We know how important it is to get the best insurance coverage at the best price. Having a great health insurance plan gives you access to the best facilities and doctors should anything happen to you or your family. It is highly important to get the best insurance plan for your needs and budget, that’s why we’re here. We, as leading health insurance specialists, can advise you on what insurers and annual plans will be best for you and your situation. We’ve been working with the top insurers in the industry for over 15 years and have expert experience enabling us to help you find the perfect plan for yourself and your family.

Medical insurance plans can be complex and overwhelming to understand. While we’ll be on hand to clarify anything you are having trouble understanding, we thought we’d give you a breakdown of the different modules or sections of an health insurance plan that you can purchase. With this knowledge, you can decide which elements are important to you in your health insurance plan. Once you’ve picked, we’ll help you to find the best insurer for your needs at the price that suits you.

Before we have a look at the options available to you on an Individual or Family Health Insurance Plan, let’s quickly cover Hospitalisation and Emergency Coverage, as this is included in all plans, and by all insurers. This coverage protects you and your family members should anything happen requiring in-patient hospitalisation. If you or a family member suffer an accident, illness, or injury, all costs of treating you will be covered by your insurance plan. This coverage normally includes oncology (cancer) cover as well, including related treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.

Now let’s take a look at the options you have regarding an annual international health insurance plan:

• Outpatient Coverage - This coverage is for trips to the doctor or hospital that do not require you to stay overnight. Cover includes the costs of the doctor, medication, and any diagnostic testing. Normally, outpatient plans come with a range of further benefits including features such as physiotherapy.

• Maternity - Maternity insurance is for those of you looking to start a family or add to your existing family. As part of your health insurance policy, maternity cover will cover the costs of all pre-natal, pregnancy, delivery, and post-natal treatments. Many maternity insurance plans will include cover for your newborn as well.

• Dental - Coverage for a variety of dental procedures such as polishing, scaling, cleaning, and dental surgery including major restorative work. Dental coverage is an option available on most plans.

• Optical - Optical insurance covers benefits such as replacing lenses or contacts. Further options and add-ons can include cover for corrective eye surgery (Lasik).

• Evacuation - Whether you need this cover is largely location dependent. For anyone who lives in, or travels often to countries that have a lower standard of healthcare, you may want to consider evacuation cover as part of your health insurance. This will allow you to be evacuated to a country with a higher standard of healthcare, and better quality facilities, which can make a difference to your treatment and recovery. For more information, see here.

• Pre-existing Conditions - These are the most asked about optional extra on your health insurance package. Coverage for pre-existing conditions is becoming increasingly available on plans through several means, such as premium loading. This can ensure that regardless of an illness or injury you incurred before your policy application, you can still receive treatment and be covered for that condition. Without coverage for any pre-existing conditions, you will be personally responsible for any treatment you receive on them. Coverage for these conditions is given on a case by case basis to individuals, and it is recommended you talk to a specialist if you want this type of coverage. (For more info on pre-existing conditions click here)

Other elements to consider regarding your health insurance plan include:

• Geographical Coverage - This part of your plan determines where you can receive treatment throughout the globe. Some plans will cover you just in the country you live in, others will cover you for a wider area such as your continent, others still will give you coverage for the entire world. The extent of your geographical coverage should depend on whether you’ll travel to several countries, or if you will only need coverage locally.

• Deductibles and Excesses - To keep premiums low and manage your expenses, you can opt for deductibles and excesses on your plan. This is a pre-determined amount that you will pay for any treatment you receive, after which your insurer will cover the remaining costs. For example, if you have a deductible of $1,000 and medical treatments cost $5,000, you will pay the first thousand, and your insurer will cover the remaining amount. Deductibles can be applied per claim, per year, or on a co-payment basis.

