Africa Expat Health Insurance for Individuals and Families
A move to a beautiful continent like Africa can be a very exciting time but it can also bring with it a whole new set of worries. One of these is healthcare. As the healthcare system in Africa is quite hit and miss in terms of quality and the range of facilities that are available, having private healthcare provision in place is deemed to be absolutely essential for expats.
For some people who are moving there for work, it may be the case that the employer arranges expat health insurance and sometimes this may cover families as well as individuals. However, you cannot assume that it will and you need to make sure you know all the terms of the policy. If your employer only covers you then it is up to you to make sure that your family has the right cover in place.
Healthcare in Africa
As the quality of healthcare varies wildly across Africa, it could be that to access the best facilities you will either need to travel, or pay a lot of money – or both! If you don’t have the right Africa expat health insurance in place then you are limited to public healthcare provision where it is available. Not having insurance in place could mean taking a big risk with the health of you and your family.
Familiarity with the terms of your healthcare policy is important. A policy which offers limited cover might be considered suitable for those who are relatively young, fit and healthy. However, those who have an ongoing medical condition will need a policy that offers more comprehensive cover. There are some policies that can cover the cost of care for a specific condition while the cost of minor treatment is covered out of their own pocket. Other policies might only pay out for a percentage of the cost of treatment with the policy holder picking up the balance – this might be affordable for some people who have an individual policy but it could prove to be expensive if you need a family policy.
Cost of Individual and Family Policies
The cost of a health insurance policy in Africa for individuals and families varies a great deal and will depend upon the various terms and conditions that you need. It will depend upon ages, prior health conditions, the region that you are living in and whether or not you are prepared to pay a percentage of the cost.
Africa Expat Health can go through every aspect of your policy with you and before you make a final decision we can work out if it is the most suitable policy for you. No matter how you choose your policy it is very important that you read the small print of the policy and understand any clauses that could stop you from making a claim in the future.
Getting a policy
For the vast majority of people it is not essential to have a medical examination in order to get a health insurance policy in Africa, although there may be different requirements for those who have pre-existing health conditions.
All you have to do is call a member of our team who will take a few details from you and help you to figure out which policy is going to be better for you. It is recommended that you get a policy where the insurer is happy to deal directly with the doctor, hospital or clinic. If you are in a situation where you have to pay first then claim back the cost you could find yourself in a situation where you are left waiting for your money for a number of months.
Arica Expat Health deals with a variety of insurance providers who have a good reputation for providing quality health insurance policies. As an expat moving to a new country you will want to have the peace of mind of knowing that the cost of medical treatment for you and your family is covered, making this one less thing that you have to worry about as you try to settle into your new home.
Our team is happy to answer any questions that you may have about expat health insurance so why not give them a call today and find out just how we can make life easier for you?