International health insurance is meant to provide with medical expenses cover. For instance, those who are foreigners or expatriates, who are relocating due to work, leisure or just want to enjoy the freedom of receiving medical treatment elsewhere beyond their national borders. Summing up, without making a big hole in their budget.
If you reside in Singapore, you may have been told that hospitals and doctors are expensive here. As a matter of fact, yes, they are! As an expatriate, you are highly advised to acquire an international health insurance for yourself and your family. In Singapore, local nationals enjoy some subsidies when they have to be hospitalised. Medisave, CHAS or Merdeka are only available for Singaporeans. Unfortunately, as a foreigner your are not entitled to any subsidy to lesser your medical bills burden.
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Best International Health Insurance for foreigners in Singapore
There are several providers in Singapore with comprehensive International health insurance plans available. Therefore we recommend to trust locally registered and licensed insurers. Otherwise, in case of a conflict, you may not be protected as a consumer.
A part from being legally protected, there are a few things to consider:
Local Support
While most of the international health insurance offer 24 hours service, it is also very important as well having at the other side of the line sombody with local knowledge such as knowing the local practice, location of hospitals, local emergency numbers, etc…
Local Presence with International Cover
Your health insurance provider should be one that is locally known and reputated. At the same time, able to provide with an interantional equally reputated network in order to guarantee your treatment everywhere in the world, up the level of service an quality you expect and deserve.
International Health Insurance Plans
There are as many as insurers and more… Medical insurance plans of international cover are unlimited in the market. We recommend you to put your priorities, needs and budget as a starting point before even starting your research and making your decission. All international Health policies start with the basic cover named Inpatient. Inpatient is, basically, hospitalisation. You can add Outpatient, which are in a nutshell, your visits to a GP (General Practitioner or Family Doctor), specialists, physiotherapy and some other specialisations and alternative medicine treatments such as TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) or osteopathy.
Once you have these two modules clear and knowing whether you need them both or just the first, you may want to consider adding onto your plan dental and wellbeing. For dental, there’s no much to explain, it is basically the cover for your visits to a dentist, which are, typically, excluded from the basic outpatient cover. Wellbeing is mostly referring to health check-ups and preventive medicine
Lastly, choosing whether it is important to you or not International evacuation or repatriation.
These are basically the levels of cover most of the international health insurance are structured in. You may want to hear from a specialist to receive further advice, discuss your options and, of course, have a nice comparison at your disposal before you move forward. Click here for a free quotation.
International Health Insurance Comparison
International Health Insurance Review
If you are out in the market for an international health insurance, you may want to read some reviews from people who have been in your situation before. This makes perfect sense, nonetheless, we recommend you to get in touch with an impartial advisor, whom will provide with the latest updates and experience on how the service and cover is. Simply because they work permanently, on daily basis, with insurers and customers. They have first-hand information and they are, more than willingly, to share with you as a potential customer.
Brokers represent several insurers and, typically, provide with advisory services to their customers, starting from; the first contact, gathering information, quotation and comparison of plans, further discussions, recommendations, application, payment and setting the policy up. Furthermore, during the policy-year, a broker will assist customer with any queries, advice on benefits, claims submission and, overall, any necessary interaction in between customers and insurers.
It is quite obvious that your broker is not going to recommend to you a lousy insurer as this will become in tougher work throughout your policy-year and, more importantly, a lack a good service to you, which will translate into the loss of a customer.
Get you free advice from our preferred broker. In the meantime, you may want to read a full review of your chosen International Health Insurance provider in the paragraph just below here.
Top International Health Insurance Companies
Among all insurance providers, just a few of them are specialised in Health coverage for expatriates in Singapore. Unlike other issuers, those offering international health cover have the expertise required. Allowing them to provide with the best customer experience; a large network of clinics and hospitals worldwide, 24 hours customer service, fast claims processing, in-house medical team, as well as high standards of quality in their services to the level customers expect.
We have selected the insurance Companies that are well known, with the highest levels of service and seamless overall experience.
International Health Insurance Quotation
It has never been easier and cheaper. Just fill up this simple form and await your personalised quotation into your inbox. We have simplified the tedious process for you. Forget about getting in contact with insurers directly and receiving the same type of sales pitch numerous times.
While an insurer should be able to advise you on its product like nobody else, this becomes a limitation because their advice will be limited to, precisely, their only product.
An agent or broker, instead, is able to provide with a personalised quotation including a set of policies fulfilling your needs and personal situation.
Why do you need an insurance quotation and advice?
Do you have any pre-existing conditions? a professional broker is what you need. You will hear from him which are the policies that can offer you cover, which insurer would decline your application and what would be your best solution.
