How can you protect yourself with health insurance while abroad? What if you are in another country and you become unwell or have an accident?

There are several options to protect yourself from unexpected medical bills while you are in another country.

Your Irish health insurance may offer protection or you may purchase travel insurance. If you intend to move to another country to live, work, or study for a time, you may purchase international health insurance.

Each type of insurance will protect you in different ways and each will suit slightly different circumstances.

For more information on the best international cover for you, speak to Compare Insurance for expert advice on your health insurance today.

Health Insurance Cover Abroad

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Overseas cover on your Irish health insurance

There are three main Irish health insurers. Each offers slightly different cover when you are abroad, and each health insurer’s plans vary in what they cover.

VHI

VHI offers cover for emergency medical treatment abroad in most of their plans, up to a limit of €65,000 or €100,000, depending on your plan.

For inpatient emergency treatment, VHI will pay the hospital directly if you, or a relative, have the treatment approved by VHI in advance.

Outpatient claims must be claimed on an outpatient claim form and are subject to the outpatient excess in your policy.

VHI offers some cover for elective treatments abroad but they must be pre- approved by VHI, and must be recommended by your Irish consultant. There is limited cover for elective treatments and you must pay for the treatment and then make a claim for a refund.

Laya

With Laya, cover for overseas treatment varies by plan and is  limited to sudden and unforeseen illness that requires immediate treatment and is so severe that you cannot return home for treatment. You must contact Laya’s emergency assistance line before you avail of treatment.

Laya also offers cover of up to €2 million where you require medical transport abroad or back to Ireland and €1,000 for transport for a travelling companion.

Irish Life

Irish Life offers cover for emergency inpatient treatment abroad that is pre-authorised and arranged by Irish Life. Depending on the details in your plan, you may have cover of €55,000 up to €100,000.

Irish Life also offers cover for some expenses incurred by a travelling companion where you are admitted to hospital abroad.

If you wish to travel to have surgery abroad, whether or not it is available in Ireland, Irish Life may offer cover for consultants fees and hospital costs to the same level as is in your Irish Life plan.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance offers specific cover for medical bills abroad, should you fall ill or have an accident whilst on holiday.

It is recommended that you purchase travel insurance as medical bills, even for relatively minor treatment, may exceed the overseas cover included in your Irish health insurance in some instances, especially if you travel to the US.

You can purchase travel insurance for a single trip, multitrip travel insurance, or for extended travel such as backpacker’s travel insurance. You can also tailor your cover depending on your destination and the activities you intend to carry out eg. winter sports.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance cover

Travel insurance prices will depend on which part of the world you are travelling to i.e Europe, worldwide, or US & Canada. You may get a discount on your travel insurance if you already have Irish health insurance.

The limits of travel insurance cover for medical treatment abroad can vary widely, so check carefully before you purchase a policy. Travel insurance should offer protection for emergency treatment abroad, as well as medical repatriation and, ideally, some cover for a travelling companion to stay with you in an emergency.

Travel insurance will also offer protection for non-medical expenses, such as those related to travel disruption such as cancellation of your holiday, delayed or cancelled flights, and also for lost or stolen possession or luggage.

Travel insurance may be available in Ireland from the following providers:

AIG - Home Insurance
Allianz - Home Insurance
Aviva - Home Insurance
laya
vhi

Irish Life Health offers travel insurance to their health insurance customers with some of their plans.

International health insurance

If you wish to live abroad for longer than three months, rather than requiring overseas short term health insurance cover for emergencies, you may need more long term international health insurance.

Where travel insurance offers protection for trips away from Ireland and overseas medical cover on Irish health insurance covers emergencies while on a short term holiday or trip, international health insurance is for a set period of usually longer than 3 or 6 months, and may be continuous cover that you renew annually.

International health insurance can also offer you protection for both emergency and routine health and medical care in a similar way to Irish health insurance with outpatient and inpatient expenses covered to varying degrees, depending on the plan you choose.

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International health insurance cover

International health insurance offers cover for private medical expenses related to illness and injury, as well as checkups, maternity care, dental treatment, and cover for pre- existing illnesses in some cases, depending on the type of policy you choose.

It is important to check the details of any policy you are considering and to ensure that it offers protection for the country in which you live, as well as the health expenses which you wish to cover. For example, if you wish to cover medical treatment in the USA, you are likely to pay a significantly higher premium for international health insurance.

International health insurance is available from:

vhi
AXA - Home Insurance
Allianz - Home Insurance

Benefits of health insurance cover abroad

There are a number of reasons to consider your health insurance cover if you are in another country for a holiday, trip, or if you move to another country for an extended break or for work or study.

You have certain entitlements as an EU citizen to public healthcare in Europe, although you may need to have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), but you may not have any entitlements in other regions.

Public healthcare in another country may be difficult to access, may be of a lower standard than you may expect, and there may be unexpected charges as entitlements can vary in countries outside the EU. You may be covered for private healthcare with health insurance or travel insurance.

Without overseas cover or travel insurance, unforeseen healthcare costs may be prohibitive if you have a medical emergency such as a sudden illness or accident which means that you need treatment in another country.

You may also face very significant charges if you require medical evacuation or repatriation to Ireland while ill abroad which would be covered by travel insurance and some health insurance overseas cover, depending on your policy.

If you wish to take an extended break, or move to another country to work or study, you may need check ups and routine medical care

Medical care such as GP visits, maternity care, or dental care may be covered by international health insurance but would not be covered by Irish health insurance or travel insurance as you are not based in Ireland, and also as these types of policies only cover emergency medical care.

If you choose a VHI International policy, your time covered by this policy counts as continuous cover and you may not face health insurance waiting periods if you return to Ireland to live.

Health insurance waiting periods can be as long as five years for pre-existing conditions if you purchase a new health insurance policy so this is not a factor to be overlooked.

Having private health insurance may be a legal requirement for obtaining a visa or a residence permit in many countries that you wish to move to.

For example, moving to the US for work or study, you would need to have private health insurance in place in order to comply with visa requirements.

Knowing that you will not face high medical bills if you have a sudden illness or an accident will give you peace of mind so that you can enjoy your travels without worrying.

You can focus on getting the most out of your time away with the appropriate insurance cover in place, wherever you are or whatever you are doing.

Benefits of health insurance cover abroad

Contact us today

If you wish to ensure that you have essential insurance cover for your time away, whether you are on holiday, travelling, studying, or working talk to us at Compare Insurance.

To ensure that you are protected in the event of needing medical care, our specialist insurance advisors can discuss your insurance needs with you and assist you to find appropriate health insurance or travel insurance cover for your circumstances.

Fill in our online assessment or call us and you can speak to an insurance advisor without obligation so that you can enjoy your travels with peace of mind.

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