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William Russell has paid out almost US $156,000 in Covid related claims across the globe. We paid out $155,793.29 on 54 related claims in 26 countries across all continents with the exception of Antarctica. This included an evacuation case Malawi to Kenya with all additional requirements due to Covid, which the insurer said resulted in much higher costs than usual.
Highest expatriate medical claims for 2019-2020 revealed
- Data from international health insurance provider William Russell reveals the most expensive expatriate healthcare claim for the period 2019-20 was $393,998
- Eye-watering figures reveal the potential costs of healthcare abroad
- Cancer the most expensive treatment for expats, while diabetes, dentistry and maternity care also incur staggering costs
Research study: At least one international health insurance claim made during the period 2019-20 totaled over $390,000
Figures released highlight that the highest claims paid for medical treatment overseas in the period 2019-20 were for cancer treatments, with 25 claims worth over $100,000 including five over $300,000. Other treatments associated with huge sums included maternity care (highest claim $42,527.40), dental treatment (highest claim $8,336) and diabetes (highest claim $6,541.26).
The astronomical claim highlights the ever-increasing costs of medical care for expatriates and reveals the potential cost of living or working abroad without private health insurance.
Cancer insurance claims
HIGHEST SUMS PAID FOR CANCER TREATMENT OVERSEAS ($USD)
| Treatment Type | Sum Paid | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer | 393,998.00 | Hong Kong |
| Cancer | 356,941.00 | Hong Kong |
| Cancer | 353,584.00 | Hong Kong |
| Cancer | 331,352.00 | Hong Kong |
| Cancer | 318,464.00 | Singapore |
| Cancer | 297,365.00 | Thailand |
| Cancer | 289,391.20 | Singapore |
| Cancer | 226,237.55 | Thailand |
| Cancer | 225,237.55 | South Africa |
| Cancer | 219,910.75 | Hong Kong |
Biggest insurance claims globally
An estimated 5.5 million British people live in other countries, either permanently or for work. Many live in countries that require residents to pay for healthcare out of their own pockets, including popular destinations such as India, UAE and USA. British citizens already living in or planning to move to other countries are therefore urged to seek private medical insurance, lest they be left out of pocket by potentially life-changing sums, such as the ones revealed by William Russell.
However, it is not only sudden illnesses that William Russell urges expatriates to seek cover for. Long-term conditions such as diabetes and life events such as maternity will also require private medical insurance to cover their costs, as will dentistry. William Russell revealed that several claims for maternity treatments in the period 2019-20 added up to over $40,000, with Hong Kong the most expensive country for people giving birth abroad. Many costs associated with long-term illnesses, such as diabetes and routine dental work, also amounted to several thousands of dollars.
Maternity insurance claims
HIGHEST SUMS PAID FOR MATERNITY TREATMENT OVERSEAS ($USD)
| Treatment Type | Sum Paid | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity | 42,527.40 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 36,058.00 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 35,678.00 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 34,614.00 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 33,268.00 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 29,965.00 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 27,806.10 | United Kingdom |
| Maternity | 25,858.01 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 25,390.77 | Hong Kong |
| Maternity | 22,620.00 | Hong Kong |
Biggest insurance payouts for other international health treatment
HIGHEST SUMS PAID FOR OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT OVERSEAS ($USD)
| Treatment Type | Sum Paid | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Dental | 8,336.00 | Indonesia |
| Diabetes | 6,806.91 | Thailand |
| Diabetes | 6,541.26 | Thailand |
| Diabetes | 5,298.00 | Hong Kong |
| Diabetes | 5,135.00 | Japan |
| Dental | 3,839.00 | India & Indonesia |
| Diabetes | 3,248.00 | Japan |
| Dental | 2,945.11 | France |
| Dental | 2,876.95 | Israel |
| Dental | 2,822.47 | United Kingdom |
Even something as simple as a childhood vaccination could cause significant costs for families living abroad. Our data reveals the escalating costs of childhood vaccinations, with some instances of vaccinations costing over $800.
The eye-watering costs were further exacerbated in instances where patients required medical evacuation. Medical evacuations are uncommon but are used when a patient requires specialist care in their home country. The most expensive claim made for a medical evacuation in 2019-20 was $31,125.02 USD.
Inez Cooper
Founder & Managing Director, William Russell
These figures cover the period 2019-20, but at a time when the cost of global healthcare is increasing year-on-year, there is no telling what they may look like in 2020-21. This only serves to highlight how vital it is for families already living or planning to move abroad to urgently seek international health insurance from a trusted provider. Families may also want to consider the addition of medical evacuation insurance, which will provide cover should they need to travel to another country for medical treatment.
At William Russell, we provide all sorts of content through our website to help people learn about their healthcare options before or after relocating. We urge anyone living or working abroad to familiarise themselves with this content before making a decision regarding global health insurance.
