Global (EN) 
Indonesia (EN) 
UAE (EN) 
The headline changes to our international health insurance plans for 2021 include:
- Merging the BronzeLite plan with Bronze
- Low average inflationary premium increases for new customers
- Improvements to our cancer benefits on the Gold plan
- More flexibility with local nationals
Table of contents
Our values
We believe
in people
Some insurers rely on AI and Big Data to do their work for them. We think differently. Healthcare is a highly personal experience, so it deserves a personal service. We’re a team of real people, at the end of a phone call when customers really need us. We don’t hide behind call centres or bot webchats.
Committed
to fairness
Healthcare is expensive, and— sadly—costs are on the up. We do everything possible to spread this inflation fairly. We calculate premiums with a long- term pricing model, and we give customers tailoring tools to help reduce their premium without significantly compromising their cover.
Transparency
matters to us
Insurance is about trust, so we believe in being fair and open. This belief informs our idea of healthcare as a partnership between our customers and us. That’s why we’re completely upfront with our health plans, and we want customers to understand precisely what they’re buying.
Higher maximum age of entry
We can accept applicant customers up to and including age 75 on both personal plans and plans for businesses. Customers applying over age 69 are subject to full medical underwriting.
More flexibility with local nationals
We can accept local nationals on personal plans in the following countries: Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, Mauritius, Estonia, and Malawi. Outside these countries, only 10% of our policyholders can be local nationals. In all countries around the world, we can accept plans for business where up to 50% of employees are local nationals.
Zone 2 includes cover in Thailand
Customers with Zone 2 have cover for medical treatment in Thailand. There are some restrictions. For customers with Zone 2, we will not cover elective treatment they receive in the Bangkok Hospital Group or the Bumrungrad Hospital.
We’re merging BronzeLite with Bronze
We’re adding a semi-private room option to Bronze, so there’s no longer much difference between Bronze and BronzeLite. For this reason, we’ve stopped selling BronzeLite. We’re switching existing customers with BronzeLite to Bronze from renewal.
Optional travel plan
We’re withdrawing the optional travel plan from 01 January 2021 for new business and renewal.
Optional personal accident plan
From 01 January 2021, Allianz will underwrite the optional personal accident plan. For customers resident in the UK, AWP P&C SA UK will be the insurer. For customers elsewhere, AWP Health & Life SA will be the insurer.
New options for the SilverLite plan
Private accommodation
Customers with SilverLite can now choose private hospital accommodation by paying a premium loading of 8.02%.
A choice of annual out-patient benefit limits
Customers with SilverLite can now choose from several annual benefit limits for out-patient treatment and primary medical care.
| SilverLite plans starting in 2020 | SilverLite plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
| Annual benefit limit of US$7,500 for out-patient treatment & US$2,500 for primary medical care | Choice of annual benefit limits:
|
Medevac Plus
Customers with SilverLite can now add Medevac Plus to their plan.
Dental Basic
Customers with SilverLite can now add US$500 cover for routine dental treatment to their plan, subject to 20% co-insurance (10% on plans for businesses).
Maternity
Customers with SilverLite can now add US$5,000 cover for routine maternity care, subject to 10% co-insurance. This option is only available on plans for businesses.
General benefit changes
Private & semi-private hospital accommodation
Customers can now choose between private and semi-private rooms on the Bronze and SilverLite plans.
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| SilverLite | Semi-private rooms only | A choice between semi-private or private rooms |
| Bronze | Private rooms only | A choice between semi-private or private rooms |
Cancer benefits
We’ve added cover for mental health treatment under the counselling benefit of each plan. We’ve also made some changes to differentiate the cancer benefits under Silver and Gold.
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Wig benefit (Gold) |
US$150* | US$250* |
| Counselling benefit (Gold) |
US$500* | US$750* |
| Dietitian benefit (Gold) |
US$100* | US$250* |
| Counselling benefit (all plans) |
10 consultations with a psychologist/counsellor | 10 consultations, plus drugs prescribed for mental health treatment* |
*Lifetime limit
Treatment for congenital conditions or hereditary conditions for newborn babies
We’ve changed the name of the emergency medical treatment for newborn babies benefit. It’s also no longer linked to hereditary and congenital conditions elsewhere in the table of benefits. Children who are added to the plan without this cover will still have cover under their own plan once they are added.
Waiting periods for mental health benefits
Mental health is an increasingly important focus for our health plans. We’re halving waiting periods for mental health benefits, and we’re including consultations with counsellors in the benefit for out-patient mental health treatment.
