International Health Insurance

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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.

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Ideal for Expats & Global Citizens

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Global Medical Insurance

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
Plan Details View Brochure
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Trip Protection
Medical Benefits

Group International Health Insurance Programs

The Global Employer's Option - GEO Group

The Global Employer's Option - GEO Group

Employer-sponsored group health insurance for internationally assigned employees.

International Marine Medical Insurance

International Marine Medical Insurance

Long-term (1+ year) medical coverage for professional marine crew.

MP+ International

MP+ International

Worldwide employer-sponsored group health insurance for mission groups.

 

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Recent Blog Articles

My Medical Emergency: I Was Diagnosed with Cancer While Living Abroad

Oct 3, 2017, 15:00 PM by User Not Found

Shannon Zimmerman knows the importance of strength — both physical and mental. A 32-year-old CrossFit trainer and fitness coach, Shannon was ranked the second fittest woman in the state of Indiana (USA) by CrossFit Games in 2017.

She qualified for and competed at the 2014 USA Weightlifting (USAW) American Open, and qualified for the 2016 & 2017 USAW National Weightlifting Championship.

Shannon competes at Wodapalooza in January 2017 in Miami, Florida.
Shannon competes at Wodapalooza in January 2017 in Miami, Florida. Photo by Peter Quintanilla (QM Photos).

Today, Shannon manages to continue training between her full-time nonprofit work with Solid Rock International in the Dominican Republic and her part-time coaching position at Broad Ripple Fit Club in Indianapolis, Indiana.

But she hasn’t always been an athlete. In fact, Shannon didn’t begin training until after she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 25.

Living with her husband in the Dominican Republic at the time, Shannon truly learned the value of strength — albeit a different kind of strength than that which has earned her top rankings as a weightlifter.

After her diagnosis, she began pushing herself to achieve and maintain the emotional strength it takes to not only survive, but beat cancer. Like with physical training, it requires time, energy and persistence to do so. Importantly, it also requires faith, support and encouragement from a network of people.

Throughout her battle with cancer, IMG was there for Shannon. This is her story.

My Medical Emergency – As Told by Shannon Zimmerman

In the fall of 2008, my husband Joe and I moved to San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, to volunteer through a Christian, nonprofit organization called Solid Rock International. We committed to serving for three years as Guesthouse Hosts and were in charge of running a residence for North American guests on short-term mission trips.

The main function of our job was to give teams a comfortable place to sleep and eat, as well as arrange for transportation and various details at their job sites. Typically, we would host around 600 volunteers each year and enjoyed getting to know those who returned on an annual basis.

In preparation for our time in the Dominican Republic, Joe and I purchased two international medical insurance policies from IMG to cover our health care needs. We were so glad we did, because at the young age of 25, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

A cancer diagnosis is something no one wishes to hear. But when I finally received the diagnosis, it was almost a relief. We had been waiting for a long time trying to get answers about my declining health through the Dominican health care system without much success. Once we saw a doctor in the States, I was just happy to find out what was going on and make a game plan to move forward. Waiting for answers was always the hardest part. What’s next? What were the test results? It felt like we were living in a constant fog of unknowns.

My first surgery in August 2010 was a total thyroidectomy plus a right neck dissection to remove my thyroid and about 100 infected lymph nodes from my neck and chest. A few weeks later, I had a radioactive iodine treatment where I swallowed a pill containing a large dose of radioactive iodine. I then had to remain in quarantine in the hospital until my radiation levels were safe for me to be in public.

After that, I ended up needing a second surgery to remove about 30 more infected lymph nodes they had discovered in the left side of my neck. I was told I would need a second radioactive iodine treatment to clean things up after that surgery. However, we decided to pray hard and ask that God would give us a miracle and heal me completely. After having a full body scan to see where things were at post-surgery, we were overjoyed that God heard and answered our prayers.

Shannon poses after her second surgery to remove 30 infected lymph nodes from the left side of her neck.
Shannon poses after her second surgery to remove 30 infected lymph nodes from the left side of her neck.

I received the good news on August 31, 2011, and have been cancer-free ever since!

Finding strength in faith and CrossFit

The biggest help for me was my faith. We cried and prayed a lot, but God gave me and my husband a peace and calmness unlike anything we had ever experienced before. I came to the conclusion that sometimes the process is the point. We all like to rush to answers and solutions and get the hard parts over with quickly and, because of that, we can sometimes miss how a situation can change and grow us for the better as people.

The experience also led me to one of my passions: CrossFit, a high-intensity fitness program that incorporates elements from several sports and types of exercise.

Shannon competes at the USA Weightlifting (USAW) American Open in 2014
Shannon competes at the USA Weightlifting (USAW) American Open in 2014. Photo by Hookgrip.

When I was serving abroad I did what a lot of volunteers can end up doing: I got lost in what I was doing to help others and neglected myself to a point that was not healthy. I wasn’t eating well and, although I tried to exercise, I was discouraged by the results.

CrossFit was appealing because of the variety and scalability of movements for all fitness levels. I began trying it out on my own and quickly became hooked. CrossFit also promotes healthy eating. I became much more motivated to change my habits with food when I realized how it would help me feel better working out.

Shannon competes at the American Open in 2014
Shannon competes at the American Open in 2014. Photo by Hookgrip.

The motivation to stay with it in a large part came from experiencing such a low in my physical health. On top of the cancer, I had also been dealing with some autoimmune diseases and I was fed up with it all. Being sick was a huge motivator in my decision to take control of my health. That is what started it all. From there, I fell in love with competing and just the constant improvement I could see and feel the longer I stuck with it. I had no idea how far I would go in the sport and laugh looking back at my simple prayer for health!

I’ll always travel with IMG.

Throughout my treatment and in the months that followed, Joe and I were in frequent communication with IMG as we worked through the various medical bills from our doctors.

At first, the unknown of the climbing bills was very overwhelming. However, we were so thrilled that a large majority of our costs were covered by IMG and, not only that, we were also receiving the support we needed from our insurance company.

Knowing that we were able to afford the essential medical care I needed gave us so much peace of mind and allowed me to focus on getting my health back.

I would definitely recommend having health insurance while traveling abroad. As I found out, the unexpected can happen and no one wants to have the added stress of medical bills that can’t be paid on top of a serious illness.

IMG provided exactly what we needed, and Joe and I were very satisfied with our insurance choice. International medical coverage does not have to be pricey to be effective. I am living proof that IMG stands by their commitment to “be there.” If we ever need international health insurance again, Joe and I will definitely choose IMG.

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.