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1. How do I apply for cover with HealthCare International?
If you require international medical insurance for you or your dependents, you can
complete a secure online application.
For corporate or group enquiries, just send an email to
enquiries@healthcareinternational.com
and we will guide you through the process.
You have the option of completing and submitting the form to us
online,
or alternatively downloading the
document
to complete and send or fax to our offices. You are welcome to request that we send or
fax the application form to you.
We will contact you to confirm that your application has been received and over the next
few days your application will be processed. Subject to your application's acceptance, we
will send you your member’s pack, normally within 7-10 working days of your policy number
being issued. If you apply on our website, we will also require a signed copy of your
application before we can pay for any of your claims made against your plan.
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2. When can my cover begin?
You can apply for cover up to 30 days before you would like your policy to start (the inception date).
Once received, we will process your application based on the information you have provided us and if you
have answered "no" to all the questions, it can be processed immediately and a policy number
issued within 48 hours. If you have declared a medical history, your application will be assessed by our
underwriting team, which usually takes 5 working days.
Once a policy number has been issued and your first premium collected, you are covered as per the benefits
of the plan that you have selected.
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3. Do I need to supply details of my medical history?
Yes - We ask you to complete a simple medical questionnaire, and do our utmost to
keep any restrictions placed against past medical conditions to an absolute minimum.
Providing detailed information about an existing or past medical condition will help us
to realistically evaluate treatment you may require in the future. This will help to
ensure that you do not find yourself with unnecessary restrictions.
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4. What about pre-existing medical conditions?
We appreciate that some medical conditions may have taken place some time ago and no longer require treatment.
In such cases we will try to be as flexible as possible in our underwriting and not automatically exclude past
medical conditions. For this reason, it is important that you provide as much information as possible when
applying for cover so that we can properly evaluate your application.
At HealthCare International, we define a pre-existing condition as being an illness, injury or related medical
condition, which within the last 5 years, you or any dependants included in your application have experienced
symptoms or received treatment, medication, advice or investigation.
Any illness or condition occurring between the time of signing and submitting your application to us will also
be considered a pre-existing medical condition.
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5. What is a moratorium policy?
Our Policy has a 2 year moratorium on most pre-existing conditions. This means that if you do not experience symptoms
or seek medical advice for a pre-existing condition within a continuous 2 year period of cover with us, the condition
will likely become eligible for benefit should it recur in the future.
Should however, the pre-existing condition flare-up during the 2 year period, or is such that it requires on-going
maintenance, the moratorium starts anew at the point when the condition was last treated or symptoms were present.
For Pre-existing Cancer and Cardiac conditions, the moratorium period is extended from 2 to 5 years however we do
not class routine check-ups as active treatment, therefore should you remain all-clear after 5 years, you will have
full cover.
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6. Who is eligible to apply for cover?
Almost anyone can purchase a HealthCare International medical policy. Our plans are tailored for expatriates and are
annually renewable for whole of life; the only proviso being that you must be aged under 75 when first applying.
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7. Are there any occupations that are not eligible to take our cover?
Yes - There are some professions, such as police, the armed forces and sports professionals that require underwriting
evaluations and are subject to plan conditions and restrictions. For further information please contact us at
enquiries@healthcareinternational.com.
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8. In which countries can I have my treatment?
You can choose to have your treatment anywhere in the world, subject to the benefit limits of your chosen plan.
Treatment in the USA is however only available if you select our "Worldwide" cover, which is necessary for any member
residing in the United States, unless you are a US citizen who spends part of the year back home and covered under a domestic
plan or entitled to state benefits such as Medicare.
Selecting our "Worldwide cover excluding USA" does not prevent you travelling there on trips as we will cover emergency
treatment for trips of up to 60-days duration.
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9. Do I have a choice where my medical treatment is provided?
Members have complete choice where they have their treatment, and in the event of hospitalisation we will arrange for direct settlement
with your provider - avoiding the need to pay any expenses yourself.
Non-emergency treatment in the USA is of course only available if you have selected Worldwide cover.
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10. What happens when I return to my home country?
Your "Home Country" is your country of origin/nationality and we understand that many of our members living abroad occasionally
return home for short visits, where your cover will be continued.
As our plans are tailored for expatriates which means that you must be living outside your home country for at least 6 months each policy
year. The policy will no longer be effective should you return permanently to you home country.
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11. Does everyone in the same family have to have the same level of cover?
Yes - you and your dependents will be covered on the same plan with the same chosen deductible and co-pay. An age-rated premium applies
for each insured member.