Looking for maternity cover? with the help of an agent’s impartial recommendation you will be equipped with the necessary knowledge to choose your best plan. Pregnancy complications, private room availability, c-section or baby cover right after birth are not covered equally by all insurers. Get in contact now for the best professional advice.
Are you relocating to Singapore with your family? Get to know which is your best policy with family discount, paediatrician and dental cover or portability options.
Top-up plans are available for those whose employee offered a poor health insurance policy. Typically with sub-limits, of only local cover or very low annual limit. Our specialist broker will advise you how to cover the gaps your employee benefits policy have at a very low premium. In case of hospitalisation, your bill won’t make a hole in your pocket.
You may have tried on your own already but when you received the first brochure it all became an up hill. Think no more and get clear explanations without complicated jargons and straight answers to your questions. If you find yourself quite lost in your research get in touch for a crystal clear conversation.
Best International Health Insurance in Singapore
The best Medical Insurance would be the one that works well for you, with yours and your family’s situation and offers the best of the cover based on your needs and priorities.
There are countless articles online ranking best international health insurance plans. We are just wondering whether they get paid more for simply putting an insurer/plan in position #1… Well, it is not the case now but, for the same insurer that is qualifyed as best, you can find online as well 1,000’s of other negative reviews.
What is good for some, may not be good for all. When we are referring to International Health plans, this is the fact. Some would purchase their hospitalisation policy based on friends’ opinions. A friend’s recommendation is something to take into account. However, before following blindly a good review online or friend’s advice, make sure your situation is equal to the person you read the advice from: Same age, gender, family group size, future plans, coverage from other policies, health status and pre-existing conditions… for instance.
There’s no better International health plan that the one is purchased based on your situation, needs, priorities and budget. Not forgetting your plans for future relocations, growing family members, etc…
Talk to our specialist partner to know which is “your best” International Medical Insurance. No commitment, no obligation and no fees.
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Health Insurance for International Students
Sending your child to study overseas can be a difficult decision when you think of health coverage and you are unaware of the options available. In SingaporeBestInsurance.com we have thought of it after receiving numerous enquiries every day from parents seeking for international health coverage for their children while studying abroad.
We work with specialists in providing the best of the cover for your peace of mind and your only worry to be your child’s studies instead of how to pay for his medical bills upon the event of an emergency hospitalisation or falling sick. Some of the cover you may take into account when purchasing a health insurance plan for your international student child:
Inpatient
Typically, this is the core cover for all international medical insurance policies. Covers the cost of any hospitalisation either due to an accident, illness or newly developed medical condition. A must have as this courrance would make a whole in your pocket considering the high cost of medical treatments in Singapore and the availability of subsidies only for local Singaporeans.
Outpatient
Additionally, you may want to consider to purchase cover for your child’s routine GP consultations, as well as specialists and prescribed medications.
Dental
Offered my a large majority of insurers as an optional cover, dental becomes a must for certain age groups. Keeping a proper dental hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly is at your disposal by adding dental cover at an affordable premium.
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
While in overseas, having a proper medical facility where to receive treatment after an accident is, at times, limited. Emergency evacuation in your plan, would guarantee to be evacuated to the nearest place where a hospital to treat you is available. Whilst Repatriation cover would bring you back home to continue your treatment when required. Check with your agent the available options.
Temporary International Health Insurance
By default, all international medical insurance policies are issued, in principle, for renewable periods of 12 months. If you require a medical insurance for a shorter period, whether 3 or 6 months for example, your solution may be to a different type of policy. A travel insurance, for instance, would cover you while in overseas for a maximum period of 90 days. If you are a visitor in Singapore, your solution could be a travel policy, which you will need purchased in your country of origin and before you take your flight to Singapore. A part from expenses for medical emergencies, you will be protected against flight delays, flight cancellations, loss of travel documents and all other travel inconveniences typically covered under this specific type of policy.
If you are in overseas already and you didn’t buy a travel insurance before your departure, you will need to explore other solutions. Likewise, if your plan to satay in Singapore for longer than 3 months or it is still undecided but you can foresee the chances for a short stay.
Early Cancellation of Health Insurance
A drastic way to acquire a policy for a short period of time is, simply, cancelling the same before its expiry. You will need to read carefully the policy wording before you commit. There’s a limit number of insurers that allow cancellations. Needless to say, you must meet certain criteria to do so; 1) remain claims-free from the day you purchased your policy; 2) inform the insurer in advance, usually 30 days and; 3) the payment of a cancellation fee, only applicable to some insurers. In any case, the easiest way is to talk to your agent and disclose all facts before you proceed. Fill up this form to receive a call from our friendly advisor partner. He will prepare a free quotation within 24 hours with the available short-term temporary health insurance plans for your review.
