What Does Medical Insurance Cover?
A Comprehensive Guide By Insurance Experts
Medical insurance will cover all of your essentials when it comes to medicals. It’s in the name right? But more specifically, medical insurance is going to be there to cover everything from emergencies, follow ups, therapies, global crisis events and much more.
I am going to break down everything that is included in medical insurance as we go down the blog into sub categories.
Medical insurance is designed to financially protect you against a wide range of health-related expenses, which is crucial for anyone, especially those with a penchant for travel or living abroad.
For the global nomads among us, we’ll explore how medical insurance acts as a safety net across international borders. It offers peace of mind for the unexpected, as well as the expected when it comes to everything medical needs.
So, let’s break it down and ensure you’re fully informed about the protection your medical insurance offers. You can view all of our coverage packages here as well.
Medical Insurance Overview
Medical insurance is a comprehensive form of coverage that is designed to financially protect you against a wide range of health-related expenses. It typically covers the essentials like hospitalisation, surgeries, prescription medications and outpatient services.
Beyond these basics, medical insurance can extend to cover chronic and severe illnesses, offering ongoing support for conditions that require long-term management. Accidents and emergencies are also covered.
For those living abroad, particularly expats and global nomads, medical insurance is tailored to meet diverse healthcare requirements across international borders, ensuring that wherever you are, your health is protected.
Medical insurance covers anything medical
More simply put, medical insurance (especially for the global nomad) acts as a comprehensive safety net, covering a vast array of health-related issues that one might encounter while living abroad.
In my professional opinion, it’s the most reliable form of financial protection against the unpredictable nature of health and illness. From major medical, to ongoing hospital fees, medical insurance is going to cover you.
It’s designed to provide peace of mind for the unexpected, such as car accidents or sudden illnesses, as well as the expected, like routine check-ups and ongoing treatments.
For the global nomad, it’s not just about having coverage; it’s about having the right coverage that travels with you and adapts to your international lifestyle.
Breakdown Of What Medical Insurance Covers
Here’s a breakdown of comprehensive coverage for medical insurance that includes everything from essential hospitalisation and surgeries to outpatient services and prescription medications.
Inpatient Benefits
Inpatient benefits cover costs for treatments that require an overnight hospital stay, including hospital accommodation, nursing care, and intensive care.
- Room and Board: Covers hospital accommodation and nursing care.
- Parental Accommodation: Covers a parent’s stay with a hospitalised child.
- Theatre Fees: Covers operating room, tests, and medication costs.
- Intensive Care: Covers intensive care unit expenses.
- Surgeon’s Fees: Covers costs for surgical procedures.
- Anaesthetist Fees: Covers anaesthesia services.
- Professional Fees: Covers fees for doctors and specialists.
- Rehabilitation Cover: Covers rehabilitation up to 45 days.
- Kidney Dialysis: Covers dialysis treatments.
- Oncology Cover: Covers inpatient cancer treatments.
- Emergency Room Treatment: Covers emergency department costs.
- Local Ambulance to Hospital: Covers ambulance transport.
- Hospital Cash Benefit: Provides a daily cash amount during hospital stay.
Outpatient Benefits
Outpatient benefits cover medical treatments that don’t require an overnight hospital stay, such as doctor’s visits and minor procedures.
- Outpatient Surgical: Covers minor surgeries without hospital stay.
- Pre-Hospitalisation: Covers tests and consultations before admission.
- Post-Hospitalisation: Covers follow-up care after discharge.
- GP Consultation Fees: Covers general practitioner visits.
- Specialist Consultation Fees: Covers specialist visits.
- Prescribed Medication: Covers medication prescribed by a doctor.
- Imaging and Lab Tests: Covers diagnostic tests like X-rays and blood tests.
- Physiotherapy: Covers physical therapy sessions.
- Oncology: Covers outpatient cancer treatments.
- Alternative Therapies Treatment: Covers treatments like acupuncture.
- Chronic Conditions Benefit: Covers ongoing management of chronic conditions.
Wellbeing Benefits
Wellbeing benefits typically include services like annual check-ups and vaccinations to maintain and promote health.
