International Health Insurance

International Health Insurance provides long-term coverage to people living or working outside of their home country, typically for one year or longer. These plans are ideal for expats and their families, individuals with dual residences, multinational employers, and more. Being a global citizen can be an exciting experience, yet one that can pose many potential risks. Your health care abroad should not be one of those concerns. IMG offers revolutionary programs that provide the flexible worldwide coverage you need, backed by the world-class services you expect.

IMG's flagship international medical insurance plan, Global Medical Insurance, allows you to custom build a plan that is specifically tailored to you. The program provides benefits suitable for individuals and families, provides fully portable 24 hour coverage, and gives you the global piece of mind you are seeking. Additionally, the plan was designed to provide long-term, worldwide medical cover that allows you to receive and continue treatment wherever you choose.

Popular Plans
Ideal for Expats & Global Citizens

Recommended

Global Medical Insurance

Annually renewable worldwide medical insurance program for individuals and families

Highlights

  • Long-term (1+ year) worldwide medical insurance for individuals and families
  • Annually renewable medical coverage
  • Deductible options from $100 to $25,000
  • Maximum limit options from $1,000,000 to $8,000,000
Trip Protection
Medical Benefits

Group International Health Insurance Programs

 

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Recent Blog Articles

Four Practical Tips to Prepare for International Travel

Mar 23, 2017, 12:30 PM by Alec Synnestvedt
IMG has compensated the author for providing this article.

My husband Chris and I are fortunate to have been able to travel to over 35 countries. We’ve hiked into remote areas of the Indonesian rain forest in search of wild orangutans, camped in the Australian outback, overlanded across 10 African countries, and backpacked through South America from Peru to Argentina – all with few travel mishaps. 

Still, after nearly a decade spent traveling internationally, we’ve realized that anything can go wrong, and it’s best to be prepared beforehand. Learn from our experiences and follow these four practical tips when preparing for your next international trip!

How to Prepare for International Travel: Four Practical Tips

Research the Country You’re Visiting

As you’re deciding where in the world you want to go, do some basic research on the countries you’re considering. Pro tip: Be sure to also consult others who have traveled to those locations before crossing anything off your list.

I have found that reading reviews about a destination online provides helpful information, but can also be intimidating. For instance, before our first trip to Africa, I read about the potential health hazards of malaria, typhoid, dengue fever and more, and there was a moment when I thought, “Am I sure I want to go?”

Even as a seasoned traveler, I was intimidated. But I did my research, got some vaccinations, hopped on a plane and had one of the best experiences of my life, traveling through 10 countries in Southern Africa.

It’s important not to let the fear of “what if” something goes wrong stop you from experiencing “what could” be the trip of a lifetime. 

Invest in Travel Medical Insurance

As I mentioned, anything can happen while you’re away from home, so it’s important to be prepared. 

For example, while in Thailand, Chris was bit by a stray dog and had to go through a series of rabies shots. In Fiji, I got a terrible ear infection when Chris and I were snorkeling, and while living in Australia, I cut my hand with a chainsaw, requiring a trip to the emergency room and five stitches.

In these situations and others, we were so thankful we had prepared for the unexpected by purchasing a travel medical insurance plan from IMG

This type of insurance provides short-term coverage for medical expenses, emergency evacuations and more when you’re traveling internationally. It fills the coverage gap left by your domestic medical insurance, which often does not provide adequate — if any — international coverage.

Write (and Translate) Your Health Conditions

If you have any allergies or medical conditions, it’s a good idea to have these written down, along with the names of any prescriptions you’re taking. 

In my experience, it also helps to translate this information into the local language by using a free program, such as Google Translate. Print this document and keep it with your insurance card, in case an emergency arises. 

Hopefully you will never have to use this document, but knowing it’s there can ease your worries. 

Make Sure Your Important Information Is Accessible 

Email yourself and one or two trusted relatives or friends back home all of your important medical, financial and trip information. I typically include: 

  • Scanned copies of travel medical insurance cards
  • Name of bank and phone numbers for reporting lost or stolen cards
  • Credit card statement (in case I ever need to show proof of funds)
  • Scanned color copies of my passport
  • Driver’s license and other relevant ID cards, such as scuba diving card
  • Primary doctor’s name, email and phone number
  • Medical vaccination certificates 
  • Translated health conditions document
  • Plane tickets and itinerary

Additionally, I always pack copies of the above documents sealed in a Ziploc bag to protect from sweat, rain and wear and tear of travel. 

Having spare physical and electronic copies of your important documents ensures that they’re easily accessible no matter where you are or what happens while you’re away from home. 

Following these tips will help you feel more empowered as you embark on your trip, and less overwhelmed by the what ifs. Arm yourself with balanced knowledge, a good travel medical insurance plan and a positive outlook, and you will be well on your way to an awesome trip. 

