Health insurance tends to look alike . . . .  until you need it. Learn how to protect yourself from the biggest "gotcha."

Long-Term International Health Insurance
(Also referred to as annual-renewable, permanent, or expatriate health insurance)

Start By Asking Yourself Two Key Questions:
1.  Do you want coverage and/or treatment within the USA?
2.  Does the insurance contract define the term "pre-existing condition" to your satisfaction?

3 Categories of Plans: scroll down page or click to quick-jump.

A.)  Comprehensive Major Medical plans, with coverage that . . . INCLUDES the USA.         (Most comprehensive)

B.)  Comprehensive Major Medical plan, with . . . NO coverage or treatment in the USA.          (No USA coverage means lower cost.)

C.)  "Schedule of Benefits" medical plan, with . . . limited coverage that includes the USA.          (Low-cost and worldwide, but be sure you understand the more limited benefits.)

**   The Biggest "Gotcha" in a health Insurance contract & How To Protect Yourself.        (A must read for all long-term health insurance shoppers.)

All plans are US-Style and all details are at your fingertips, including the actual policy wording.
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A.)  Comprehensive Major Medical Insurance Plans, With Coverage That . . . Includes The USA. Compare two competing plans:   1. Reside Prime Worldwide,    2. Global Citizen

1.  "Reside Prime"    Administered by: Seven Corners, Inc. Insured by:  Lloyds of London. (Rated "A-" by A.M. Best)

Reside Prime . . . plan highlights:  Medical limit up to $5,000,000   Provides coverage inside and outside of the USA (limit 6 mo. per policy year inside the USA)   The deductible is reduced by 50% and the coinsurance is waived if covered expenses are incurred within the USA "PPO" network   Competitively priced   A less ambiguous and more consumer-friendly definition of "pre-existing condition"

(The links below open in a new Window. Please close when finished.)

Click Here for Instant On-Line Quotes & Application

Click Here  for information on the Insurance Company (underwriter)

Note: The "Reside Prime" plan is not intended for anyone who will reside within the USA for more than 6 months during any given 12 month period. (See brochure for details.) In addition, you must be outside the USA at time of renewal. ________________________________________________________________________

2.  "Global Citizen" Administered by:  HTH Worldwide Insurance Services Insured by:  UNICARE Life & Health (Rated "A-" by A.M. Best)

The Global Citizen plan is available to the following persons: All US citizens living abroad who are 74 or younger at the time of application. Current legal US residents (US citizens and foreign nationals) residing in one of the states listed below and who are age 74 or younger at the time of application: (Insured by HM Life Insurance Company, Pittsburgh, PA, USA):  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming (Insured by Unicare Life & Health Insurance Company, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA):  Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont  Global Citizen . . . plan highlights:   Medical limit up to $5,000,000   Provides coverage inside and outside of the U.S. No limit on time spent in or out of the U.S.   No waiting period for most benefits and services   Deductible is waived for office visits and preventative services (co-pay only)   Pre-existing condition exclusion is only 180 days   Includes coverage for terrorist events and professional sporting activities   Direct billing with doctors and hospitals in 170 countries, including the USA   HSA plan available   Renewable up to age 84   A less ambiguous and more consumer-friendly definition of "pre-existing condition"

Global Citizen . . . all information is at your fingertips below: (The link below open in a new Window. Please close when finished.)

Click Here For Instant On-Line Quotes, Benefits, & Application

Note: If your home state is one of the "approved" states listed above, this is currently the only plan of which we aware that contains no restriction on the amount of time you spend within the USA.

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B.)  Comprehensive Major Medical Insurance Plan With . . . No Coverage In The USA.

Medical treatment in the USA is the most expensive in the world. Therefore, health insurance plans that exclude coverage or treatment within the USA will normally cost less.

Here is one such money-saving, long-term health insurance plans. This is currently the only international plan of which we are aware that meets the criteria of both "US-style" and with a consumer-friendly definition of "pre-existing condition" (see The Biggest Gotcha below).

