Inpatient
- Hospital admission
- Surgery
- Intensive care
- Overnight treatment
Compare
Compare international health insurance
Understand what to compare in an international health plan before price enters the conversation.
Area of cover, underwriting, exclusions, hospital access, claims and portability can matter more than the headline premium.
The cheapest policy is not necessarily the best-value policy. The real comparison is what happens when you actually need care.
International health insurance is most useful when it is matched to where you live, where you travel, which healthcare systems you want access to, and how your medical history is treated.
International health insurance should be compared by where you live, where you want treatment, how much routine and hospital care you want covered, how underwriting works, and how much cost you are willing to retain.
Start with geography, underwriting and benefits. Compare price only after those are clear. No premium is published on this page.
The basics
What does international health insurance actually cover?
It is built around ongoing healthcare while you live internationally, rather than around a single trip. A schedule may include hospital treatment, surgery, specialist care, diagnostics, outpatient treatment, emergency care and prescription drugs. Maternity, mental health, dental, optical care and evacuation appear where that policy includes them. They are not present on every contract.
Exact benefits vary materially between policies. Always read the schedule of benefits and policy wording.
Cover type
International health, local health and travel insurance solve different problems
The three labels answer different risks. Holding one does not tell you what the others would have paid. The wider insurance questions, including life, travel and property, are on the Insurance overview.
International health insurance
Designed for
Ongoing healthcare while living abroad.
Can include
- Broader geographic cover, as the wording defines it
- International provider networks, where they exist
- A contract that may be able to move with you
- Treatment over a longer period, where benefits allow
Local health insurance
Designed for
Healthcare within one country or health system.
Can include
- Closer alignment with local regulation
- Access to local hospitals on that system’s terms
- A claims path that can be simpler inside that country
Travel insurance
Designed for
Short-term travel risks.
Can include
- Emergency medical treatment on a trip
- Trip cancellation, where the wording includes it
- Baggage and travel disruption, where included
Travel insurance is not automatically a substitute for ongoing health insurance while living abroad.
Geography
Where are you actually covered?
Wordings may describe worldwide cover, worldwide cover that leaves particular countries out, a region, or limits that apply in one country. Elective treatment and emergency treatment away from home can be different lines. A country of residence can also affect whether the policy can be issued. These four places are a way to test the clause. They are often not the same place.
01
Home country
02
Country of residence
03
Travel countries
04
Treatment location
- Is my country of residence included?
- Are the countries I travel to included?
- Is emergency treatment outside the area covered?
- Does treatment in a high-cost market have different terms?
- Can countries be added or removed later?
Benefits
Inpatient and outpatient cover are different layers
Inpatient care is treatment that involves admission. Outpatient care is the consultations, tests and prescriptions that happen without one. A plan can be strong on one layer and narrow on the other. Read them as separate promises.
Outpatient
- Doctor visits
- Specialist consultation
- Diagnostics
- Therapy
- Prescriptions
A lower-premium plan may cover inpatient treatment well while limiting outpatient treatment.
Medical history
Pre-existing conditions are one of the most important parts of the comparison
History can mean an earlier diagnosis, earlier symptoms, medicine you still take, a long-running condition, or treatment you have already had. Insurers define that set differently, and they may cover it, exclude it, or accept it on different terms. Nothing here is a medical opinion, and nothing here says whether a condition will be accepted.
Different insurers define and treat pre-existing conditions differently. The wording matters.
- How does this policy define a pre-existing condition?
- Is full medical underwriting used?
- Can an exclusion be applied?
- Can a condition be covered on different terms?
- Are chronic conditions described separately?
Underwriting
How the insurer assesses your medical history matters
Underwriting style can affect both what is covered and how predictable the policy is later. These are descriptions of approaches you may meet. They are not a statement that any of them is available to you, and they are not a prediction of the result.
Full medical underwriting
The insurer reviews medical history before cover starts.
Moratorium-style underwriting
Some policies assess certain previous conditions by looking back over a period of treatment or symptoms. The length, if any, is in that wording. This page does not state one.
Medical history disregarded
An approach that sets some history aside may exist in some employer or group plans. Whether it is offered is a question for that plan.