Waiting period for the well-child benefit
The 6-month waiting period applies to the parents’ plan, not the child’s plan. This means that newborn babies and other children added to the plan will have cover in their first 6 months, provided we’ve insured one of the parents for at least 6 months.
Frames in the optical benefit (plans for businesses)
We’ve added frames into the optical benefit available with health plans for businesses.
Changes to our pricing model
Average inflationary premium increase
The average inflationary premium increase from 2020 to 2021 is 4.65%. We’re funding this increase in different ways across our portfolio. The inflationary premium increase is in addition to the normal age-related premium increases.
Geographical variance
Inflationary premium increases depend greatly on the country of residence. For our target markets in Africa and Southeast Asia, the inflationary premium increase from 2020 to 2021 may be as low as 2%. In more expensive regions such as the Orchid countries*, the inflationary premium increase may be as high as 7%.
*China (incl. Hong Kong), Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Japan.
Changes to child discounts
We’re reducing the discount we give to second and subsequent children on health plans. The discounts apply to new business and renewals.
| Discounts for plans starting in 2020 |
Discounts for plans starting in 2021 |
|
|---|---|---|
| First child | 0% | 0% |
| Second child | 10% | 5% |
| Third child onwards | 15% | 7.5% |
Changes to exchange rates we use for legacy customers
Legacy customers who joined us before 2019, and who pay their premiums in pounds sterling or Euros, may experience higher than average premium increases as we continue to normalise currency exchange rates.
| Dollar exchange rates for plans starting in 2020 |
Dollar exchange rates for plans starting in 2021 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Legacy GBP renewals | 1.48 | 1.42 |
| GBP new business & renewals | 1.30 | 1.28 |
| EUR new business & renewals | 1.20 | 1.18 |
Customers with a US$250 excess
Legacy customers who joined us before 2019 and who enjoy a higher discount with the US$250 excess may experience higher than average premium increases as we continue to normalise the excess discounts.
Age-related premium increases
The inflationary premium increases detailed above are subject to the usual age-related premium increases for existing customers: around 3% up to age 65, and around 6% up to age 80.
Our country rating model
Country rating refers to the premium loading or discount we apply to a country or group of countries. In 2019, we only had 11 country ratings. In 2020, we had 35 country ratings. In 2021, we have 100 country ratings. This reflects our increasingly sophisticated pricing model. We’re capable of giving more accurate premiums to our customers in different countries.
Moving towards modular pricing
We are moving towards a modular pricing model. This means departing from the current percentage-based approach for certain pricing levels. This transition will take time, and—for 2021—we have only applied it to the well-being and dental optional benefits. We’ll no longer see pricing anomalies such as the price for a well- being option exceeding the benefit limit.
Our plan for customers with Essential
We are closing the Essential health plans at the end of 2021. We’ll be encouraging customers to switch to Bronze or SilverLite throughout 2021.
Changes to plan options
Changes to excess discounts
The following excess discounts and loadings apply to health plans starting in 2021.
| Bronze | SilverLite | Silver | Gold | Essential Care | Essential Care Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | ||||||
| Nil excess | 0.00% | 20.00% | 20.00% | 20.00% | 0.00% | 20.00% |
| Business | ||||||
| Nil excess | 1.00% | 9.00% | 9.00% | 10.00% | 0.00% | 9.00% |
| Per claim | ||||||
| US$50 | n/a | 4.50% | 4.50% | 5.00% | n/a | 4.00% |
| US$100 | n/a | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.50% | n/a | -1.00% |
| US$400 | -3.50% | n/a | -8.50% | -8.50% | n/a | n/a |
| US$800 | -8.00% | -13.00% | -13.00% | -13.00% | n/a | n/a |
| US$1,600 | -17.00% | -26.00% | -26.00% | -26.00% | n/a | n/a |
| US$5,000 | -33.00% | n/a | -41.00% | -40.00% | n/a | n/a |
| US$10,000 | -53.00% | n/a | -53.00% | -51.00% | n/a | n/a |
| Per annum | ||||||
| US$250 | -1.50% | -1.50% | -1.50% | -1.50% | -1.50% | -1.50% |
| US$250 (legacy) | -2.50% | -5.00% | -5.00% | -4.00% | -2.50% | -5.00% |
| US$500 | -4.00% | -5.50% | -5.50% | -5.00% | -4.00% | -5.50% |
| US$1,000 | -11.00% | -16.00% | -16.00% | -15.00% | -11.00% | -16.00% |
| US$2,500 | -18.50% | -28.50% | -28.50% | -26.00% | -13.50% | -28.50% |
| US$5,000 | -23.00% | -33.00% | -33.00% | -33.00% | -20.00% | -33.00% |
| US$10,000 | -34.00% | -44.00% | -44.00% | -44.00% | -24.00% | -44.00% |
Medevac Plus (both personal plans & plans for businesses)
For all plans (including SilverLite), Medevac Plus now comes at a 5% premium loading.
