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Understanding insurance for expats
Getting started
What is international health insurance?
International health insurance is a special type of insurance that helps take care of your medical needs when you’re living, working, studying, traveling, or retired in a different country.
Who is international health insurance for?
International health insurance is designed to meet the healthcare needs of people living and working abroad (i.e., outside their country of nationality).
How does international health insurance work?
Unsure of how international health insurance works or need help selecting a plan that’s right for you? Our step by step guide will help you choose, buy and use international health insurance.
What are pre-existing medical conditions?
Pre-existing medical conditions are conditions you had before you got insurance. It could be things like asthma or cancer that you were already diagnosed with.
Do I need health insurance if where I live has free, public healthcare?
Even if you live in a country with free, public healthcare like the UK, New Zealand, or Italy, having health insurance can still be important.
What’s the difference between in-patient and out-patient care?
Understand the difference between in-patient, day-patient, and out-patient care, and when you might need any of them.
Where can I find explanations for insurance jargon?
We speak in plain English, but sometimes insurance terms are inevitable. We’ve put together a quick glossary of the most important insurance terms.
What is the difference between international health insurance and travel insurance?
Travel insurance protects you and your possessions while you’re travelling abroad. International health insurance covers you for medical treatment you receive while you’re at home and abroad.
How do I get started?
Ready to explore plans and see prices for international health insurance? Here’s our quick guide to getting started.
How our plans work
Am I eligible for health insurance?
3 things determine your eligibility for our international health insurance: nationality, where you live, and age.
Is health insurance available in all countries?
There are some countries where we can’t provide health insurance. The rules are a bit different for new members and existing members.
How long can I keep my policy?
You can keep your health insurance policy for as long as you want. There’s no age limit once you become a member. What’s more, you can keep your policy regardless of how many claims you make or the state of your health.
Which plan should I get?
All our plans help you access private healthcare around the world, but each does so in a different way. We’ve named them after metals to make it easier to compare.
How does an excess work?
An excess (also called a ‘deductible’) is the amount you contribute toward your medical bills when you make a claim. The more you contribute, the less you pay for your insurance cover.
What is a waiting period?
A waiting period is the time you must be insured by your policy before you can claim for treatment.
What is direct billing?
Direct billing is when your insurer pays the hospital directly. This means you won’t be out-of-pocket for your treatment costs.
What is co-insurance?
A co-insurance is the amount you contribute toward your medical bills when you make a claim under certain benefits.
How do I apply?
Applying for health insurance is easy. Follow this 4-step guide to get started with your policy.
How do I renew my policy?
Our policies for international health insurance are annually renewable. You must renew your policy each year to keep your cover for private healthcare.
What’s covered
What do the plans cover?
Our plans provide cover for private healthcare while you’re living and working abroad. There are four plans with different levels of cover, but all the plans provide cover for the following types of treatment.
What is a medical evacuation, and how does it work?
A medical evacuation, or medevac, is when you are taken from a place without suitable hospitals to a place with suitable hospitals. This can happen by road, sea, or air, and the vehicle you travel in will have life-saving medical equipment.
Am I covered for physiotherapy?
All our plans give you some cover for physiotherapy. Your level of cover depends on your health plan.
Am I covered for routine check-ups and vaccinations
Yes—if you have a Silver or Gold plan. These plans give you cover for preventive health and well-being checks and cover for immunisations and booster injections.
Am I covered for dental treatment?
All our health plans give you cover for emergency restorative treatment you receive as an in-patient. Beyond that, the cover you have depends on your plan and what options you chose.
Is there cover for dental treatment?
Dental treatment refers to medical care provided by a dentist. All our plans provide some cover for dental treatment.
Making a claim
I need medical treatment. Where do I start?
Here’s a quick guide on what to do if you need medical treatment, whether it’s a routine check-up with a doctor or you need emergency medical treatment.
How do we pay your medical bills?
How we pay your bills depends on the medical treatment you’re receiving. This guide gives you information on how we pay hospitals and reimburse you for any bills you’ve paid yourself.
How do I check if I’m covered for a treatment?
Follow these steps to check whether you’re covered for a certain type of medical treatment. If you want to double check with us, we’re available by phone or email.
At which hospitals can I have treatment?
You can choose to have your medical treatment at any hospital or clinic within your area of cover. We work a little differently from other insurance providers, who might tell you where you can and cannot have medical treatment. With William Russell, you can go to any hospital in any country that’s within the area of cover stated on your Certificate of Insurance.
How do I make a claim?