Exclusions
A policy can look generous until the exclusions are read
Exclusions are the events, places and treatments the contract sets aside. Categories you may meet include pre-existing conditions, elective or cosmetic treatment, experimental treatment, certain activities, excluded territories, non-emergency treatment outside the area of cover, and particular conditions or treatments named in the schedule. Which of these appear is a policy fact.
Exclusions should be reviewed before premium comparisons.
Cost sharing
How much of the claim do you pay yourself?
An annual deductible, a per-claim excess, a co-payment, co-insurance and an excess that applies only to one benefit are different ways of sharing a cost. They can sit together. The amounts are in the schedule. None are stated here.
01
Claim
02
Deductible or excess
03
Co-payment, if any
04
Insurer portion
A lower premium can come with more cost sharing when care is used.
Limits
The headline annual limit does not tell the whole story
The total annual maximum is one ceiling. Inside it, a policy may cap outpatient care, maternity, mental health, dental treatment, evacuation or therapy at a lower figure. The headline can remain untouched while the benefit you use has already stopped.
Headline annual maximum
The overall ceiling in the schedule, in that policy’s currency. No amount is published on this page.
- Sub-limit, where usedOutpatient treatment
- Sub-limit, where usedMaternity
- Sub-limit, where usedMental health
- Sub-limit, where usedDental
- Sub-limit, where usedEvacuation
- Sub-limit, where usedTherapy
Sub-limits can matter more than the overall headline limit for the care you actually expect to use.
Hospital access
Which hospitals and doctors can you actually use?
A network is the set of hospitals and doctors with an arrangement under that policy. Treatment outside it may be paid differently, or not paid. Direct billing and reimbursement are ways of settling the bill. A specialist may need a referral. Private and public facilities may not be treated the same way.
- Which hospitals are in-network where I live?
- Do I need a referral?
- Can I use a provider outside the network?
- Does direct billing apply there?
- Do I pay first and reclaim?
Claim payment
How treatment is paid for can matter during an emergency
Direct billing
The provider bills the insurer, where an arrangement exists. Your cash outlay can be smaller. The arrangement still depends on that hospital and that treatment.
Reimbursement
You may pay first and claim later. The documents, the currency and the time you are out of pocket become part of the comparison.
Pre-authorisation, where the policy requires it, sits in front of both paths. An emergency admission may be described differently from a planned one. Read that difference before you need it.
Direct billing is not always available for every provider or treatment.
Emergency support
Evacuation and repatriation are not the same thing
Medical evacuation
A transfer to a facility where adequate treatment is not available locally, on the conditions in the policy.
Medical repatriation
A return to another country, which may include a home country, if the wording provides it.
Check who decides whether evacuation is medically necessary and where the patient may be taken.
Maternity
Maternity cover often needs to be planned early
Where maternity is included, the schedule may separate routine care, complications, a newborn, neonatal care and the place of delivery. A waiting period, where the policy uses one, is a length of time in that contract. This page does not state one, and it does not say that cover can be added later.
If maternity is important, review the policy before pregnancy rather than assuming it can be added later.
Mental health
Mental-health benefits vary significantly between plans
Outpatient therapy, psychiatry and inpatient treatment can be three different lines. Each may have a limit, a referral rule, or a requirement to agree treatment in advance. A telehealth consultation may be described separately from a visit in person. This is a wording question. It is not a view on whether someone should seek care.
Check whether mental-health benefits have separate sub-limits or authorisation requirements.
Optional benefits
Dental and optical cover may be separate or limited
Routine dental treatment, major dental treatment and emergency dental treatment are different benefits. An eye test and lenses can be another. Any of them may be inside the plan, offered as an option, or absent, and any of them may sit under a cap. The cap, if there is one, is in the schedule.
Optional benefits can increase the premium without being equally valuable to every person.
Families
Family cover should be compared person by person
A partner, a child, a newborn and any other dependant can be eligible on different terms. Underwriting results can differ inside one household. A family deductible, where a policy uses one, is a shared cost-sharing rule rather than a promise that everyone is covered the same way. Geography can differ too, if one person studies or works in another country.
- Is each dependant eligible?
- Does each person have separate exclusions?
- Is a newborn covered, and from when?
- Does maternity need to be in place first?
- Can a child remain covered while studying abroad?
Ongoing care
Chronic-condition cover can be more important than one-off treatment
People comparing plans often ask about conditions that continue, including diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure: monitoring, medication and specialist follow-up over years rather than a single admission. This page does not discuss diagnosis or treatment. It asks you to read how the contract describes ongoing care.
