If you are thinking about getting health insurance, this blog post answers some of your most pressing concerns.
GETTING INTERNATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE IF YOU’RE SELF-EMPLOYED
Making the switch from working at a company to working for yourself is an adventure in itself. You are assured to experience some surprises along the way, and one of these surprises is health insurance. Nowadays, a lot of companies provide their employees with health benefits. They do so to lower staff sickness and to hold onto their best talent. You may have been lucky enough to have your premiums covered entirely, but the reality is that most employees reap the gains of remarkably low insurance costs, as they are part of a group global health insurance plan. Therefore, when individuals make the switch to becoming self-employed they are often startled by the prices they face.
Every company is different of course. But it is likely that you will have been offered some form of health insurance. Whether you have been offered a medical insurance plan as a job perk or you have been given the opportunity to take out your own insurance policy with the company, you will be benefitting from perks that other people do not. Group insurance plans not only present you with cheaper premiums, but if you have a pre-existing medical condition you may have benefitted from cover irrespective of this. Thus, when you make the switch to self-employment you can often feel like you are paying much more money for fewer benefits.
You really need to do your research and take your time when selecting the right insurance plan. This is likely to be new to you if you have relied on company policies before. You will need to determine the level of cover you require from your international health insurance policy. You should also decipher a budget, as both price and cover go hand in hand. Don’t only think about the amount you are going to pay per year or per month, but also consider excess, i.e. the sum you must pay for treatment before your insurer will cover you. Take your time. Determine your needs, evaluate the policy options and assess your insurer. For example, if you wear glasses, look for the likes of http://www.bausch.com.au/ to be included in your policy. Another popular addition includes dentistry work.
Finally, have you considered creating your own group insurance policy? This is one way to try and replicate the sort of benefits you were receiving whilst employed. Nonetheless, if you worked for a large company it is highly unlikely you will be able to completely mirror the premium amount and benefits.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING COMPARISON WEBSITES TO FIND IHI
There is a lot to consider when looking for the best international medical insurance plan. You want a plan that is going to provide you with the right level of cover, yet you need to be sure that it also fits into your budget. The search process can also be a bit overwhelming. There are so many different global health insurance providers to select from. How can you narrow down your search effectively? A lot of people turn to comparison websites when they want to compare different services against one and other. However, whilst this may be convenient, it’s not the ideal path to go down. Find out why…
Comparison websites receive a lot of criticism. Many consumer groups have alleged that there are a significant number of comparison sites that actually boost the ratings of various companies. This leaves the consumer with an inaccurate picture. The whole point of a comparison website is to provide you with complete transparency and an easy way to compare several worldwide health insurance plans. However, if the comparison company has an association with a certain provider and thus boosts their rating, you may be choosing a company based on false pretension. This is not to say that all comparison websites operate in this manner, yet it is an accusation that is widely thrown around, and thus it is difficult to know whom to trust.
In addition to this, there is also the issue that comparison websites do not always include all insurers, all types of global health insurance plans and all cover options. Therefore, you do not really get a true reflection. It can be difficult to assess all of the possibilities if you do not have something specific in mind. When using a comparison website you need to be aware of the fact that the company is only likely to have trawled a small portion of the market. Plus, if you want to know the true extent of the options at your disposal, you will probably need to head to the company’s official website for the entire picture.
All in all, comparison websites, like those featured at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/top-five-comparison-websites-find-best-deal/, can be used as a first step. They can present you with a couple of options regarding international health insurance providers and thus give you a good starting point. However, you should do your own research as well, and you should view the comparison website’s information as a mere summary rather than the full picture.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I NEED TO MAKE A CLAIM ON MY INTERNATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY?
Most people are aware of the reasons why they need an international medical insurance plan and the benefits that are entailed. They feel safe in the knowledge that if a medical emergency occurs or they need a certain type of treatment they will be covered. However, what happens if this eventuality occurs? How do you actually make a claim with a global health insurance company? Read on to find out everything you need to know…
It is wise to make sure you always carry your international health insurance card with you. If you were to experience a serious injury or illness whereby you would not be able to communicate you will be searched for identification. There is a very high chance that if they discover your worldwide medical insurance card you will be sure of getting the best treatment.
You also need to be fully aware of what you are covered for in your policy before you make a claim. You will have looked at this when you took out the policy. However, you need to ensure that you are not subject to a waiting period or excluded on the grounds of pre-existing conditions. You will also want to be certain that your benefit amount has not been surpassed.
It is wise to contact your insurer as quickly as possible. You will want to discover whether your insurer has a direct billing arrangement in place for out-patient treatments. When applying for insurance you need to be completely honest. Your claim may be rejected if the insurance company finds out you have been lying. Moreover, if they have made pay-outs and later find out that you have not been truthful they can demand repayments.
Last but not least, when making a claim for global medical insurance it is imperative that you keep all original receipts. If you have been required to fill in a claim form be certain that the professional who treated you has signed, dated and stamped the form correctly as well.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what to do when you need to make a claim for any treatment or care you have received. It is imperative to handle everything above board so you do not experience any hurdles later down the line.
This is a collaborative post.
