring you stay happy and healthy while working abroad is important. Although your employer must provide the necessary support and resources to encourage healthy lifestyle changes and educate you appropriately, it’s up to you to make the most of these offerings.
One of the best things you can do to optimize your health as an employee working in another country is to purchase health insurance. Your employer might offer this as part of your employee benefits package, or you might need to sort out health insurance independently.
It’s worth speaking directly with your employer or the Human Resources department to identify whether you have access to expat health insurance through your employment, the policies available, and the associated costs you are expected to pay out of your pocket.
If you’re reading this and wondering whether it’s worth getting health insurance when you start working abroad in your international role, keep reading. Below, we have covered why you need to purchase medical insurance as an employee working abroad and the benefits of doing so.
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Health Insurance Provides Legal Protection when Working Abroad
Health insurance is a form of legal protection. You will be expected to enter a legally binding contract with your chosen insurance provider when you purchase an insurance policy.
Although this means you have a legal responsibility to abide by the terms and conditions of your policy and pay the agreed premium, it also means your provider must abide by their promises. If you need to file a claim on your medical insurance policy when you access the healthcare services in your expat destination, your provider is legally required to provide the pre-determined compensation payout.
In turn, you can enjoy your experience working abroad, knowing that you are legally protected and that your provider will uphold the terms and conditions of your policy. Ensure you are clear about the features of your medical insurance policy so you are aware of your and your provider’s legal responsibilities and rights.
You Can Access Medical Treatment for Injuries and Illnesses
Unfortunately, you can’t always predict when you’ll sustain an injury or catch a nasty illness. Even as a healthy individual, you might require medical attention if you have an injury or illness.
Having health insurance enables you to access local hospitals, primary healthcare facilities, and emergency services when needed during your time abroad. You can get medications, therapies, and surgeries to treat acute problems to prevent them from becoming chronic.
Similarly, expat health insurance as an international employee enables you to access treatments when experiencing a flare-up of an existing condition. For example, if you have a chronic autoimmune condition that goes through cycles of flare-ups and remissions, such as asthma or arthritis, you can quickly access conservative treatments during flare-ups.
In addition to enabling you to get medical treatment in a foreign country, health insurance coverage will reduce the costs associated with any care you receive by subsidizing your medical bills.
Your Health Insurance Provider Will Cover Some of the Costs of Your Medical Care
As an expat, you will be expected to pay for your medical care until you’ve lived in the country long enough to obtain citizenship. Without health insurance, the total costs of your medical treatments and hospitalizations fall on your shoulders (or, should we say, on your wallet).
Thankfully, if you have health insurance, your provider will pay some of your medical bills, so you don’t have to pay for everything yourself. However, it’s important to note that if you require treatments or services outside the scope of coverage in your chosen plan, such as physical therapy or maternity care, you may need to pay for these yourself. This is why choosing a policy that suits your medical needs is important when finding expat health insurance.
When you need to obtain medical care while working abroad as an expat, you must file a claim on your insurance policy. After this point, your insurance provider will confirm your policy terms and conditions and provide the pre-agreed payment for your medical bills.
Usually, your health insurance provider will pay a percentage of the total or the remainder of your bills after deducting your voluntary excess. The voluntary excess is the amount you pay out of pocket when claiming your policy, and this is something you will have determined when signing up for your chosen insurance plan.