For over a decade, Tiffany Soukup has traveled to more than 35 countries with her husband Chris, hiking into remote jungles, looking for endangered wildlife and seeking adventures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I seek medical help?

With an international health plan from IMG, you have medical coverage worldwide. Our plans give you the freedom to choose your own health care provider wherever you are in the world.To view IMG's exclusive provider list, visit the Find A Doctor page in the myIMG member area.

What is the definition of a "Qualified Expatriate"?

To qualify as an “expatriate health plan,” substantially all of the primary enrollees must be “qualified expatriates.” A “qualified expatriate” is a primary insured meeting all of the following:

Qualified Expatriates in the U.S.:

The individual’s skills, qualification, job duties, or expertise is of a type that has caused the employer to assign him to the U.S. for a specific temporary purpose or assignment tied to employment; and

In connection with such transfer or assignment, the plan sponsor reasonably determines that the individual will require access to health insurance in multiple countries, and is offered other multi-national benefits on a periodic basis (e.g., tax equalization benefits, cross-border moving expenses, compensation to enable the expatriate to return to his home country);

Qualified Expatriates Outside of the U.S.:

The individual is working outside the U.S. for a period of at least 180 days in a consecutive 12-month period that overlaps with the plan year. For purposes of the definition, “U.S.” includes the 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

There are also special provisions for members 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations who are traveling or relocating internationally for the organization, including students and religious missionaries.

Expatriate Health Plans are Minimum Essential Coverage

Expatriate health plans qualify as minimum essential coverage. This means that an expatriate health plan will satisfy the employer mandate and the enrollee’s individual mandate.

Employers are Still Subject to §6055/§6056 Reporting and Cadillac Tax on Certain Expatriates

The exemption from ACA requirements does not apply for the new health information reporting requirements for the beginning of 2016.

However, the information statements (primarily the Forms 1094-C and 1095-C for employers) may be provided electronically to individuals covered under an expatriate health plan even if the individual has not consented to electronic distribution (as long as the individual has not explicitly refused electronic distribution).

Expatriate health plans will be exempt from the §4980I excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage (generally referred to as the “Cadillac tax”) that is scheduled to take effect in 2018, except for expatriates assigned to work in the U.S.

Effective Date

These provisions related to expatriate health plans apply to expatriate health plans issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2015.

Am I getting the best deal on these plans?

Insurance prices are regulated by the government - you won't find a better price on IMG insurance plans anywhere else.  

How long does it take to process my application and receive my ID card and other documents?

If you are applying for coverage under the Patriot series of plans, IMG will process your application and send your ID card and other documents within one business day. If you are applying for coverage under the Global or Group series, IMG will process your application within three to four business days following the receipt of all required information, and your materials will be forwarded the same day coverage is approved. Every attempt will be made to process your application timely. The specific time frame depends largely on the type of coverage for which you are applying. 

I am a U.S. Citizen. Am I eligible for your Global Medical Insurance (GMI) plan?

You are eligible for our Global Medical insurance plan if you reside outside of the U.S. or have a good faith intent to reside outside of the U.S. for six months or more in a calendar year. Please note that IMG’s Global Medical Insurance Plan does not meet the definition of “minimum essential coverage” under PPACA. GMI is not intended to provide U.S. citizens residing in the U.S. with health insurance. While your GMI plan for worldwide coverage will not be affected by PPACA, you should review the information below to see if you are exempt from the requirements of PPACA or not, and whether you will have to pay a tax penalty or not. Under PPACA, all U.S. citizens, nationals and resident aliens will be required to purchase minimum essential coverage (PPACA compliant coverage), unless they are exempt. Exempt U.S. citizens include U.S. citizens who reside outside of the U.S. The exemption applies to a U.S. citizen who has a tax home (main place of work or employment, or if you don’t have a main place of work or employment, your main residence) in a foreign country, and is a bona fide resident of a foreign country. See details under the IRS foreign earned income exclusion test. If a person was required to purchase minimum essential coverage and did not, she/he would be required to pay a tax penalty for not purchasing PPACA coverage (if she/he files a U.S. tax return). In many cases, this tax is far less than the premiums that a person would pay for obtaining PPACA coverage.

Disclaimer

This is not an offer to enter into an insurance contract. This is only a summary and shall not bind the company or require the company to offer or write any insurance at any particular rate or to any particular group or individual. The information on this page does and will not affect, modify or supersede in any way the policy, certificate of insurance and governing policy documents (together the "Insurance Contract"). The actual rates and benefits are governed by the Insurance Contract and nothing else. Benefits are subject to exclusions and limitations.