• Coverage in the USA - The USA has the most expensive healthcare in the world. As such, the health insurance coverage is also very expensive. If you are American, are travelling to the USA, are moving there, or will be visiting on a frequent basis, you need to consider your health insurance options. Insurance is a necessity in America to avoid costly medical fees should you fall ill or suffer injury. Insurance coverage in the USA is surrounded in legal restrictions, which most insurers cannot help you to get around. It is therefore important to get good advice to make a proper decision regarding your cover options for America.

• Visa Requirements - Some countries will not grant you a travel visa nor a residency visa without you having health insurance. The health insurance requirements for some countries are strict and tightly controlled, such that only some insurers and plans will meet the visa requirements. Make sure to check the requirements for visa entry before embarking on your trip.

• Retirement/Senior Citizens - Health Insurance is a large concern for those who are past the age of 55. However, buying health insurance can be problematic, because of the higher chance of having to cover pre-existing conditions, as well as trying to manage costs and finding a stable insurance company for the long-term. With insurance costs increasing annually, it is worth talking to one of our experts so that you can find the perfect plan.

• Direct Billing - There are two main ways that your insurer can pay for your medical costs after you have received treatment. Firstly, you can pay the costs upfront and then claim them back/get reimbursed later by your insurer. The other way of paying is through direct billing, where your insurer and the medical facility you are receiving treatment at will sort the bill out between themselves, leaving you hassle free. This is useful as it eases the burdens and stress on your family during a trying time. If you would like direct billing as part of your plan, we can help you to find the right insurer and package.

• Child Only Cover/Newborn Cover - You may want separate coverage for your children, or may not be allowed to have them on your personal medical insurance plan. If you want/need separate coverage for your child, then there are plans that will work for you. Furthermore, you may want to purchase newborn coverage if you plan on having a baby. This will cover your newborn should they encounter any medical problems immediately after birth. Newborn coverage is often included to a limited extent as part of maternity insurance, so check the details of your maternity insurance before buying a separate newborn coverage plan.

• Student Plans - Students can receive special health insurance plans that will cover them at lower costs than normal, making them great value for money, and something that you should definitely consider as a student if you want health insurance. Student plans can also cover tuition fees and other school related incidents (as extra add-ons) such as if you get sick and are unable to complete your studies.

Creating Your Perfect Plan:

We here at China Health Insurance have years of experience dealing with insurers to find the best possible policies for our clients’ needs. We’ve helped thousands of clients get the plan they wanted and needed, why not let us help you and your family? As a leading international insurance specialist, we will find the right coverage for you, through picking the modules and sections of a policy that you need and want at the best price and from the best health insurers. If you are just starting a family, your insurance needs may change over time, so we can help you to select a policy and insurer that provides you with the flexibility to modify your plan, and assess what you need on an annual basis. We will gladly help you find the right policy, covering any of the above elements.

Why You Should Choose Us:

China Health Insurance are leading experts in local health insurance solutions. Working with us ensures that you will get the best plan for you. As a broker, we do not hold preference for certain insurers as we work with them all to produce the best end result for you.

We are an independent and highly experienced health insurance broker. The list of insurers we work with is extensive and we have helped over 100,000 clients find the perfect insurance plan for them to date. As the world’s leading provider of international private medical insurance, we believe that just a few minutes with us will give you the advice you need to buy the best insurance plan for you, though longer consultations are of course available.

At China Health Insurance, we make it a point to never sell health plans that we wouldn’t buy ourselves. This ensures that we can recommend the best plans for you with absolute sincerity. If you’re unhappy with an insurer that we have arranged for you, then let us know and we will stop selling that plan. We have dedicated teams on hand within each insurance company we deal with to help us, and you as our clients, get the best service possible.

Transferring Your Plan:

You may want to transfer your plan to us if you are unhappy with your current insurance intermediary, be they an agent or a broker. We believe that we can help to improve your service. Not only that, but we may even be able to provide you with more benefits on your plan, or a discounted premium.

Our specialists in office, as well as in at the many insurers that we deal with, will make sure to enhance your service and give you a much better overall experience. If there are any problems with your current plan, or insurer, or you want to talk to us about any of your options, then contact us here.