Check definitions, annual limits and ongoing-treatment wording carefully.
Claims
How does a claim actually work?
A claim is a sequence, and the sequence in the policy is the one that counts. Documents can include an invoice, a medical report, a prescription, proof of payment and a pre-authorisation reference. A response can be a payment, a part payment or a refusal. This page does not predict which.
01
Treatment needed
02
Check network or authorisation
03
Receive care
04
Direct billing or pay
05
Submit documents
06
Claim review
07
Settlement or a response
Renewal
International health insurance should be reviewed every year
A renewal can move the premium. It can also reflect age, claims, where you live, the cost of care, a change in benefits, a change in the network, or a change of residence. Those are separate lines. Read them together.
Do not compare the renewal premium alone. Check whether benefits, exclusions, the network or the terms have also changed.
Moving country
Will the policy move with you?
A change of country can mean a new eligibility question, a different price, a further look at medical history, a different area of cover, a local rule you still have to meet, or a network that does not exist in the new place. Ask before you travel. Moving country is the wider sequence.
- Can I move country without replacing the policy?
- Does the premium change?
- Does the area of cover change?
- Does underwriting start again?
- Is a local policy still required?
Immigration
Will the policy satisfy local visa or residency requirements?
Some countries may ask for proof of health cover. The requirement, and any minimum benefits, differ, and a local policy is sometimes what the rule asks for. Match the schedule to the current instruction from the authority, rather than to a brochure.
The immigration questions are on Visas.
Do not assume an international plan automatically satisfies a visa requirement. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority.
Compare smarter
How to read an international health insurance comparison
Use the same ten questions on each contract before you put the premiums next to each other. Two prices are comparable when the benefits and the restrictions are comparable. Otherwise you are comparing different promises.
- 01Area of cover
- 02Inpatient benefits
- 03Outpatient benefits
- 04Underwriting
- 05Pre-existing-condition treatment
- 06Deductible or co-payment
- 07Limits and sub-limits
- 08Hospital network
- 09Claims process
- 10Portability
Price should be compared only after the benefits and restrictions are meaningfully comparable.
Scorecard
A practical comparison, with no insurers on it
This is a reading aid. It does not score a company, and it does not describe a real plan.
| Question | Why it matters | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Where am I covered? | Why it matters. A wide label can still leave countries out. | What to check. Residence, travel and the place you want to be treated. |
| Which hospitals can I use? | Why it matters. The network is the care you can actually reach. | What to check. In-network hospitals where you live, and the out-of-network rule. |
| Is outpatient treatment included? | Why it matters. Many ordinary visits never become an admission. | What to check. Doctor visits, specialists, tests and prescriptions. |
| How are pre-existing conditions handled? | Why it matters. History can change the contract before a claim exists. | What to check. The definition, and whether an exclusion or different terms apply. |
| What underwriting method is used? | Why it matters. The method changes how predictable the cover is later. | What to check. Full underwriting, a moratorium-style approach, or something else named in the wording. |
| What deductible or excess applies? | Why it matters. You may pay the first part of the care. | What to check. Whether it is annual, per claim, or attached to one benefit. No figure is published here. |
| What sub-limits apply? | Why it matters. A smaller cap can bind before the headline limit. | What to check. Outpatient, maternity, mental health, dental and evacuation, if those words appear. |
| Is evacuation included? | Why it matters. Local facilities are not equivalent everywhere. | What to check. Who decides it is necessary, and where you may be taken. |
| Is direct billing available? | Why it matters. Paying a hospital yourself is a cash-flow question. | What to check. Which providers, and which treatments, can bill the insurer. |
| How are claims submitted? | Why it matters. A benefit you cannot claim is a sentence in a schedule. | What to check. Who receives it, which documents, and any deadline. |
| Can the policy move countries? | Why it matters. A move can change eligibility and the network. | What to check. The new country, in writing, before you rely on the old schedule. |
| What happens at renewal? | Why it matters. Price, benefits and terms can move together. | What to check. What can change, and how much notice you receive. |
Due diligence
Questions worth asking before you buy
Put these to the insurer or a regulated broker, about the contract in front of you.
01Which legal entity issues the policy?
