Choosing a Health Insurance Plan in China

- Panoramic Insurance Brokerage

Reasons to Purchase International Health Insurance When Living in China

Whether you are on a long-term assignment or just traveling in China, covering the risks and creating “peace of mind” are imperative. The risks in China are no more or no less than anywhere else in the World while you are away from home, but it is important to remember that if for whatever reason you fall ill or have an accident in China, costs can be considerable especially if you need to be evacuated home.

In China even the foreign invested hospitals will not treat you unless they can see proof of ability to pay, and simple issues like a broken arm can cost as much as $15,000 USD in the better hospitals.

For short trips of no more than 6 weeks Travel Insurance is a low cost solution, however there are limitations and if longer then it is imperative you look at an International Health Insurance Plan. The need for health insurance when living in China is particularly acute. A foreigner in China should generally opt for treatment in foreign-invested hospitals and clinics – particularly if the patient lacks strong knowledge of China and its language. While these clinics often offer international standard health care, they can be quite pricey. It is therefore a good idea to purchase a well-suited health insurance policy. Perceived lack of confidence in the Medical facilities in China also leads to a high rate of evacuation and that usually runs into $25,000USD+ for simple evacuations to HK with no treatment costs included.

How to Choose the Right Plan

If it is your first time evaluating policies in China, we recommend that you consult a reputable insurance broker. The main points to consider when choosing a plan are:

• The insurer’s infrastructure. Having an insurer with infrastructure in China can be quite helpful. A number of foreign insurers have executed direct billing with certain clinics and hospitals. In the absence of direct billing, it helps if the insurer has local claims assistance.
• Whether the limits are adequate to cover your needs.
• Whether you clearly understand the policy exclusions.
• Whether it covers your travel abroad, including to your home country. This is particularly important for U.S. nationals.
• Pricing. Most policies tend to cost USD$1,500 to USD $3,500 annually. If the policy falls outside of that range, you should look at it closely.

It is important to note that whether you purchase your policy inside or outside of China can be important.

• If you purchase a policy outside of China, then you have no legal recourse in China if the policy does not meet the standards that you expected.
• For policies purchased in China, regulators may assist you in disputing claims. They will not assist for an overseas policy purchase.
• All International Insurance Policies sold in China will have assistance globally and will pay claims regardless of the location.

Insurers Regulated in China with International Medical and Travel Insurance

• Royal and Sun Alliance
• Goodhealth
• Taiping Life
• Ping An
• PICC
• AIG
• Generali
• Tie Care

Healthline Asia is the recognized brand name of Panoramic Insurance Brokerage (Beijing) Co. Ltd., which is a fully licensed and regulated Insurance Brokerage and Consultancy in China. If you would like further info on any of the above please feel free to contact Panoramic Insurance Brokerage at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Related Article:

Another Reason Foreigners Need Health Insurance - Blog Article

 

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