4.5
Why buy private health insurance?
Private healthcare insurance is designed to make you feel secure when you need medical treatment. It makes sure that when you need treatment covered by the health insurance plan you’ll be cared for comfortably, quickly and given a greater choice about where and when you receive treatment. It also offers you flexibility around appointment times and a choice of specialists, consultants and surgeons. If you are in hospital you may prefer to have a private en-suite room, access to tv and telephone and more flexible visiting times.
State health service budgets are under strain and waiting times for treatment can be long and may get longer. Private health insurance gives you a wide choice of quality hospitals and other medical facilities to choose from enabling you to receive prompt treatment at a convenient time and location.
However, we know that the world of private medical insurance can be baffling. With so many different policies to choose from how can you decide which is the right one for you and your family? That is why Ibex insurance does not work with just one medical insurer, we work with a variety of insurers and each provider has a range of plans. We have chosen the best the market has to offer aimed specifically at people who live away from their home country for all or part of the year.
These companies include AXA Global, ALC Healthcare, BUPA, IMG Europe, Aetna and Cigna.
So which one to choose?
Let us do the work for you. We can assess your needs and present you with a comparison between policies which we feel are relevant to those needs. So you can rest assured that we have a plan to cover you and your loved ones at a price you can afford.
DENTAL INSURANCE COMPARISON CHART
-
- Level of Cover
- Area of Cover
- Currency
- Overall annual limit
- Hospital Charges
- In-patient (hospital cover)
- Out-patient cover (doctor & specialist visits, tests etc). Overall limit per policy year
- Serious illness (cancer/heart conditions)
- Dental
- Evacuation & Repatriation
- Pregnancy
- Waiting period after commencement of policy
- Excess/deductible
-
- Morgan Price
-
- Comprehensive
- Premium
-
- Europe
- Europe
-
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
-
- £1,000,000
- £1,500,000
-
- Included in above
- Included in above
-
- £5,000
- £10,000
-
- Emergency and up to 750 non emergency/routine
- Emergency and up to £1000 non emergency/routine
-
- Complications only
- Up to £7,500
- None - in exception to wellness screening and certain benefits
- Nil (can be increased for a discount on the premium)
-
- AXA Global
-
- Comprehensive
- Prestige
- Prestige Plus
- World Excluiding USA
-
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
-
- £1,500,000 / €1,900,000 / $2,400,000
- £2,000,000 / €2,550,000 / $3,200,000
- £5,000,000 / €6,375,000 / $8,000,000
-
- Included in the above
- Included in the above
- Included in the above
-
- £3,500 / €4,460 / $5,600
- £5,750 / €7,330 / $9,200
- Included in the above overall annual limit
-
- <80% up to £1,000 / €1,275 / $1,600
- < up to £10,000 / €12,750/ $16,000 for accidental damage and 50% of costup to 500/635/800 for non routine
- < up to £10,000 / €12,750/ $16,000 for accidental damage and 80% of costup to 500/635/800 for non routine
-
- Up to £10,000 / €12,750/ $16,000
- Up to £12,000 / €15,300/ $19,200
- None - in exception to certain benefits
- Nil (can be increased for a discount on the premium)
-
- Cigna
-
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Worldwide excluding USA
-
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
-
- £650,000 / €800,000 / $1,000,000
- £1,300,000 / €1,600,000 / $2,000,000
- Paid in full
-
- Included in above
- Included in above
- Included in above
-
- £9,650 / €12,000 / $15,000
- £23,275 / €25,900 / $35,000
- Paid in full
-
- Up to 80% of £830 / €930 / $1,250
- Up to 90% of £1,650 / €1,850 / $2,500
- Full refund up to £3,500 / €4,300 / $5,500
-
- Up to £4,500 / €5,500 / $7,000
- Up to £9,000 / €11,000 / $14,000
- None - in exception to wellness screening and certain benefits
- Nil (can be increased for a discount on the premium)
-
- ALC Healthcare
-
- Prima Classic
- Prima Premier
- Prima Platinum
- Europe
-
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
-
- £1,250,000 / €1,500,000 / $1,875,000
- £2,500,000 / €3,000,000 / $3,750,000
- £5,000,000 / €6,000,000 / $7,500,000
-
- Included in above
- Included in above
- Included in above
-
- £10,000 / €12,000 / $15,000
- Included in overall annual limit
- Included in overall annual limit
-
- Emergency and up to £1,000 non emergency/routine
- Emergency and up to £1,000 non emergency/routine
- Emergency and up to £2,000 non emergency/routine
-
- Optional
- Optional
- Up tp £20,000 / €24,000 / $30,000
- None - in exception to wellness screening and certain benefits
- Nil (can be increased for a discount on the premium)
-
- Aetna
-
- Pioneer 4000
- Pioneer 5000
- World Excluiding USA
-
- £,€,$
- £,€,$
-
- £2,500,000 / €3,200,000 / $4,000,000
- £3,125,000 / €4,000,000 / $5,000,000
-
- Included in the above
- Included in the above
-
- £10,000 / €12,000 / $15,000
- Included in overall annual limit
-
- Emergency and up to £500 non emergency/routine
- Emergency and up to £1,000 non emergency/routine
-
- Optional
- Optional
- None - in exception to wellness screening and certain benefits
- No Annual Excess
Key points of the providers we work with
Who is it for?