How you make a claim depends on what medical treatment you’re receiving. This guide covers how you claim for everyday medical care (e.g., doctor visits) and how claim works when you’re admitted to hospital.
How long will my claim take?
We aim to assess your claim for out-patient treatment within 10 working days.
Do I need to pre-authorise my medical treatment?
Pre-authorisation is when we confirm to you before your course of medical treatment starts that we’ll pay for the treatment. Not all treatment needs pre-authorisation. This guide tell you which treatments do and how it works.
Do you cover doctor admin fees?
No, we don’t cover any administration or registration fees that your doctor’s treating hospital charges you. We also won’t pay any fee your doctor charges you to complete your claim form.
Is there a time limit for making my claim?
Please submit your claim for medical treatment within 6 months of the date of your medical treatment. If you treatment was more than 6 months ago, just send in your claim anyway and we’ll review it.
Is there a no claims discount?
We don’t offer a no claim discount, which means there’s no discount or refund if you don’t make a claim.
About William Russell
Who’s the insurer behind William Russell’s products?
Insurance is an important thing to have, but it’s equally important to know who is behind the insurance you buy. At William Russell, we want to explain this to you in a way that is easy to understand, even if you don’t know much about insurance or English may not be your first language.
Is William Russell an insurance company?
No, William Russell provides insurance on behalf of the Allianz group. We design the insurance plans in partnership with the Allianz group, but our team are solely responsible for your member experience and the tech that powers it, helping you access doctors and hospitals, paying your claims.
Who is William Russell?
William Russell is not a person; it’s a team of people. When Inez Cooper founded William Russell in 1992, she gave the company a man’s name because, at the time, insurance was a man’s world. Things are changing, but William Russell remains a special case. We’re proud to say we’re a female-powered organisation.
Where can I find reviews about William Russell?
We work with one of the leading independent review collectors, Feefo, to collect honest member reviews. You can see what our members are saying about here.
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Getting started
Can I purchase life insurance with my occupation/job?
Some people’s occupations/jobs put them at a higher risk of death than others. If you have an occupation/job that features on the following list, we cannot provide you with life insurance.
Are there any countries where I cannot buy life insurance?
There are certain countries where we cannot provide life insurance. Please note that the rules are slightly different for new members and existing members.
How do you calculate life insurance premiums?
How much you pay depends on how much you wish to insure your life for and your age. The higher your life benefit, the more you’ll pay in insurance premiums. Equally, the older you get, the higher your premiums get.
How much does international life insurance cost?
How much you’ll pay for your plan depends on your age, how much you cover you require, and your medical history… read more here.
Why do new parents buy life insurance?
Raising children can be expensive. Last December, the Child Poverty Action Group in the UK reported that the cost of bringing up a child is at least £190,000. Expat parents can expect that figure to be much higher, with private school fees, regular international travel, and all the perks that come with the expat lifestyle. Often, your income (or your partner’s) is the only way to pay for these costs of raising your child.
How much life insurance do I need?
When you purchase life insurance, you choose the amount of money that we pay to your beneficiary in the event of your death. This amount is called the ‘life benefit’. When choosing your life benefit, you should consider your circumstances. People generally think about how much their family would need to meet existing financial commitments such as debts or mortgages. Thinking about these commitments may be a useful guide to how much you should insure. Read more here.
Do you provide term life insurance?
All our plans include cover for emergency in-patient dental treatment. We have options for routine dental care on our SilverLite plan, and we have options both for routine and complex dental care on our Silver plan. The Gold plan comes with routine dental care as standard, with the option for complex dental care.
How our plans work
Who can purchase a plan from William Russell?
You can buy our insurance plans if you’re an expat, a digital nomad or someone who travels at least 6 months of the year. In some countries, you can buy our plans even if you’re not an expat or a nomad.
Can I delay the start of my plan?
Yes, you can delay the start of your plan—but not indefinitely.
What happens to my international life insurance plan if I miss a payment?
We automatically cancel your plan if you fail to pay your premium by its due date. We usually allow your plan to continue if you pay the outstanding premium within 30 days of its due date.
Can I purchase international life insurance if I have pre-existing medical conditions?
Our international life insurance does not cover you for death due to medical conditions or related conditions that existed prior to the start date of your plan. This doesn’t mean you cannot apply for life insurance if you have pre-existing medical conditions. We may agree to cover you for those conditions, or we may issue a formal exclusion for those conditions.
How do I know you’ll pay my life benefit if I die?
Subject to the terms and conditions of the plan, we’ll pay your life benefit upon your death to your nominated beneficiary or beneficiaries. The insurer of your life insurance plan is AWP Health & Life SA, a French insurer in the Allianz group of companies. Allianz is one of the largest and most robust financial services groups in the world.
