
Your health partner
while living and working in Vietnam
For a healthcare experience that puts you at its heart, choose William Russell. Since 1992, we have supported expats like you in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. With our international health plans, you can get cover for the latest medical treatments and freedom to access private healthcare internationally. Plus, you’ll have help and support from a team of real people with our trademark personalised service.
- No call centres
- 24/7 emergency assistance
- 15% off for new members in Vietnam
Who needs international health insurance?
If you’re an expat living and working in Vietnam, or you need cover for private healthcare in multiple countries, then you may be best suited to an international health insurance policy. We provide global health insurance cover for expat families and individuals, international citizens, remote workers, frequent travellers, start-up companies, global businesses, governmental organisations, and non-governmental organisations. Whether you’re planning your future travelling abroad or you’re already out on an assignment, it only takes two minutes to get a quote online.

Access to top
hospitals & doctors in Vietnam
With over 40,000 hospitals in our worldwide network, you can rest assured you’re getting the best care. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you’ll have access to the best hospitals & doctors in Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and internationally.

Tough on cancer,
strong on support
Our plans cover the latest cancer care and treatments,
including genome testing. But we know cancer affects life in so many other ways too. That’s why we provide benefits for wigs following chemotherapy, counselling with a psychologist, and consultations with a dietitian. We’re here for you when it matters most.

Cover for mental health
Living and working in Vietnam, well away from your support network, can be tough. That’s why our plans cover your
mental health consultations and treatment.
How does global health insurance work?
Needing medical treatment at home can be stressful—let alone when you need it overseas in Indonesia, with unfamiliar hospitals and doctors. International health insurance helps to minimise any worry or complications by covering the financial costs of your medical care. But not all plans are born equal. With our plans, you’ll generally have access to private hospitals and clinics throughout Vietnam and Southeast Asia, with doctors who speak good English. You’ll also have emergency medical assistance and the option to add on dentistry among other popular benefits.
Value plans
Health insurance for people who simply want cover for serious conditions and major healthcare costs, around the world.
Comprehensive plans
Medical insurance for people who want cover for a wider range of healthcare, including routine childbirth, mental health treatment, and chronic conditions.
Plans for Individuals
Plans designed for professionals, remote workers, students, frequent travellers and people on work assignments.
Plans for Families
Plans for families with children aged under 18, and those who want peace of mind when planning a family in the future.
Plans for Businesses
Plans for start-ups and businesses with remote workers or expat employees.
Frequently asked questions
Most international health plans include similar cover for the basics of your healthcare needs. To make our plans as transparent as possible and help you choose the right one for you – we’ve outlined our most commonly asked questions here. But you can follow the link below to see more FAQs or call our friendly team on +44 1276 486 477.
What is international health insurance?
International health insurance (also known as international private medical insurance) gives you access to private healthcare in Vietnam and around the world.
While most domestic health plans only cover you in one country, global health insurance plans cover you in multiple (or even all) countries. They’re great for people who live and work abroad, or who spend lots of time travelling. Some international medical insurance plans also include emergency medical evacuation cover so you can access urgent treatment even if it’s not available in your location.
What do global health plans cover?
International health insurance policies are designed to cover you for medical treatment when you’re admitted to a hospital, plus cover for serious issues such as cancer and mental health around the world. The exact nature of cover depends on the policy you buy and the insurance provider you buy it from. Some policies include cover for everyday visits to your doctor or pharmacy.
Generally speaking, plans with higher levels of cover will come at a higher cost. Most private health plans don’t cover pre-existing medical conditions (i.e., conditions you had before you took out the plan) as standard.
To make sure your William Russell plan suits your needs, you can customise it with a range of optional extras, such as cover for dental treatment.
WHAT OUR PLANS COVERHow much does international health insurance cost?
In 2020, our average premium for an individual for a single year of cover was US$3,470*. How much you pay depends on your circumstances.
At William Russell, the most important factors when we calculate your insurance premium are your age and where you live (e.g., Vietnam). Premiums tend to increase as you get older, and will be higher in countries or regions where the cost of private healthcare is higher. However, your claims history won’t affect your insurance premium, and we don’t take your credit score into account.
Whilst international health insurance prices vary a lot, they are generally more expensive than local/domestic policies. But, local health insurance only gives you cover in a single country. The major benefit to an international policy is that you have cover in multiple countries as well as cover for emergency medical evacuation.
The average cost of expat health insuranceDo you only provide plans to expats?
In most cases, we can only provide insurance to expats. By expat, we mean people living and working outside of their country of nationality (e.g., a French national or Australian national living in Vietnam).
Typically, our members reside permanently in Vietnam. But we can sometimes provide cover to people expecting to spend at least 6 months of the year living or travelling in Vietnam.
We can provide plans to people of all nationalities in most countries around the world. You must be under age 70 when your plan starts, and you must be living or working in a country different from your country of nationality.
What is an Expat or Expatriate?Do your plans cover COVID-19?
If you have a global health plan from William Russell, you’re covered for the treatment of COVID-19 as you would be for any other viral infection. This is provided that the plan you have selected covers the treatment and you don’t have personal medical exclusions on your certificate of insurance that would apply.
More about COVID-19 and our insurance plansWhat our members say


When I made the call, Maggie was very considerate & supportive. She was professional & clear in guiding me through the various steps. I just felt I should share my experience & say that should you need to claim, the support is there to guide us through this difficult period.
Seth Underwood Member with William RussellLatest News
Perks of being a member
with William Russell

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 members and us. That’s why we’re completely upfront with our health plans, and we want you to understand precisely what you’re buying.

We’re 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, sustainable pricing model. And you can tailor your plan to help reduce your premium without compromising your cover.

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 you really need us. We don’t hide behind call centres or bot webchats.