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12. Does my international medical plan cover me for holiday
cancellation due to illness or injury?
No - However, Holiday Cancellation, as well as protection for other unforeseen travelling incidents such as lost baggage and legal
expenses is available under our Annual Travel Plan.
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13. Am I covered if I get injured in a terrorist incident?
Yes - many policies apply a blanket exclusion for War and Terrorism risks however in the unfortunate event that you find yourself in
the wrong place at the wrong time, your policy will respond, covering you for treatment at either a local treatment centre or if necessary,
evacuation to a place of safety.
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14. Many insurance schemes exclude treatment for HIV/AIDS. Is this
the case with HealthCare International?
No - unlike other insurance companies, HealthCare International does not exclude treatment for HIV/AIDS. We provide benefit under all
our plans if it is contracted through blood transfusions. We also include cover for Chronic and Dread Disease.
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15. Does HealthCare International limit the amount that can be
claimed for hospital accommodation?
No - Once the treatment has been pre-authorised, we will settle all reasonable and customary charges for hospital accommodation, surgery
and theatre fees etc. up to the specified limits of each plan.
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16. Are outpatient treatments and consultations covered?
Once the deductible has been satisfied, outpatient treatment and consultations are fully covered under our Premium and Executive Plans up to the
benefit maximum. Under our HealthCare Plus Plan, a $/€1,000 (£650) limit per annum applies. Outpatient treatments and consultations are
not covered under our Standard or Emergency Plus plans.
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17. Can I include cover for alternative or complimentary medical treatment?
Yes - Our Executive Plan focuses on a more holistic approach to your total healthcare, including
benefits of chiropractic treatments, osteopathy, Chinese herbal medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture up
to a benefit limit of $/€400 or £265 per policy year depending on your chosen plan currency.
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18. What must I do if I require emergency in-patient
treatment?
Should you require in-patient treatment, contact the claims department prior to your admission for preauthorisation. Where possible we will
arrange for your medical bills to be sent to our claims department for direct settlement of your bill, avoiding the need to pay any out of
pocket expenses yourself.
Please have your HealthCare International Membership Card handy to help us manage the process as speedily as possible.
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19. What happens if I become ill and medical facilities are limited?
In the event that local medical facilities are unable to cope with your condition, you or your treating physician needs to contact our 24 Hour
Emergency Assistance Centre immediately. We will then make the necessary arrangements on your behalf, and arrange for you to be transported
or evacuated to the nearest facility where you can be treated.
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20. Who provides HealthCare International's Emergency
Assistance Service?
Our 24-hour International Emergency Assistance is provided by HCI 24/7, one of the world's
leading and most experienced international emergency assistance organisations. With
correspondents & doctors all over the world, HealthCare International is always on
hand to help you when you need us most.
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21. What do I need to do when I require non-emergency medical
treatment?
Arrange for your treatment with your physician as per usual.
We require a claims form to be completed for each treatment event. It is a two part form, requiring both you and your treating physician to complete
designated sections. It is best that you take this form with you to your appointment. Once your treatment is complete, forward this form along with
the original bills/invoices to our claims department for reimbursement.
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22. Is Pregnancy and Maternity care covered?
Yes - Once you have been with us for 12 months, both routine maternity and complications of pregnancy are covered on all but our Emergency Plus
plan. We will pay 100% of reasonable and customary charges for inpatient and outpatient treatment, up to the respective plan limits.
You are covered for treatment of a medical condition that arises during the antenatal stages of pregnancy, or for complications that require a recognised
obstetric procedure during childbirth. Cover is only provided for caesarean sections required on medical grounds. Elective caesareans and investigations
into infertility are not covered.
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23. Is dental treatment covered?
Yes - Routine Dental care is a standard feature of our Executive Plan and an optional extra for all other plans. This benefit provides for
preventative and routine dental cover and includes, subject to policy limits, the cost of dental crowns, bridges, dentures and implants.
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24. Are Sporting activities covered?
With the exception of injuries sustained as a direct result of being a professional
sportsman, there are no exclusions relating to usual sporting activities unless
specifically noted by HealthCare International in writing.
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25. What is Well Child Care and what does it cover?
The policy will pay for young children, up to the age of seven years, 100% reasonable
and customary charges for the child to visit their physician.
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26. What isn’t covered by HealthCare International?
Inevitably, there are costs that we cannot cover. However, we try to keep restrictions to a minimum. These restrictions include pre-existing conditions
during the Moratorium period and a list of general exclusions that you will find in most medical insurance policies, as detailed under your Plan’s policy
terms and conditions.