- Annual Medical Check-ups: Covers yearly health examinations.
- Eye Tests: Covers routine eye examinations.
- Vaccinations: Covers immunisation shots.
Dental Benefits
Dental benefits provide coverage for dental care, ranging from routine check-ups and cleanings to more complex dental procedures.
- Emergency Dental: Full cover for pain relief following accidents.
- Routine Dental: Covers regular check-ups and cleanings.
- Major Dental: Covers complex procedures like crowns and bridges.
Global Security Benefits
Global security benefits offer support in extraordinary circumstances, such as terrorism incidents or hostage situations.
- Terrorism: Coverage for medical expenses related to terrorism incidents.
- Hostage Negotiation: Support and coverage for hostage situations.
- Hijacking: Benefits for hijacking incidents.
- Mugging: Coverage for medical costs due to mugging.
International Assistance Benefits
International Assistance Benefits provide round-the-clock support for emergencies, giving you the right treatment in the right place, at the right time.
- 24/7 Assistance: Round-the-clock global support for medical issues.
Psychology Benefits
Psychology benefits provide global access to highly trained psychology specialists for counselling, coaching and therapy, supporting your mental wellbeing as you travel.
- 24 Hour Psychology Counselling: Full cover for round-the-clock access to counselling services.
- 24 Hour Personal Coaching: Full cover for access to personal coaching services.
Life Cover
Life cover in our package refers to the coverage of what happens in the unfortunate event of the policyholder’s death.
- Death Benefit: A one-off payment to the deceased’s next of kin or estate to cover costs associated with their passing such as funerals or storing the body.
Optional Benefits
Optional benefits refer to additional coverages that can be added to a policy, such as evacuation and repatriation in case of global emergencies.
- Evacuation & Repatriation: An add-on for full global evacuation and repatriation to a medical facility that provides the highest level of care, for an additional fee.
Medical Insurance Covers More Medical Policies Than Travel Insurance
One thing is for sure, medical insurance is far more encompassing than travel insurance when it comes to medical policies. We’ve actually got a detailed article about what travel insurance covers here.
It’s focused on healthcare, covering a wide spectrum of medical needs that go beyond the scope of travel insurance. While travel insurance might include some level of medical coverage for emergencies, it’s often limited and doesn’t extend to comprehensive care.
This includes routine check-ups, prescription medications, maternity care, and treatments for ongoing conditions. For example, if you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness, medical insurance can cover the cost of long-term medication and regular consultations with specialists, which travel insurance would not typically cover.
Moreover, medical insurance is managed by healthcare experts, ensuring that policyholders receive the best possible advice and treatment options.
This is particularly important for long-term health conditions that require ongoing management and care, something that travel insurance isn’t designed to provide.
If You Are Living Abroad, It’s Extremely Important To Get Medical Insurance
When you’re living abroad, whether as an expatriate, a frequent traveller, or a digital nomad, the significance of medical insurance cannot be overstated. We actually have some awesome insurance packages for nomads here.
The necessity for medical insurance becomes clear when you consider the potential for facing health issues without the familiar support of your home country’s healthcare system.
For instance, managing chronic conditions or accessing regular prescriptions can be complicated and expensive without the right coverage.
Medical insurance ensures that you have access to quality healthcare services, from routine doctor visits to emergency interventions, without the financial burden that can come with paying out of pocket in a foreign healthcare system.
Also, the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have medical insurance is invaluable. It allows you to focus on your life and work abroad, rather than worrying about what might happen if you fall ill or have an accident.
Conclusion
From the immediate response in emergencies to the support during global health crises, medical insurance stands as a pillar of financial and health security. It will cover everything from an emergency all the way through to recovery months later.
Overall, you can see exactly what was included from inpatient benefits, outpatient benefits, psychology and even dental. This is why if you’re living abroad is very important and cannot be overlooked by travel insurance.
As you consider your own medical insurance, think about your lifestyle, your travel habits, and your health needs. Remember, the cheapest option isn’t always the best value. Invest in a plan that gives you comprehensive coverage and suits your individual circumstances.
Your health is your most valuable asset; protect it with the right coverage. Stay informed, stay insured, and stay healthy.