Ask for the company on the contract and where it is established. A brand and the insurer can differ.
02Which countries are covered?
Ask for the territorial clause, including any area described as worldwide.
03Which countries are excluded?
Ask which places are left out, and what happens if you live in one or travel to one.
04Which hospitals are in-network?
Ask for the network where you will live, not a global brochure.
05Is outpatient treatment included?
Ask about consultations, diagnostics, therapy and prescriptions, separately from hospital admission.
06How are pre-existing conditions defined?
Ask for the definition in the wording. Insurers do not all use the same one.
07Which underwriting method is used?
Ask whether history is reviewed before cover starts, or assessed another way. The method is a policy fact.
08What exclusions apply specifically to me?
Ask for exclusions that meet your history, not only the general list. This page cannot list yours.
09What deductible or excess applies?
Ask the amount, what it applies to, and whether it resets. No amount is stated here.
10Are there co-payments?
Ask whether you pay a share of a claim, on top of any deductible, and on which benefits.
11What annual limits apply?
Ask for the overall ceiling and the currency it is written in.
12What sub-limits apply?
Ask which benefits sit under a smaller cap than the headline.
13Is mental-health treatment covered?
Ask about outpatient therapy, psychiatry and inpatient treatment separately, including any authorisation.
14Is maternity covered?
Ask before you need it. Routine care, complications and a newborn can be different lines.
15Is dental or optical included?
Ask whether each is in the core plan, optional, or absent, and what kind of treatment the words cover.
16Is evacuation included?
Ask who decides it is medically necessary, and which facility you may be moved to.
17Is repatriation included?
Ask whether a return to another country is a separate benefit, and on what conditions.
18Is pre-authorisation required?
Ask which admissions, scans and procedures need agreement first, and how an emergency is described.
19Is direct billing available?
Ask which hospitals can bill the insurer, and which treatments you would pay and reclaim.
20How are claims submitted?
Ask the channel, the documents, and who to call if you are in hospital.
21What happens if I move country?
Ask before the move. Continuation, price, area and underwriting can each change.
22How are renewal terms set?
Ask what can change at renewal besides the premium, and how you are told.
23Can dependants stay covered if circumstances change?
Ask about a child who studies in another country, a newborn, and a partner whose residence differs.
24Does the policy satisfy local visa requirements?
Ask the authority that issues the visa what it requires, then compare that list with the schedule. An insurer’s view is not the authority’s.
Watch for
Potential warning signs
- “Covers everything” language
- A low premium beside broad exclusions
- No clear explanation of underwriting
- Pre-existing conditions left undiscussed
- The hospital network is unclear
- The claims process is unclear
- Evacuation wording that does not say who decides
- No explanation of a move to another country
- Visa compliance promised without a qualification
- The issuing entity cannot be explained
A warning sign is not automatically a reason to reject a policy. It is a reason to investigate further.
Common situations
Different international lives need different health-cover priorities
A family relocating for work
The network where the family will live, maternity if it may matter, each child, and whether the contract can continue if the posting changes.
A retiree moving abroad
Ongoing care, which specialists can be seen, evacuation if local treatment is not suitable, and what renewal can change.
A digital nomad
More than one country in a year, emergency care away from a base, and whether a move of residence restarts the question. Permission to stay is separate.
An executive with employer cover
Who the group plan includes, which countries it accepts, and what happens to you and to dependants when the employment ends.
Someone already in treatment
How history is underwritten, which exclusions could be applied, and how ongoing care is worded. This page cannot say what the outcome will be.
A frequent traveller who lives abroad
Where everyday care happens, and where a travel policy is being asked to carry treatment that belongs in a health plan.
Right fit
International cover is not always necessary
A person who stays in one country, who is content with that healthcare system, who does not want treatment elsewhere, whose employer already provides comprehensive local cover, or who travels little, may find a local policy is the contract to read first. Travel can still leave a gap at the edges. The fit is a circumstance, not a rule.
The right solution may be local cover, international cover, or a combination, depending on the circumstances.
Questions
Questions people ask
01Which international health plan is best?
This page does not rank plans and does not name a best one. A suitable contract depends on where you live, where you want treatment, who is covered and how medical history is underwritten.
02Do you list insurers?
No. No insurers, premiums or benefit figures are published here.
03Can I buy cover after moving?
