What is Expatriate International Health Insurance?
Written by Gavin Boyd
International health insurance does exactly what it says on the tin - offer medical cover to people staying overseas. Most people who look to cover themselves with international health insurance are usually expats who immigrate to foreign countries - students who are studying overseas for long periods of time and workers who happen to work on foreign soils.
Skilled workers who are employed by companies that move around a lot are usually already covered for international health insurance by their employers. All these people will purchase international health insurance to cover for any medical or hospital treatment they may need when living working or studying abroad.
Expat health insurance is most popular with people moving to warmer climates.
Spain
Most British expats who have international health insurance live in Spain as it’s close to home and very warm.
The Spanish health system is a combination of both private and public healthcare. The Spanish healthcare system is similar to the UKs National Health Service if you contribute to the Spanish Seguridad.
Better than the UKs NHS
Most people in Spain prefer to have their own private medical insurance policies - local and foreign - this helps contribute to a better standard of healthcare throughout Spain for both groups who rely on the public serve health care and those who have their own private health insurance.
This combination helps patients get faster treatments than they would in the UK. Spanish citizens tend to use the public health care service for emergencies only.
As Spain is one of the top tourist destinations in Europe if not the world - most medical staff speak English whilst in the denser tourist hotspots you can find interpreters who speak a wide range of languages You will find quality health facilities in clinics and hospitals all around Spain and its islands.
Hospitals and healthcare centres have accident and emergency services. If expats contribute to the Spanish social security they will be entitled to use medical services free of charge - most people still prefer to have their own International health insurance cover though. Giving them the peace and mind should anything go wrong.
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