You lead an international lifestyle, so it only makes sense that your health is taken care of by an international private medical insurance provider that understands the difficulties that face those living and working in foreign countries, writes Michael Brown, Chairman of Expacare.

Despite the economic slowdown, the United Kingdom (UK) continues to be a popular destination for foreign professionals due to its high standards of living and relatively low unemployment rate. 

In fact, the City of London is called the Global Powerhouse because so many of the world’s bankers, brokers, dealers, lawyers and accountants, many of which are expatriates, work in the Square Mile.  Multinational companies and their most talented professionals have continued to cluster in the City and this cluster effect – and the geographical proximity to Europe, is the key to the City’s success in becoming a world financial centre. 

With more people settling in the UK every year, such inflows simply exacerbate an already overburdened National Health Service (NHS). Conditions such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (better known as MRSA) are becoming more and more of a concern in NHS hospitals and the ever increasing waiting lists for treatments means expatriates arriving in the UK may find the level of care and inefficient service below expectations.  Private medical insurance therefore, should be seen as an essential addition to your health protection portfolio to ensure you receive the standard of care and personal service when it’s needed most.

As someone with an international lifestyle, it’s important to ensure you seek the right level of medical cover to meet your expectations and the needs of you and your family. Beverly Cook, Managing Director at Expacare comments, “It’s worth considering having a complete medical check-up before you arrive in the UK to ensure you are starting with a clean bill of health.  You should also look to register with a General Practitioner (GP) as it will be them who first refer you for specialist treatment should you require it in the future.”

Advice should be sought from either a health insurance provider or a professional financial adviser who can advise a client on the various options available in the healthcare market.  There are other factors that potential residents of the UK need to be aware of from a financial services point of view as well, including savings, investments, bank accounts and provision for retirement.

If you are relocating to Europe, you should be aware that many European countries are now requiring evidence of medical insurance before they will allow residency.  Companies such as Expacare (www.expacare.com) have a wide range of international private medical insurance that are both flexible and offer a host of benefits to suit a variety of needs and circumstances, including an extensive knowledge of regulatory requirements not only throughout the UK and Europe, but across the globe.  This experience can be passed on to potential clients, making them aware of any legislative issues that they need to be aware of, including tax implications.  For example, potential UK residents should be aware that there is a 5% Insurance Premium Tax applied to policies taken out in the UK.

Beverly Cook, Managing Director of Expacare says, “There’s a wealth of Private Medical Insurance policies on the market today offering varied levels of cover and it’s sometimes difficult to assess what level best suits your circumstances, so it’s worth talking to an advisor or insurer direct before committing to a health plan.  At Expacare, they provide customers with a dedicated contact who can help.”

 
Like many International Private Medical Insurers, Expacare offers a range of products, which include a choice of 3 key cover plans:  Specialcare, Executivecare and Standardcare. These include cover for chronic conditions without restrictive wording about only covering acute phases of chronic conditions.  Specialcare is the Expacare plan with the most wide-ranging benefits and offers cover that compares favorably with other leading products in the market. All the key elements of cover are included: in-patient hospital expenses, out-patient benefits, prescription drugs and vaccinations and routine medical examinations. In addition, Specialcare includes cover for maternity care with treatment for birth defects and congenital illness, routine dental treatment, treatment for alcohol and drug addiction and lump sum payment on diagnosis of AIDS.

Beverly Cook, Managing Director of Expacare concludes, “If you’re globally mobile, it’s important that you are covered for the UK and elsewhere.  So be sure to look for policies that cover other regions and the occasional overseas business trip.”

If you are planning to relocate to the UK or elsewhere, you should consult with a reputable international private health insurance company that can provide the high level of personal service that you have come to expect.  In particular, a trusted provider that understands the difficulties that face those living and working in foreign countries. 

Visit www.expacare.com   or call +44 (0) 1344 381 650