Enhanced well-being (personal plans)
Enhancing the well-being benefit on Silver or Gold now costs an age-related, fixed price.
| Silver
Increase in well-being limit from US$300 to US$500 |
Gold
Increase in well-being limit from US$750 to US$1,300 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 0-17 | US$0 | US$0 |
| 18-40 | US$130 | US$215 |
| 41-50 | US$170 | US$320 |
| 51+ | US$190 | US$520 |
Enhanced well-being (plans for businesses)
Enhancing the well-being benefit on Silver or Gold costs a fixed price.
| Silver | Gold | |
|---|---|---|
| Increase in well-being limit to | US$500 | US$1,300 |
| Price on Silver | US$130 | n/a |
| Price on Gold | n/a | US$280 |
Dental Basic & Dental Plus (personal plans)
The dental options on Silver or Gold now cost an age-related, fixed price.
| Age group | Silver
Dental Basic |
Silver
Dental Plus |
Gold
Dental Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-17 | US$120 | US$200 | US$120 |
| 18-30 | US$300 | US$175 | US$500 |
| 31-40 | US$350 | US$210 | US$600 |
| 41-50 | US$485 | US$300 | US$850 |
| 51-60 | US$650 | US$500 | US$1,100 |
| 61+ | US$900 | US$1,000 | US$1,500 |
Other changes to optional benefits available on plans for businesses
There are changes to the optional benefits available on plans for businesses, the main ones of which are summarised here:
- Optional maternity benefits now available on SilverLite
- Changes to prices for dental options for both adults and children
Changes to exclusions
We’re making the following changes to the exclusion section of the plan agreements for health plans starting in 2021.
Accidents or injuries resulting from
your failure to adhere to local motoring laws
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
| n/a | You are not covered for accidents or injuries arising from: –
|
Drugs prescribed for out-patient mental health treatment
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
| You are not covered for drugs prescribed for out-patient mental health treatment. | You are not covered for drugs prescribed for out-patient mental health treatment. However, there may be some cover under the Cancer treatment, Counselling section of the table of benefits. |
Eyesight
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
You are not covered for: –
|
You are not covered for: –
|
Professional sports and motorised
racing as an amateur or a professional
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
You are not covered for treatment for an illness or injury related to: –
|
You are not covered for treatment for an illness or injury related to: –
|
Nasal septum deviation
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
| You are not covered for treatment related to nasal septum deviation and nasal concha resection. | Removed |
War and terrorism
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
| You are not covered for treatment arising directly or indirectly from war, foreign enemy hostility, terrorism, rebellion, civil war, revolution, military coup, riot, strike, martial law, state of siege or attempted overthrow of a government, in a country or region that the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office has advised its citizens to leave, or advised its citizens against all travel to, unless you are an innocent bystander. | You are not covered for treatment arising directly or indirectly from war, foreign enemy hostility, terrorism, rebellion, civil war, revolution, military coup, riot, strike, martial law, state of siege or attempted overthrow of a government, unless you are an innocent bystander. |
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
| Plans starting in 2020 | Plans starting in 2021 |
|---|---|
| n/a | You are not covered for treatment of disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) including any related condition. |
What does your international health insurance plan cover?
Your plan provides you with benefit for the cost of treating eligible medical conditions which arise after your date of entry. We will pay for the reasonable and customary costs of medically necessary treatment of medical conditions covered by your plan.
We will only pay for such treatment if it is received during your period of cover, and provided your premium payments have been kept up to date.
Read moreHow can I choose the right excess for my international insurance cover?
Most people who take out private health insurance are keen to explore ways they can save money, and excess is one method of lowering your premium. This means agreeing to pay a certain amount towards your medical bills, usually ranging from £0–£5,000 depending on the insurer and policy.
The excess shown on your Certificate of Insurance is the amount each insured person will have to pay towards the cost of their treatment.
You have the option to add excess to any medical insurance policy you choose. However, it’s important that you are able to cover the cost if you need to make a claim.
Find out moreHow can I choose the right international health insurance plan for my circumstances?
Picking the right insurance products for your circumstances can be tricky. That’s why we’ve created an up-to-date guide on what you should look out for when choosing your expat health insurance plan.
Find out more