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27. Why are there waiting periods on some benefits?
Waiting periods apply to a few of our benefits to protect the premium investment made by
our existing members. If we had no waiting periods for our dental/optical and pregnancy
benefits, people could join when treatment was required, claim for an expensive procedure
and cancel their membership until further medical assistance was necessary. This hit and
run cycle of membership would cause premiums to escalate at an uncontrollable rate.
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28. How quickly are claims normally settled?
Where we haven't arranged to settle directly with your medical provider, we aim to
reimburse any eligible costs you may have paid within seven working days of receiving
your completed claim form and the original bills.
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29. How much will a HealthCare International Medical Insurance
policy cost?
This varies depending on a member’s age, the plan selected, the deductible and co-pay selected. In the first instance, our online
Fast Quote will calculate the premiums for you.
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30. How does the deductible work?
At HealthCare International, we offer three levels of deductibles. Nil deductible will ensure that in most cases you will be reimbursed 100% for your medical treatment.
Having a higher deductible of $250 or $1,000 however offers a significant discount on your premium and can be linked with your anticipated healthcare needs.
The deductible applies to most benefits on a ‘per claim’ basis. This means that your policy will respond after you have met the first part of every new event up to
your chosen deductible amount. An example of a separate event could be say breaking your arm in June and then having a heart attack in November. This counts as two
events and you will have to pay up to your deductible level each time before we take over paying the remainder of your treatment.
If you have renewed your policy and treatment continues into the new benefit year, unlike many of our competitors, you will not be penalised with having to pay
another deductible.
Whilst outpatient consultations and treatment are subject to the deductible, prescribed medication isn’t and is available under our top three plans at either 75%
reimbursement or 100% for the Executive plan.
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31. What is a Co-Pay and how does it work?
An additional way to reduce your premium is by opting for a Co-Pay. With this, you will share with us the cost of medical expenses over and above your policy deductible.
Your maximum out-of-pocket expense is however capped at $/€20,000 (£13,500) limit.
For example, should you opt for a plan with a $1,000 deductible and 20% co-pay and you were treated for a medical condition that resulted in $25,000 of eligible medical
expenses, you would be responsible for the $1,000 deductible plus 20% of $20,000, totalling $5,000.
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32. What are the options to pay for my policy?
Credit Card payment is our preferred method to receive your premiums. If this is not
possible, we can accept
payment via bankers draft, bank transfer, or cheque. If you are not entirely satisfied with your
chosen cover, we will cancel the plan from inception and make a full refund of your premium (providing that you inform us within
14 days of receiving your policy documents, that you have not used the policy in any way, and no claims have been made). You will
need to return the policy documentation to us before we can issue a refund.
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33. What documents will I receive from HealthCare International
when I take out a policy?
Once cover has been confirmed you will receive a comprehensive membership folder containing details of your chosen plan, your certificate of insurance,
a membership card, details of our 24 hour emergency assistance service, claim instructions and a blank claim form, a list of useful contacts together
with additional information concerning general health and medical matters.
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34. What should I do if I change my address?
It is not necessary to inform us of brief travels out of your country of residence; however, any permanent change must be communicated to us as soon as
possible. We need to be able to inform you of any ongoing developments with your policy and provide you with updated correspondence.
N.B. You will also be able to manage such details online from early 2008.
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35. When can I change the details of my policy?
Changes to your benefit level can only be made at renewal and you will need to inform us within 30 days of your renewal date. Any waiting-periods will
still have to be served.
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36. Will HealthCare International ever refuse to renew a policy,
simply because a claim has been made?
No - as long as your premiums continue to be paid on time, you remain an expatriate (living outside your home-country for most of the year) and
you have not misled us in any way, cover will remain in force.
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37. What happens if I don’t pay my premiums on time?
It is important that your premiums are paid on time to ensure you have no interruption to your cover. Failure to pay your premiums on time will likely
result in your claims being rejected, and/or your policy being cancelled.
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38. What happens when my policy is due for renewal?
You do not have to do anything, as your policy will renew automatically. We will however be contacting you prior to renewal to inform you of the premium
for the upcoming year. We will also be telling you of any material changes to your policy and developments within our service proposition to you. We remain
ready and able to assist you at any time in ensuring your plan option remains appropriate for your circumstances.
Should you wish to lapse your policy with us, we will require written notification from you 60 days prior to the renewal date.
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