Colourful infographic emphasizes the differences between travel insurance and expatriate health insurance.
Whether you are travelling or moving abroad, you are probably aware that you need some form of health insurance. So can you get away with travel insurance for a brief period living abroad, or will nothing but expatriate health insurance do?
Essentially travel insurance covers more than just medical care. Cancellations, loss of personal belongings and emergency health care are all covered in a travel policy. An international health insurance policy or expatriate health insurance is designed to cover in-patient treatment, check-ups and chronic conditions whilst you are living abroad.
A new infographic from Cigna aims to show people the main differences between the two types of insurance. It emphasises that travel insurance covers:
- lost luggage
- delayed departure
- cancellations
- personal liability
- personal belongings
- emergency medical cover
Whereas expatriate health insurance covers:
- emergency medical treatment
- regular health check-ups
- rehabilitation
- maternity & newborn cover
- cancer treatment
- compassionate visits
Expatriate insurance is designed to be for the long-term and will also give you the option of choosing where you are treated. Travel insurance generally covers treatment until you are well enough to travel home again.
Whether you are moving abroad, going on holiday or even visiting home from your adopted country, you will need to carefully consider which policy and coverage type is right for you. Add-ons such as maternity care, chronic illness cover and medical evacuation may or may not be necessary for you, however they won’t help you if your flight is cancelled and your suitcase is lost.
Not having the correct coverage for your needs can end up costing you a lot of money, especially if you are seriously injured abroad without insurance.