Does my life insurance pay out if I die in an accident?
Yes. You can also increase your cover for death by accident if you purchase the optional accident benefit. The accident benefit will also payout if you survive the accident but it causes you a severe disability.
Can I renew my life insurance, even if I’m in poor health?
Yes. You can renew your plan for as long as you need, even if your health deteriorates. We’ll only ask you more medical questions if you want to increase your life benefit.
Why are your life insurance plans annually renewable?
We think that annually renewable plans are more suitable for people living and working abroad. It means our members aren’t tied into long-term contracts if they decide to move countries, return home, or if their circumstances change. Even though your plan is annually renewable, we don’t ask you more medical questions. You can renew your plan for as long as you need, even if your health deteriorates.
Is there a maximum age for international life insurance?
You must be 69 or younger when you purchase your international life insurance. Our plans are annually renewable, and you can renew your plan until you reach the age of 70.
Can I have more than one life insurance plan?
You can have more than one life insurance plan with William Russell as long as you don’t exceed the 20x salary or monetary maximums across the William Russell policies. For example, you can have one policy for your mortgage and one for your family; you might want your own life insurance plan in addition to the one provided by your employer.
Are there any restrictions on how much cover I can have?
There is a maximum life benefit of US$2,000,000 or £1,500,000 or €1,700,000. You can apply for Life benefit of 20x your gross annual earnings at the time you applied for your plan.
Is the life benefit with William Russell tax free?
It depends on where you die and where your beneficiaries live. Before purchasing life insurance, you should check your inheritance tax obligations. You can write your international life insurance in trust to help your beneficiaries avoid paying inheritance tax or any other taxes.
What’s not covered in my life insurance policy with William Russell?
Life insurance plans are usually quite straightforward. In short, if you die, your plan pays. But there are some things you won’t have cover for…
What does international life insurance with William Russell cover?
There are different types of expat life insurance, for example, you may have heard of level term life insurance, decreasing term life insurance, and joint life insurance. We provide annually-renewable expat life insurance: you renew your policy each year without the need for medical questions or examinations, and your life benefit stays the same.
What do I need to get a quote from William Russell?
To give you a quick online quote, we only need to know your age, where you’re living and working, and how much cover you need. We need to know your age because our premiums are age-related. They increase as you get older. We provide international life insurance, but we need to know where you live because there are some countries where we cannot provide cover (Iran, North Korea, Libya, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen or Switzerland).
Can I use your life insurance when getting a mortgage?
Yes, you can use international life insurance from William Russell to cover a mortgage – we have numerous members around the world who have nominated their banks as the beneficiary of their policy with any residual benefit going to family members.
What makes William Russell’s life insurance “international”?
Domestic life insurance plans typically cover you only while you’re permanently resident in the country where you purchased the plan. That’s usually your country of nationality or another country where you’re living permanently…
About William Russell
Who’s the insurer behind William Russell’s products?
Insurance is an important thing to have, but it’s equally important to know who is behind the insurance you buy. At William Russell, we want to explain this to you in a way that is easy to understand, even if you don’t know much about insurance or English may not be your first language.
Is William Russell an insurance company?
No, William Russell provides insurance on behalf of the Allianz group. We design the insurance plans in partnership with the Allianz group, but our team are solely responsible for your member experience and the tech that powers it, helping you access doctors and hospitals, paying your claims.
Who is William Russell?
William Russell is not a person; it’s a team of people. When Inez Cooper founded William Russell in 1992, she gave the company a man’s name because, at the time, insurance was a man’s world. Things are changing, but William Russell remains a special case. We’re proud to say we’re a female-powered organisation.
Where can I find reviews about William Russell?
We work with one of the leading independent review collectors, Feefo, to collect honest member reviews. You can see what our members are saying about here.
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How our plans work
Who can purchase a plan from William Russell?
You can buy our insurance plans if you’re an expat, a digital nomad or someone who travels at least 6 months of the year. In some countries, you can buy our plans even if you’re not an expat or a nomad.
Can I delay the start of my plan?
Yes, you can delay the start of your plan—but not indefinitely.
About William Russell
Who’s the insurer behind William Russell’s products?
Insurance is an important thing to have, but it’s equally important to know who is behind the insurance you buy. At William Russell, we want to explain this to you in a way that is easy to understand, even if you don’t know much about insurance or English may not be your first language.
Is William Russell an insurance company?
No, William Russell provides insurance on behalf of the Allianz group. We design the insurance plans in partnership with the Allianz group, but our team are solely responsible for your member experience and the tech that powers it, helping you access doctors and hospitals, paying your claims.