You may be able to. Eligibility depends on the insurer and on the country of residence. Ask before you assume the terms available before the move are still available.
04Are pre-existing conditions covered?
They may be covered, excluded, or accepted on different terms. Insurers define them differently. This page cannot say whether a condition will be covered.
05What is medical underwriting?
It is the insurer’s assessment of the risk it is asked to accept, often including medical history. The method and the result vary.
06What is a deductible?
An amount you pay toward eligible claims before the insurer pays, as that policy defines it. It may be annual or attached to a claim. No amount is stated here.
07What is a co-payment?
A share of a claim that you pay, sometimes as well as a deductible. The share, if any, is in the wording. No percentage is stated here.
08What is direct billing?
An arrangement in which a hospital or doctor bills the insurer, where that arrangement exists. It does not exist for every provider or every treatment.
09What is an annual limit?
A ceiling on what the policy pays in a period, on the terms and in the currency in the schedule. No ceiling is stated here.
10What is a sub-limit?
A smaller ceiling inside the headline limit, often for one benefit such as outpatient care, maternity or dental.
11Does international health insurance cover the USA?
Some wordings include it, some exclude it, and some apply different terms. High-cost countries are a question to ask of the contract, not a rule this page can state.
12Does it cover maternity?
Only where the schedule includes it, and often with its own conditions. If maternity matters, read that part before you need it. No waiting period is stated here.
13Does it cover chronic conditions?
It depends on the definition, the underwriting and the wording for ongoing treatment. Naming a condition here does not mean it is covered.
14Does it cover dental?
Routine, major and emergency dental may be included, offered as an option, or absent. Check the schedule.
15Does it cover mental health?
Outpatient therapy, psychiatry and inpatient treatment may each be described separately, sometimes with a sub-limit or an authorisation step.
16Does it include evacuation?
Only if the policy says so. It is usually conditional, including on who decides that a move is medically necessary and where you may be taken.
17Will it satisfy a visa requirement?
Do not assume that it will. Some countries ask for proof of health cover, and the minimum differs. Confirm the current requirement with the relevant authority.
18Can I keep it if I move country?
Sometimes, sometimes on different terms, and sometimes not. Ask the insurer about the new country before you move.
19How is this different from travel insurance?
International health insurance is built around ongoing care while you live abroad. Travel insurance is built around a trip. One should not be assumed to replace the other.
20Can family members be on the same policy?
They may be, if each person is eligible. Underwriting, exclusions and geography can differ by person, including for a newborn.
Compare international health insurance providers
Compare the cover before you compare the premium
Compare international health insurance providers by inpatient and outpatient cover, maternity, dental and optical benefits, area of cover, deductibles, underwriting, direct billing and portability.
A lower premium can simply mean a higher deductible, narrower area of cover, lower outpatient benefits or more restrictive underwriting. Compare the structure of the policy before comparing price.
Start with the health need
What kind of international health cover are you looking for?
What to compare
The important differences are in the policy design
01
Inpatient cover
Hospital stays, surgery and daypatient treatment.
02
Outpatient cover
Routine doctor visits, diagnostics and specialists.
03
Area of cover
Worldwide, worldwide excluding the USA, or regional.
04
Underwriting
How pre-existing conditions and medical history are assessed.
05
Deductible / cost share
How much you pay before or alongside the insurer.
06
Maternity / dental / optical
Often optional or tier-specific.
07
Evacuation / repatriation
Whether treatment transfer is covered.
08
Network / direct billing
How easily treatment can be accessed without paying first.
Filter international health insurance providers
7 providers listed for comparison.
- Allianz Care
Allianz Care
Global international health insurer
International healthcare plans in Care Base, Enhanced and Signature tiers, with worldwide, worldwide-excluding-USA and regional choices, and with outpatient and evacuation described as optional or product-dependent.
- Best aligned with
- Professionals · families · digital nomads
- Global reach
- Very high
- Primary audience
- Globally mobile professionals, expats, families and digital nomads
Core cover
- Inpatient / daypatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Optional
- Maternity
- Available on higher-tier or relevant plans, subject to terms
- Dental / vision
- Optional dental. Additional benefits vary by plan.
- Evacuation / repatriation
- Optional or product-dependent
Policy design
- Area of cover
- Worldwide, excluding USA, or regional
- Cost sharing
- Strong
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network / direct billing
- Large network
- Portability
- Designed for international mobility. Local compliance and residence rules apply.