ALC Health Insurance is for individuals, families and groups from across the world reflecting the lifestyle of today's expatriate and global citizen.
At a glance
Established in 2001.
Head office is in the UK with European offices in Marbella (Spain) and Gibraltar.
Four different products on offer.
Plans on offer: Prima Concept, Prima Classic, Prima Premier and Prima Platinum.
- Established in 2001.
- Head office is in the UK with European offices in Marbella (Spain) and Gibraltar.
- Four different products on offer.
- Plans on offer: Prima Concept, Prima Classic, Prima Premier and Prima Platinum.
Key Points
- Choice of three areas of cover: Europe, Worldwide excluding USA and Worldwide.
- Choice of currencies: sterling, euro, US dollar.
Choice of excess levels. - Concept - low cost plan covering a limited amount of hospital and out-patients cover.
- Classic - a comprehensive policy with generous limits for both hospital and outpatient costs. Health checks are included after the first year.
- Premier - hospital cover with higher overall limits than Classic, with the option of adding on outpatient costs including health checks.
- Platinum - top of the range policy with extremely high annual limits for hospital and out-patient treatment including health checks.
- Evacuation and Repatriation can be added to all plans.
- Pregnancy and Dental can be added to all plans except Concept.
Who is it for?
This cover is designed for people during their working life who need cover in Europe or Worldwide and the retired who wish to have a choice of hospitals and doctors in Europe as well as their own country.
At a glance
- AXA PPP Healthcare was established in 1940 and has grown to become one of the largest health insurers in the UK.
- AXA PPP International formed in 2009 reflecting their significant growth overseas.
- Plans on offer:
International Health Plan (IHP) with 4 levels of cover
European Health Plan (EHP) with 3 levels of cover
Key Points
- The International Health Plan
- Two areas of cover: Worldwide and Worldwide Excluding USA
- Choice of currencies: sterling, euro and US dollar
- Standard Plan – Hospital only cover
- Comprehensive Plan – as it says this gives good overall comprehensive cover for hospital and out-patient, including GP, complementary treatment, vaccinations, drugs and dressings, optical and a limited amount of dental as well as cover for chronic conditions.
- Prestige Plan – as Comprehensive but with higher limits and the addition of pregnancy, annual health checks and travel insurance.
European Health Plan
- European cover
- Three levels of cover
- Basic plan with limited hospital cover on each level
- €25 / £20 compulsory excess for doctor consultations
- Choice of currencies: sterling and euro
Repatriation and Evacuation included on all AXA PPP plans
Choice of voluntary excess on all plans.
Who is it for?
Morgan Price Health Insurance - Evolution Health is for all types of expatriates whether individuals, families, groups or even large corporations. Offering a wide variety and range of products to suit all individual needs and requirements.
At a glance
- Established in 1999.
- Head office is in the UK with Worldwide offices in Dubai and Hong Kong.
- Underwritten by ASTRENSKA INSURANCE LIMITED.
Key Points
- Standard - In-patient only plan except for cancer when out-patient is included. Good coverer for hospital admissions.
- Standard Plus - Competitively priced plan offering good levels of cover for in-patient with limited out-patient coverage.
- Comprehensive - Excellent mid-range plan offering good levels of cover for both in and out-patients, including dental.
- Premium - Superior plan offering maternity, dental, optical and hearing test plus in-patient and enhanced out-patient coverage.
- Elite - Top of the range plan offering greater levels of cover many on full refund including enhanced maternity cover.
Who is it for?
Now Health is a specialist international health insurance provider for individuals and families living abroad.
At a glance
- Relatively new health insurer.
- Four different products to choose from: Essential, Advance, Excel and Apex
- Two different areas of cover: Worldwide and Worldwide excluding USA
- Underwritten By AXA PPP
Key Points
- All plans have a high annual overall limit
- Essential Plan – lowest cost plan covering hospital and day-patient care.
- Advance Plan – Cover for hospital and out-patient care including GP and specialist consultation, physiotherapy and alternative therapies.
- Excel Plan – Similar to Advance but at higher benefit levels than Advance, including routine and complex dental after a 9 month waiting period.
- WorldCare Apex – top of the range plan with very high benefit limits and including maternity after a 10 month waiting period.
Online plan management for fast processing of claims.
Who is it for?
Worldwide Health option plan is a flexible health insurance for groups or individuals and families which enables them to create a bespoke plan by adding extra options to the core cover.
At a glance
- BUPA International (now called BUPA Global) is well established in and its name and has dominated the worldwide health insurance market over the years.
- Their Worldwide Core plan is a modular plan that allows you to mix and match optional covers to suit your needs.
Area of cover is worldwide including or excluding the USA.
Key Points
Worldwide Medical Insurance – hospital cover with a high annual limit and includes all surgery, cancer treatment and advanced imaging. It includes hospital charges for maternity.
Choice of excess levels.
Then you can add-on:
- Worldwide Medical Plus – outpatient doctor and specialist consultations including complementary therapies.
- Worldwide Medicines and Equipment – prescription medicines and rental of medical appliances.
- Worldwide Wellbeing – health screenings, vaccinations, dental and optical treatment
- Worldwide Evacuation and Repatriation
Pre-existing conditions will be considered for outside of USA.
Choice of currencies: sterling, euro and US dollar.