Some of the insurers that allow mid-term cancellation are; BUPA, CIGNA, Aetna or AXA. Each of them with their own rules for an early termination. Please make sure of the conditions and cost of an cancellation before your commit.
International Health Insurance in Singapore for Foreigners
As a foreigner in Singapore, you are not entitled to any kind of subsidy for your medical treatments, whether on inpatient or outpatient basis.
You must make sure you can afford a hospitalisation or any other emergency that can make a hole in your pocket.
You may have heard of cases with prohibitively high medical bills after a surgery. As an expatriate in Singapore, you are highly encourage to purchase a health insurance policy. Just make sure, when the unforeseen happens, you can afford to continue with your lifestyle and finances intact.
With a health insurance you will be covered, firstly, against a hospitalisation. You are able to purchase outpatient cover, which covers your visits to GPs, family doctors and specialists. More recently, a large number of insurers have included in their outpatient plans Physiotherapy, Osteopathy and even Traditional Chinese Medicine. Get a quotation now and look for your lifestyle benefits for your family.
International health insurance for expats is highly recommended due to a set of benefits, not just the hospital bills, but a couple of features available only within this policy type:
Portability
International Health Insurance is portable to other countries. Why is this important? In order to guarantee your continuation of cover without gaps, your policy must be portable. Whether you live in Singapore for a limited period of time, you are relocated elsewhere or you go back to your home country, a policy that covers you always is crucial, especially if you have developed new medical conditions. Otherwise, by purchasing a new policy at your relocation country, your existing medical conditions will be excluded from cover. Hence, if you develop any medical condition while you are insured, your more convenient option will be to keep your existing policy.
On the opposite side, local medical insurance is meant to protect you during your stay in Singapore only. If you are relocated, your local medical insurance will not be valid overseas and will be terminated.
Annual limit
Health Insurance policies of international cover are featured with high annual limits. Starting from $1,000,000 and up to unlimited annual limit. Peace of mind when it comes to your health and its cost is a must.
Locally, the health insurance annual limit is typically lower. At times you may encounter a policy with high overall annual limit but with sub-limits to each of the benefits. All in all, local health insurance annual limit may not be enough to cover an unfortunate severe hospitalisation.
Guaranteed renewal
As long as you keep paying your annual premiums, your international health policy remains renewable on yearly basis. Regardless of the number of claims and its amount, you will be invited to renew your medical plan.
Local health insurance policies may be terminated upon renewal due to your claims experience. If you submit a large number or claims or had suffer an expensive hospitalisation, the insurer have the right not to renew your policy. You would then be left without cover. A new insurer will not accept your application or will accept with exclusions of your medical conditions.
Cancer Care
In Singapore, the whole course to treat a cancer until your full recovery, cost on average $100,000. Obviously if diagnosed on an early stage, this cost would be reduced. It may be higher if its stage is advanced though. International health insurance covers cancer in full within the annual limit of the policy.
Local health insurance instead, have limited cover for cancer care. Typically a fix amount of e.g. $30,000 or $40,000. This may not be enough, putting you in the critical situation of having to pay part of your treatment if you can afford it. To sum-up, upon the next policy anniversary, you may not be invited to renew. Leaving you in a critical uninsurable situation.
Sustainable premiums
Global health insurance premiums are calculated based on your age and country of residence. Regardless of your medical conditions and number of claims. All customers in the portfolio with the same terms, same age and same country of residence would pay the exact same premium.
Singapore health insurance premiums under a local policy, may differ from client to client. Basically, due to his claims experience. As an example, take that your premium this year is $4,000 and you are unfortunate meeting with an accident and break your leg. Obviously, your insurance will help and will cover its cost, fortunately. However, upon your next renewal, you may encounter an exaggerated increase in your premium due to your medical bills. It sounds unfair and even change the whole purpose of buying a medical policy. However, this practice is legal and clearly stated in the terms and conditions.
Private room (1-bedded)
International health insurance policies cover you, by default, in private hospitals and private room. Even though some policies have the option to choose 2-bedded room in order to reduce your premium. This is typically optional.
Under a local health policy, you are encouraged to be treated in a semi-private room and public hospital mostly. This is due to their sub-limits, which are typically low, not enough to afford a private hospital.
Local VS International Health Insurance
As explained in the paragraphs just above this, the reasons to choose an international health insurance against a local medical policy are numerous.
When you are out in the market for a health insurance policy, you will notice that local plans are cheaper. Definitely they are but considering their features against international plans, it is worth it considering an international plan. While you remain healthy and you don’t need to use your policy, you may be tempted to pay less for it, it’s natural. Insurance policies are purchased in advance when you don’t need them yet. It is best to assess your situation, plans, risks and budget in order to make an informed decision. Request an insurance comparison here.
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