- How to buy
- Direct and intermediary
- Pricing
- Personalised quote
The issuing entity, product and regulatory framework depend on residence and plan. Exact benefits have to be read in the current policy wording.
APRIL International
International private medical insurance provider
International medical cover for expats, digital nomads, students, families and businesses. Maternity, dental and evacuation are plan dependent, with an international network and 24/7 multilingual support.
- Best aligned with
- Expats · digital nomads · families
- Global reach
- High
- Primary audience
- Expats, digital nomads, students, families and international businesses
Core cover
- Inpatient / daypatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Maternity
- Plan dependent
- Dental / vision
- Plan dependent
- Evacuation / repatriation
- Plan dependent
Policy design
- Area of cover
- Product dependent
- Cost sharing
- Varies by product
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network / direct billing
- International network
- Portability
- Internationally oriented
- How to buy
- Direct and broker
- Pricing
- Personalised quote
Availability, underwriting and local compliance vary by product and residence. A publisher may need an authorised intermediary rather than a direct arrangement.
- AXA – Global Healthcare
AXA – Global Healthcare
Global international private medical insurance provider
International private medical cover for individuals, families and businesses. Outpatient, maternity, dental and evacuation are described as available depending on the plan, through the AXA Select network.
- Best aligned with
- Individuals · families · businesses
- Global reach
- Very high
- Primary audience
- International individuals, families and businesses
Core cover
- Inpatient / daypatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Maternity
- Available on relevant cover
- Dental / vision
- Available on relevant cover or options
- Evacuation / repatriation
- Available depending on the product
Policy design
- Area of cover
- Plan-specific
- Cost sharing
- Excess options
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network / direct billing
- AXA Select network
- Portability
- International plans. Client residence rules apply.
- How to buy
- Direct and intermediary
- Pricing
- Personalised quote
Confirm plan availability and the underwriting entity for each country of residence. Intermediary access is not a general unlicensed affiliate programme.
- Bupa Global
Bupa Global
Global private medical insurer
International private medical cover aimed at private clients, HNW families and globally mobile individuals. Benefits, area of cover and cost share are plan and residence dependent.
- Best aligned with
- Private clients · HNW families
- Global reach
- Very high
- Primary audience
- International private clients, HNW families, globally mobile individuals and businesses
Core cover
- Inpatient / daypatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Maternity
- Available on relevant plans
- Dental / vision
- Available depending on the plan
- Evacuation / repatriation
- Plan dependent
Policy design
- Area of cover
- Residence-specific
- Cost sharing
- Plan dependent
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network / direct billing
- Extensive network
- Portability
- International design. Product availability varies by residence.
- How to buy
- Direct and intermediary
- Pricing
- Personalised quote
Products and application forms differ by residence region. Confirm the issuing entity and the exact product.
Cigna Global
Global international private medical insurer
Tiered international medical plans for globally mobile individuals and families, with worldwide options that include or exclude the USA and with outpatient, dental and evacuation as selectable modules.
- Best aligned with
- Expats · internationally mobile families
- Global reach
- Very high
- Primary audience
- Globally mobile individuals, expats and families
Core cover
- Inpatient / daypatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Optional module
- Maternity
- Available on relevant plans, subject to terms
- Dental / vision
- Optional module
- Evacuation / repatriation
- Optional module or plan feature
Policy design
- Area of cover
- Worldwide, with or without the USA
- Cost sharing
- Highly flexible
- Underwriting
- Medical underwriting
- Network / direct billing
- Large global network
- Portability
- Internationally designed. Residence and location eligibility still apply.
- How to buy
- Direct and broker
- Pricing
- Personalised quote
Policy terms, underwriting, local compliance and availability vary by residence. Acceptance of a pre-existing condition, or a claim outcome, is not implied.
- IMG Global Medical
IMG Global Medical
International medical insurance provider
International medical cover for expats and families. Outpatient, maternity and dental are plan dependent. Evacuation is described on relevant international medical and travel products.
