HELP- Expatriates Health Insurance in Cambodia
Oct 25th, 2010, 12:31 AM
#1
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HELP- Expatriates Health Insurance in Cambodia
I'm an expat, planning on spending most of my life here in Cambodia.
I want to get health insurance that isn't too expensive but will still cover me if I go traveling or whatever.
Right now, I've been recommended to go for global health Asia...do these packages look reasonable to you?
http://www.globalhealthasia.com
I'm looking to work on a temporary basis so I don't think I can get it through my employer.
So if anyone knows a good expat health insurance company that is somewhat comprehensive,
please send the information my way. I only have to cover myself and I have my own business.
Thanks
Jessie
I want to get health insurance that isn't too expensive but will still cover me if I go traveling or whatever.
Right now, I've been recommended to go for global health Asia...do these packages look reasonable to you?
http://www.globalhealthasia.com
I'm looking to work on a temporary basis so I don't think I can get it through my employer.
So if anyone knows a good expat health insurance company that is somewhat comprehensive,
please send the information my way. I only have to cover myself and I have my own business.
Thanks
Jessie
Oct 25th, 2010, 05:10 AM
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I am not entirely certain what type of coverage you want. If you want health insurance which will cover you when living or traveling <u>in</u> Cambodia, you may need to get a comprehensive plan (and which may include disability insurance, which as a temporary or self-employed person you should definitely consider). If you want coverage for only when you are travelling <i>outside</i> of Cambodia, then you may just want travel health insurance which you can purchase by the trip or by the year.
I assume you have a work permit as one is required in order to work in Cambodia, or that you have a resident's permit assuming you are retired (i.e., you plan to live in Cambodia for the rest of your life with no need to work.) I am not certain whether as a Cambodian resident you are entitled to any kind of free/subsidized health benefits and if so, whether these are adequate for your needs. If so, then you may just want travel insurance for when you are travelling outside of Cambodia.
You should certainly ask your employer it they provide health insurance or if you can buy into by paying the premium yourself. This may be cheaper than trying to obtain coverage on your own. This may also include disability insurance which would be a plus.
I see that global health Asia is out of Hong Kong, where I live, but I don’t know anything about them. You probably want to check their ratings on A. M. Best, which rates the financial credit risk of insurers. See http://www.ambest.com/. I see the Global Health “works” with Chartis (formerly AIU which is part of AIG), but there is no indication, at least to me, that Chartis is in fact one of their underwriters.
Two reputable carriers out of Hong Kong would be AIU/ Chartis (see http://www.chartisinsurance.com.hk/) and Zurich (see http://www.zurich.com.hk/eng/index.htm). Both have solid AM Best ratings. Zurich is part of Zurich Re, the world largest underwriter, and AIU/Chartis is part of the AIG group (the part that did not go belly up). They may be able to offer you coverage or may have affiliates in Cambodia who can provide coverage.
You could also consider getting a travel health insurance from a US carrier which will cover you only when you are not in the US. This may not be expensive as long as your exclude any US coverage (assuming you don’t need it). See Amex, Travelguard and other travel insurance companies. As you have seen with Global Health, some plans will not provide coverage if you are in the US and need access to health care, some plans will. Just read all the plans.
I assume you have a work permit as one is required in order to work in Cambodia, or that you have a resident's permit assuming you are retired (i.e., you plan to live in Cambodia for the rest of your life with no need to work.) I am not certain whether as a Cambodian resident you are entitled to any kind of free/subsidized health benefits and if so, whether these are adequate for your needs. If so, then you may just want travel insurance for when you are travelling outside of Cambodia.
You should certainly ask your employer it they provide health insurance or if you can buy into by paying the premium yourself. This may be cheaper than trying to obtain coverage on your own. This may also include disability insurance which would be a plus.
I see that global health Asia is out of Hong Kong, where I live, but I don’t know anything about them. You probably want to check their ratings on A. M. Best, which rates the financial credit risk of insurers. See http://www.ambest.com/. I see the Global Health “works” with Chartis (formerly AIU which is part of AIG), but there is no indication, at least to me, that Chartis is in fact one of their underwriters.
Two reputable carriers out of Hong Kong would be AIU/ Chartis (see http://www.chartisinsurance.com.hk/) and Zurich (see http://www.zurich.com.hk/eng/index.htm). Both have solid AM Best ratings. Zurich is part of Zurich Re, the world largest underwriter, and AIU/Chartis is part of the AIG group (the part that did not go belly up). They may be able to offer you coverage or may have affiliates in Cambodia who can provide coverage.
