International Private Medical Insurance, or IPMI, works by giving people living or working abroad access to private healthcare outside their home country.
It works in a similar way to how personal health insurance does in the UK: you pay a premium and, subject to the terms of your policy, can access eligible diagnosis and treatment through private hospitals, clinics and medical specialists.
The key difference is that IPMI is designed to work across international borders. Rather than being based around one country’s healthcare system, cover can extend across a chosen region or, depending on the policy, worldwide.
It’s a question we’re often asked by people preparing to move overseas, as well as businesses sending employees abroad for the first time. The short answer is that IPMI provides longer-term private medical cover for people living internationally – but exactly how it works will depend on the policy, destination and level of cover selected.
Why IPMI Is Different From Travel Insurance
The first thing to understand is that International Private Medical Insurance is not the same as travel insurance.
Travel insurance is generally designed for holidays and shorter trips. It typically focuses on unexpected events such as medical emergencies, cancellations, delays and lost luggage.
While it can provide valuable protection when travelling, it isn’t intended to manage someone’s health over the longer term or replace comprehensive medical cover in the country where they live.
IPMI is designed for people who are living or working abroad for an extended period. Depending on the policy selected, it can cover a much broader range of healthcare, including consultations, diagnostic tests, specialist appointments and hospital treatment.
Cover for chronic or pre-existing medical conditions varies considerably. Some policies may cover certain existing conditions following medical underwriting, while others may exclude them or apply additional terms. It’s therefore important not to assume that an existing condition will automatically be covered.
Put simply, travel insurance protects you while you are travelling. IPMI is designed to support your healthcare while you are living abroad.
What’s Usually Included?
International Private Medical Insurance cover varies between insurers and policy levels, but core benefits will typically include eligible inpatient and day-patient treatment.
Depending on the plan selected, it may also include:
- Outpatient consultations and diagnostic tests
- Cancer care
- Mental health treatment
- Maternity care
- Dental and optical benefits
- Vaccinations and preventative healthcare
- Medical evacuation or repatriation
Not every policy includes all of these benefits as standard. Some may be optional additions or subject to limits, waiting periods and eligibility criteria.
One of the main advantages of IPMI is access to an international network of hospitals, clinics and specialists. The geographical area covered will depend on the policy, with options ranging from a specific country or region to worldwide cover.
Many providers also offer practical support alongside the medical benefits. This might include multilingual helplines, assistance finding a suitable specialist and help navigating an unfamiliar healthcare system.
That support can be particularly valuable when someone is unwell in a country where they don’t speak the language or understand how local healthcare works.
How Does IPMI Work Day to Day?
In practice, International Private Medical Insurance works much like other forms of private health insurance.
When you need treatment, you will usually contact your insurer before arranging anything significant. They can confirm whether the treatment is eligible, explain any limits or excesses and direct you to an appropriate hospital or specialist.
Depending on the insurer, medical provider and type of treatment, the bill may be settled directly between the insurer and the healthcare provider. In other cases, you may need to pay upfront and submit a claim for reimbursement.
Pre-authorisation is particularly important for planned hospital treatment. Arranging care without approval could mean that some or all of the cost isn’t covered, even if the treatment itself would otherwise have been eligible.
IPMI policies can provide cover across more than one country, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you can relocate anywhere without telling the insurer. Moving to a different country can affect your premium, area of cover and eligibility, so the provider should always be informed before your circumstances change.
IPMI for Individuals and for Businesses
International Private Medical Insurance can be arranged by individuals or provided by a business for employees working overseas.
For businesses sending employees abroad, an international health insurance scheme can help ensure that staff have consistent access to eligible private medical care while they are overseas.
It can form an important part of the support provided to internationally mobile employees, helping businesses manage their responsibilities and give employees reassurance before they relocate.
A company IPMI scheme can be designed around the needs of the business and its workforce. This might include employees on long-term overseas assignments, people who regularly move between different countries or staff recruited internationally.
Individuals may also arrange IPMI when moving abroad for work, retirement or a longer-term change of lifestyle. Access to state-funded healthcare varies considerably between countries and may depend on residency status, visa arrangements or local contributions.
It’s therefore important to understand what healthcare you will be entitled to in your destination country – and where private medical insurance may be needed to fill the gaps.
How Much Does International Private Medical Insurance Cost?
The cost of International Private Medical Insurance will depend on several factors, including:
- Your age
- Where you will be living
- The geographical area you want the policy to cover
- Your medical history
- The level of cover selected
- Your chosen excess
- Whether partners or dependants are included
Worldwide cover, particularly where it includes treatment in the USA, can cost considerably more than a policy limited to a particular country or region.
Optional benefits such as outpatient treatment, dental care and maternity cover can also affect the premium. Choosing the widest possible cover isn’t always necessary; the aim should be to match the policy to the healthcare you are likely to need and the countries in which you will need it.
Getting the Right IPMI Policy
The main thing to get right with IPMI is matching the policy to how you will actually live or work.
Someone based permanently in one country may have very different requirements from someone who moves between several locations. A person with an existing medical condition will need to understand precisely how that condition has been treated by the insurer, including any exclusions or additional terms.
Businesses also need to consider where employees will be based, how often they travel, whether dependants will be included and how easy the scheme will be to manage as people join, leave or relocate.
This is where good advice earns its keep. IPMI providers can differ significantly in their underwriting, hospital networks, geographical coverage, policy limits and claims processes.
At Santé Group, we work with insurers specialising in international private medical insurance for individuals and businesses. We can help you compare the available options, understand what is and isn’t covered and find a policy that reflects your circumstances.
If you’re planning a move abroad or arranging cover for employees overseas, speak to the Santé Group team before committing to a policy. It’s much better to identify any gaps at the outset than discover them when someone needs treatment.