- Best aligned with
- Expats · international families
- Global reach
- Very high
- Primary audience
- Expats, international families and globally mobile individuals
Core cover
- Inpatient / daypatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Maternity
- Plan dependent
- Dental / vision
- Plan dependent
- Evacuation / repatriation
- Available on relevant products
Policy design
- Area of cover
- Plan-specific
- Cost sharing
- Varies by plan
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network / direct billing
- International access
- Portability
- Internationally designed
- How to buy
- Direct, broker and affiliate
- Pricing
- Personalised quote
IMG instructs affiliates not to provide insurance advice or recommendations, and not to share a customer’s personal information.
William Russell
International health insurance provider
International health cover for expats, globally mobile families, remote workers and employers. Outpatient and optional benefits are plan dependent. The provider states members in more than 160 countries.
- Best aligned with
- Expats · mobile families
- Global reach
- High
- Primary audience
- Expats, globally mobile families, remote workers and international employers
Core cover
- Inpatient / daypatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Maternity
- Plan dependent
- Dental / vision
- Plan dependent
- Evacuation / repatriation
- Plan dependent
Policy design
- Area of cover
- International
- Cost sharing
- Plan dependent
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network / direct billing
- International network
- Portability
- Designed for expats and international mobility
- How to buy
- Direct and broker
- Pricing
- Personalised quote
Policy availability, the underwriting insurer and the regulatory entity vary by customer location. Confirm the current plan documents.
Compare international health insurance providers
Short published facts only. These labels describe plan design. They are not ratings, premiums or claim outcomes.
A worldwide plan that includes the USA and a plan that excludes it are not the same product.
| Provider | Provider type | Best aligned with | Area of cover | Inpatient | Outpatient | Optional benefits | Policy design | Network | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allianz Care Allianz Care | Global health insurer | Professionals · families · digital nomads | Worldwide, excluding USA, or regional | Core | Optional | Higher-tier or optional | Strong | Large network | View |
| International private medical | Expats · digital nomads · families | Product dependent | Core | Available by plan | Plan dependent | Varies by product | International network | View |
AXA – Global Healthcare AXA – Global Healthcare | Global private medical insurance | Individuals · families · businesses | Plan-specific | Core | Available by plan | Available by plan | Excess options | AXA Select network | View |
Bupa Global Bupa Global | Premium global private medical | Private clients · HNW families | Residence-specific | Core | Available by plan | Available by plan | Plan dependent | Extensive network | View |
| Global private medical insurer | Expats · internationally mobile families | Worldwide, with or without the USA | Core | Optional module | Optional modules | Highly flexible | Large global network | View |
IMG Global Medical IMG Global Medical | International medical insurer | Expats · international families | Plan-specific | Core | Available by plan | Plan dependent | Varies by plan | International access | View |
| International health insurer | Expats · mobile families | International | Core | Available by plan | Plan dependent | Plan dependent | International network | View |
| Provider | Best aligned with | Area of cover | Network | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Allianz Care Allianz Care | Professionals · families · digital nomads | Worldwide, excluding USA, or regional | Large network | View |
| Expats · digital nomads · families | Product dependent | International network | View |
AXA – Global Healthcare AXA – Global Healthcare | Individuals · families · businesses | Plan-specific | AXA Select network | View |
Bupa Global Bupa Global | Private clients · HNW families | Residence-specific | Extensive network | View |
| Expats · internationally mobile families | Worldwide, with or without the USA | Large global network | View |
IMG Global Medical IMG Global Medical | Expats · international families | Plan-specific | International access | View |
| Expats · mobile families | International | International network | View |
Allianz Care
Global health insurer
- Provider type
- Global health insurer
- Best aligned with
- Professionals · families · digital nomads
- Area of cover
- Worldwide, excluding USA, or regional
- Inpatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Optional
- Optional benefits
- Higher-tier or optional
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network
- Large network
APRIL International
International private medical
- Provider type
- International private medical
- Best aligned with
- Expats · digital nomads · families
- Area of cover
- Product dependent
- Inpatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Optional benefits
- Plan dependent
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network
- International network
AXA – Global Healthcare
Global private medical insurance
- Provider type
- Global private medical insurance
- Best aligned with
- Individuals · families · businesses
- Area of cover
- Plan-specific
- Inpatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Optional benefits
- Available by plan
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network
- AXA Select network
Bupa Global
Premium global private medical
- Provider type
- Premium global private medical
- Best aligned with
- Private clients · HNW families
- Area of cover
- Residence-specific
- Inpatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Optional benefits
- Available by plan
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network
- Extensive network
Cigna Global
Global private medical insurer
- Provider type
- Global private medical insurer
- Best aligned with
- Expats · internationally mobile families
- Area of cover
- Worldwide, with or without the USA
- Inpatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Optional module
- Optional benefits
- Optional modules
- Underwriting
- Medical underwriting
- Network
- Large global network
IMG Global Medical
International medical insurer
- Provider type
- International medical insurer
- Best aligned with
- Expats · international families
- Area of cover
- Plan-specific
- Inpatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Optional benefits
- Plan dependent
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network
- International access
William Russell
International health insurer
- Provider type
- International health insurer
- Best aligned with
- Expats · mobile families
- Area of cover
- International
- Inpatient
- Core
- Outpatient
- Available by plan
- Optional benefits
- Plan dependent
- Underwriting
- Underwriting applies
- Network
- International network
Read the policy, not just the price
The main parts of an international health plan
Area of cover
Where treatment is covered.