You could also consider getting a travel health insurance from a US carrier which will cover you only when you are not in the US. This may not be expensive as long as your exclude any US coverage (assuming you don’t need it). See Amex, Travelguard and other travel insurance companies. As you have seen with Global Health, some plans will not provide coverage if you are in the US and need access to health care, some plans will. Just read all the plans.
Dec 18th, 2010, 12:49 AM
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The real problem actually isn't the health insurance but the lack of modern and reliable care in cambodia. If you need serious medical attention, you have to fly to singapore. So i would look at singapore health insurance companies. Wealthy Cambodians are the first to complain about it beçause they have no other option when they are in a serious condition then to go abroad to either vietnam, thailand or singapore to get better treatment.
Dec 18th, 2010, 02:07 AM
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International SOS best clinics services in Cambodia
might cut out the middlemen go direct with them.
https://www.internationalsos.com/en/...ambodia_35.htm
Happy Hunting,
might cut out the middlemen go direct with them.
https://www.internationalsos.com/en/...ambodia_35.htm
Happy Hunting,
Dec 18th, 2010, 09:37 AM
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Bangkok is actually the closest place to Cambodia to get excellent health care. You need an insurance policy that will pay for care in nearby countries and you'd likely want medical evacuation coverage to get to the closest appropriate hospital.
Dec 18th, 2010, 02:56 PM
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I just went through this myself in Indonesia. My conclusion was to get two plans, one for hospitalization and one for emergency medical evacuation.
I chose danmark/ihi Bupa for hospitalization and SOS International for evacuation. I had used danmark for years through my former employer and found their service excellent.
The first factor driving the cost of any insurance plan is your age. Second is your health history. Third is what services are covered. Fourth is the deductible. When you compare plans you need to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. As Cicerone says, the plans vary (maddeningly) from point to point so you have to read through them carefully.
You do, however, want to make sure whatever company you choose is experienced in Southeast Asia. I would ask other expats in Cambodia what they use.
I chose hospitalization plus in-patient with a deductible. You can also get hospitalization only and pay for clinic visits, dental, eye care etc. out of pocket.
SOS International is, I think, the best for emergency evacuation in Asia. Their international plan covers evacuation and other mostly useless services. You can use their clinic whether you are a member or not, but the cost is not covered by the membership.
Most major insurance plans have an optional add-on for emergency evacuation, but I have always chosen SOS because they have the best access to evacuation staff and airplanes. many of the other firms will subcontract to SOS.
The first thing I would do is ask your current carrier if they would continue your coverage, even if you are no longer employed by the same organization. This is often the least expensive route and you may be able to avoid going through a medical evaluation (underwriting). Same for your current employer. Ask if they would allow you to join their plan at your own expense.
I chose danmark/ihi Bupa for hospitalization and SOS International for evacuation. I had used danmark for years through my former employer and found their service excellent.
The first factor driving the cost of any insurance plan is your age. Second is your health history. Third is what services are covered. Fourth is the deductible. When you compare plans you need to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. As Cicerone says, the plans vary (maddeningly) from point to point so you have to read through them carefully.
You do, however, want to make sure whatever company you choose is experienced in Southeast Asia. I would ask other expats in Cambodia what they use.
I chose hospitalization plus in-patient with a deductible. You can also get hospitalization only and pay for clinic visits, dental, eye care etc. out of pocket.
SOS International is, I think, the best for emergency evacuation in Asia. Their international plan covers evacuation and other mostly useless services. You can use their clinic whether you are a member or not, but the cost is not covered by the membership.
Most major insurance plans have an optional add-on for emergency evacuation, but I have always chosen SOS because they have the best access to evacuation staff and airplanes. many of the other firms will subcontract to SOS.
The first thing I would do is ask your current carrier if they would continue your coverage, even if you are no longer employed by the same organization. This is often the least expensive route and you may be able to avoid going through a medical evaluation (underwriting). Same for your current employer. Ask if they would allow you to join their plan at your own expense.
Dec 20th, 2010, 09:58 AM
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The OP was actually posting an advertisement, as he/she made several similar posts on the same day, most of which have been deleted. I discovered this after posting originall above. I am not sure I would bother to respond to this one any longer.