"Global Citizen EXP"   Administered by:  HTH Worldwide Insurance Services  Insured by:  UNICARE Life & Health (Rated "A-" by A.M. Best)

Global Citizen EXP . . . plan highlights:

  Medical limit up to $5,000,000
  Provides coverage anywhere in the world outside of the USA
  No waiting period for most benefits and services
  Deductible is waived for office visits and preventative services
  Pre-existing condition exclusion is only 180 days
  Includes coverage for terrorist events and professional sporting activities
  Direct billing with doctors and hospitals in over 160 countries
  Renewable up to age 84
  A less ambiguous and more consumer-friendly definition of "pre-existing condition"

Global Citizen EXP . . . all information is at your fingertips below:
(The links below open in a new Window. Please close when finished.)

Click Here For Online Quotes, Benefits Summary, and Application.
(On the quote page, check that you "do not want U.S. coverage" and you will be provided with a Global Citizen EXP quote.)

Global Citizen EXP functions as a primary health insurance plan outside the USA, filling the gaps left by Medicare and domestic USA plans or delivering precisely the coverage an expatriate needs.

Individuals up to age 75 and dependent children are eligible based on their medical histories. Once issued, Global Citizen EXP policies are renewable up to age 84.

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C.)  'Schedule of Benefits' Medical Plan, With Limited Coverage That Can Include The USA.

"Schedule of Benefits" Plan:  Regardless of where medical treatment is received, this type of plan pays a maximum amount (not to exceed the total charge) for listed medical procedures, such as hospitalization, outpatient doctor visits, certain outpatient procedures, etc.

On this type of plan, people would typically seek medical care outside of the USA. When receiving covered treatment outside the USA, the Schedule of Benefits is often adequate to cover most medical expenses. However, when receiving covered treatment within the USA, the "usual and customary" charges for hospitalization and other medical benefits will typically exceed the maximum allowance under the plan Schedule of Benefits. The insured person would then be responsible for any difference (which in the USA could be substantial in some cases).

"Reside Worldwide" Administered by: SRI Administrators, Inc. (Seven Corners Inc.) Insured by:  Lloyds of London. (Rated "A-" by A.M. Best)

Reside Worldwide . . . all information at your fingertips below: (Link open in a new Window. Please close when finished.)

Click Here for Instant Quotes and On-Line Application.

Note: To be and remain eligible for this plan, insured persons must reside outside the USA for at least 6 months out of any given 12 month policy period.

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The Biggest "Gotcha" in Health Insurance And How to Protect Yourself.

International health insurance tends to look alike  . . . .  until you need it.

Virtually all private insurance excludes coverage for "pre-existing conditions." It is vital to know that the wording of the definition of "pre-existing condition" can vary dramatically from plan to plan.

A small difference in your policy wording could make a huge difference in whether or not a large medical insurance claim is actually paid . . . . or not paid(!)

Here are two examples for illustration purposes:

#1. Pre-existing condition: "Any condition which existed at or prior to the date the policy went into effect."

#2. Pre-existing condition:  "Any condition which was diagnosed, treated, or manifested itself in such a way as to exhibit recognizable symptoms, prior to the date that the policy went into effect."

Note that in example #1, the definition is very ambiguous. In this example, you might have a "pre-existing condition" and not even be aware of it. Examples might include a cancer such as colon cancer. Another example might be heart disease, which often goes undetected for years.

If you owned a health insurance policy with ambiguous wording (as in example #1 above) and came down with a major illness, you could be in trouble. If doctors determined that your illness existed in any form before your policy went into effect, even if you didn't have any noticeable symptoms, your claim would likely be denied by the insurance company. 

Insist on dependable coverage and avoid the big "gotcha."  For long-term health insurance, we recommend that you only consider plans with a less ambiguous and more consumer-friendly definition of "pre-existing condition," as described in example #2 above.

Health insurance is primarily for the big expenses, and possibly for life-saving medical care. Why accept contract wording from an insurance company that allows them to avoid paying a major claim? (See Buy Smart for additional key features.)

Suggestion: We work for you (Guarantees). If you have had any medical condition of concern, we invite you to consult with us before applying for coverage (About Us).

Note: For all health insurance plans found here, as long as your health questionnaire is answered truthfully and accurately and you are accepted for coverage, you cannot be cancelled or singled-out for future rate increases due to medical claims.

Long-Term Plans Category "A"     Long-Term Plans Category "B"     Long-Term Plans Category "C"

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