Annual limit
Maximum eligible benefit under the policy.
Inpatient
Hospital admission and daypatient treatment.
Outpatient
Doctors, tests, specialists and therapies.
Deductible
What you pay before the insurer contributes.
Co-insurance / cost share
What percentage you continue to pay.
Underwriting
How medical history affects cover.
Exclusions
What the policy does not cover.
Waiting periods
Benefits that only start after a defined period.
Direct billing
Whether provider payment can be handled directly.
Area of cover
Do you actually need USA cover?
Worldwide including USA
Relevant where you expect planned or significant treatment in the United States.
Worldwide excluding USA
May be more appropriate where routine care will be elsewhere.
Some plans may still provide limited emergency treatment in the USA even where full USA cover is excluded. Check the exact policy wording.
Underwriting
How your medical history can affect cover
Full medical underwriting
Medical history is assessed before the policy terms are offered.
Moratorium
Where a product uses this approach, certain recent conditions may initially be excluded and later reconsidered. This page does not say which insurer offers it.
Exclusions
Specified conditions or treatments are excluded.
Loadings
The premium may be increased where that is permitted.
Standard terms
Cover offered without special restrictions beyond the normal policy wording.
Portability
What happens to your health insurance when you relocate?
- The insurer usually has to be told
- The premium may change
- Area-of-cover rules may change
- A locally compliant product may be required
- The provider network may change
- Benefits may differ
- The same insurer may use a different legal entity
Do not cancel existing cover until replacement cover is active and you understand any new underwriting consequences.
Common scenarios
Which international-health situation is closest to yours?
Guides
Related reading
The health guide is a way to compare. It does not name a best insurer. The other links are the move around the policy.
Tools
Tools that sit beside the policy
These help with a move. None of them prices a health plan, checks an insurer’s eligibility rules, or estimates a claim.
- International move checklistA checklist for visas, banking, tax questions, housing, insurance, admin and investments. It is a prompt list, not a set of deadlines.
- Residency day trackerEnter date ranges and see a count of days inside and outside one country. The total is your record. It does not apply a statutory day-count test.
- Banking eligibility checkerAnswer a few questions about where you live, how you use your money and the kind of account you need. We’ll show account categories and providers worth researching — not an application decision.
Explore insurance
Other insurance questions
- Insurance overviewHealth, life, travel, property and business, as different contracts.
- Travel insuranceA trip, including why it is a different product from this one.
- Life insuranceCover that may need a fresh look after a move.
- Property insuranceBuildings and contents, including a home you do not occupy all year.
- Business insuranceLiabilities when the work crosses a border.
Comparing international health insurance?
Get clear on geography, underwriting, exclusions, hospital access and claims before you compare premiums.
WiT Access provides general information and comparison resources. International health insurance benefits, exclusions, underwriting, premiums, provider networks, deductibles and geographic availability vary by insurer, policy and individual circumstances. Nothing on this page constitutes insurance, medical, financial, tax or legal advice.
WiT Access does not determine whether an insurer will accept an application, cover a pre-existing condition, authorise treatment or pay a claim.
Read the full policy wording and benefit schedule before purchasing cover and obtain regulated insurance advice where required.
Policy eligibility, underwriting, exclusions, premiums, benefits, provider networks, claims handling and regulatory requirements vary by insurer, jurisdiction and individual circumstances.