Who is William Russell?
William Russell is not a person; it’s a team of people. When Inez Cooper founded William Russell in 1992, she gave the company a man’s name because, at the time, insurance was a man’s world. Things are changing, but William Russell remains a special case. We’re proud to say we’re a female-powered organisation.
Where can I find reviews about William Russell?
We work with one of the leading independent review collectors, Feefo, to collect honest member reviews. You can see what our members are saying about here.
Getting started
Can I purchase income protection with my occupation/job?
Some people’s occupations/jobs put them at a higher risk of death than others. If you have an occupation/job that features on the following list, we cannot provide you with income protection insurance.
Are there any countries where I cannot buy income protection?
There are certain countries where we cannot provide income protection insurance. Please note that the rules are slightly different for new members and existing members.
What is income protection insurance?
International income protection insurance is a form of insurance that will cover you if you become ill or injured and unable to earn money while living overseas…
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About William Russell
Who’s the insurer behind William Russell’s products?
Insurance is an important thing to have, but it’s equally important to know who is behind the insurance you buy. At William Russell, we want to explain this to you in a way that is easy to understand, even if you don’t know much about insurance or English may not be your first language.
Is William Russell an insurance company?
No, William Russell provides insurance on behalf of the Allianz group. We design the insurance plans in partnership with the Allianz group, but our team are solely responsible for your member experience and the tech that powers it, helping you access doctors and hospitals, paying your claims.
Who is William Russell?
William Russell is not a person; it’s a team of people. When Inez Cooper founded William Russell in 1992, she gave the company a man’s name because, at the time, insurance was a man’s world. Things are changing, but William Russell remains a special case. We’re proud to say we’re a female-powered organisation.
Where can I find reviews about William Russell?
We work with one of the leading independent review collectors, Feefo, to collect honest member reviews. You can see what our members are saying about here.
Brokers
Where do you have direct billing?
All our plans include cover for emergency in-patient dental treatment. We have options for routine dental care on our SilverLite plan, and we have options both for routine and complex dental care on our Silver plan. The Gold plan comes with routine dental care as standard, with the option for complex dental care.
How do I pay my premiums?
All our plans include cover for emergency in-patient dental treatment. We have options for routine dental care on our SilverLite plan, and we have options both for routine and complex dental care on our Silver plan. The Gold plan comes with routine dental care as standard, with the option for complex dental care.
What are the maximum benefits limits for the plans?
All our plans include cover for emergency in-patient dental treatment. We have options for routine dental care on our SilverLite plan, and we have options both for routine and complex dental care on our Silver plan. The Gold plan comes with routine dental care as standard, with the option for complex dental care.
Do the plans have age limits?
All our plans include cover for emergency in-patient dental treatment. We have options for routine dental care on our SilverLite plan, and we have options both for routine and complex dental care on our Silver plan. The Gold plan comes with routine dental care as standard, with the option for complex dental care.
Are there excluded countries?
All our plans include cover for emergency in-patient dental treatment. We have options for routine dental care on our SilverLite plan, and we have options both for routine and complex dental care on our Silver plan. The Gold plan comes with routine dental care as standard, with the option for complex dental care.
How do I register as a broker?
All our plans include cover for emergency in-patient dental treatment. We have options for routine dental care on our SilverLite plan, and we have options both for routine and complex dental care on our Silver plan. The Gold plan comes with routine dental care as standard, with the option for complex dental care.
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What’s covered
Is there cover for dental treatment?
Dental treatment refers to medical care provided by a dentist. All our plans provide some cover for dental treatment.
About William Russell
Who’s the insurer behind William Russell’s products?
Insurance is an important thing to have, but it’s equally important to know who is behind the insurance you buy. At William Russell, we want to explain this to you in a way that is easy to understand, even if you don’t know much about insurance or English may not be your first language.
Is William Russell an insurance company?
No, William Russell provides insurance on behalf of the Allianz group. We design the insurance plans in partnership with the Allianz group, but our team are solely responsible for your member experience and the tech that powers it, helping you access doctors and hospitals, paying your claims.
Who is William Russell?
William Russell is not a person; it’s a team of people. When Inez Cooper founded William Russell in 1992, she gave the company a man’s name because, at the time, insurance was a man’s world. Things are changing, but William Russell remains a special case. We’re proud to say we’re a female-powered organisation.
Where can I find reviews about William Russell?
We work with one of the leading independent review collectors, Feefo, to collect honest member reviews. You can see what our members are saying about here.
