Will my claims paid directly to the hospital?
Paying up front will leave you out-of-pocket after your medical treatment. To help relieve this inconvenience AXA PPP healthcare has direct settlement arrangements with over 700 hospitals around the world to settle in-patient bills directly.
Speed of payment
Healthcare providers vary in the length of time they take to pay a claim, so make sure you choose a company that has a good reputation for the efficiency of its claims settlement.
Where you live
Whilst your policy will cover you for treatment in france, will your medical bills be paid if you are taken ill elsewhere in the world?
How quickly can you contact my medical provider when I need them most?
Check the opening hours of customer service helplines and whether they are open at the weekends. Can you get in touch with them around the clock, 365 days a year, in case of emergency?
Customer Service Helplines
You need to know that any queries you have about your cover can be dealt with. Do you, for example, have access to telephone based interpretation services and facilities to help you find English speaking doctors and dentists locally if you aren't fluent in foreign languages?
Inclusions & Exclusions
Make sure you appreciate the scope of your cover to avoid costly misunderstandings. No insurance policy is designed to cover all eventualities so, before you buy your medical insurance policy, have you thought about:
-
Being able to pre-authorise your treatment before it commences so you can be assured of your cover and, in some cases, arrange for bills to be settled directly with the hospital.
- The level of cover provided under the in-patient benefits. For example will your benefit be sufficient to pay for treatment received in the USA?
- The level of cover for day-patient and out-patient treatment: this includes procedures which don't require an overnight stay, diagnostic tests and physiotherapy. Most insurance companies vary the level of out-patient cover depending on what plan you chose.
- Emergency dental cover for accidental injury.
- Nursing at home following treatment.
- Private ambulance transportation costs.
- Cash benefit - will you receive a cash sum for each night you stay in a hospital bed when you have received free in-patient hospital treatment.
- Travel – whilst your healthcare policy should take care of your medical costs, you may also want to ensure that you have the option to be insured for any holiday travel outside of your area of cover.
The final point to take into consideration is that you may not see a large difference in policy and price between two insurers although the services and levels of support they offer could differ immensely. It can make all the difference to be dealing with a company who is supportive of its members, regardless of whether you need to claim on your policy or not. General health advice and information on different illnesses or diseases you may encounter while abroad are an invaluable asset and can be available through 24-hour helplines such as Health at Hand, AXA PPP healthcare's health information line, which is staffed by healthcare professionals 365 days a year.
With over 35 years experience in the international health insurance market, AXA PPP healthcare is dedicated to looking after the healthcare insurance needs of people who are living, working or retired outside the UK for more than six months a year and in certain areas, residents residing in their home countries.
Our International Health Plan covers individuals as well as businesses of all sizes. We offer the choice of three levels of cover Standard, Comprehensive and Prestige. In addition to choosing their level of benefit, members also select an area of cover to suit their needs.
We believe that what really makes AXA PPP healthcare different from other healthcare providers is our excellent support and service coupled with our personal touch. These are values that, alongside access to private healthcare, allow AXA PPP healthcare to give peace of mind to their members and intermediaries alike. Not only are our employees friendly, professional and efficient, they have also made it their business to help and look after you.
For further information on international health insurance from AXA PPP healthcare please contact:
+44 1892 508 800 for individuals
or visit www.axappphealthcare.com
Back