Health insurance: rising costs abroad for British expats

Subscribing to a health insurance is compulsory when moving abroad. Indeed, more than 3,000 British nationals require emergency health care every week while traveling abroad. However, health care can be quite expensive, almost as much, or even more than the average price of housing in the United Kingdom. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the average travel insurance can rise up to £700. Added to that, emergency medical and repatriation costs that are generally much higher abroad.

The USA, for instance, is pointed out as being the most expensive country in terms of medical costs. The ABI reports that one of its members recently paid a bill of £322,000 for the treatment of a swollen blood vessel in the brain while another paid £101,000 for the treatment of an abscess in the abdomen.

British expats elsewhere in the world required almost as much for different kinds of treatments such as multiple injuries from falling down a waterfall (£300,000) and fractured hip following a motorcycle accident in Thailand (£16,000), dengue fever in Indonesia (£40,000), broken leg leading to infection in Nepal (£31,000), brain tumor in Spain (£11,000). Note that amounts claimed vary according to the diagnosis, duration of hospitalization and treatments provided.

The IBA adds that emergency medical treatment costs on ocean cruises are also quite high in general due to complex procedures regarding transportation to the nearest medical facility, sometimes requiring an air ambulance back to the UK. Recently, a British national was struck by a heart attack on a Caribbean cruise. Air ambulance costs amounted to £92,000.

However, it is estimated that one of five British nationals travel abroad without an insurance. According to Mark Shepherd, ABI's Manager, travel insurance should be a priority when planning a trip or stay abroad and not an after-thought. He says that: “Anyone traveling overseas should always take out appropriate health insurance for the duration of their trip, and declare medical conditions when they take out their policy”. Of course, it is recommended to have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when traveling in Europe as it provides access to public health care services on the same grounds as residents.

Bupa Global, for its part, describes the USA, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Canada and France as being the five most expensive countries in terms of medical treatment. It also lays emphasis on the need for British expats to have adequate insurance as travels become more frequent and to make sure they know about the type of coverage provided.