When someone is overwhelmed with day-to-day life, and they are already seeking counseling and taking medication, but they are still having lots of difficulty dealing with any stress, and they are still feeling very anxious, what advice can you give on being supportive and helpful?
There are many techniques for helping to relive stress, but here are a few that you may find useful.
Slow, deep breathing
You can quickly bring down your heart rate and blood pressure by breathing deeply and slowly. Close your eyes and concentrate on breathing in to a count of three and then out for a count of six. The slow out breath is ‘nature’s tranquiliser’. Repeat for a minute or two.
Don’t bottle it up
Talking to family and close friends is a good way to beat stress because it helps us see the problem more clearly – it may not be as bad as we thought, and other people may have different perspectives and solutions we hadn’t considered.
Worries? What worries?
Worrying about the ‘what ifs?’ in a situation takes a lot of time and energy, and anxiety can quickly escalate. First, find out the facts about a situation – your worries may turn out to be unfounded. If you’re still concerned, plan your strategy, with a friend if necessary, so that you feel more in control of the situation.
Glass half-full or half-empty?
Spend more time focusing on the positive things in your life and less time thinking negatively. The more you visualise a positive outcome, the more you’ll believe it and the more likely it is to happen.
Enjoy the process
Remember, ‘good enough’ is OK, there’s no need to be perfect every time. Learn to enjoy the process rather than worry about the result – setting a time limit on tasks provides a reality check. If you do make a mistake, learn from the experience and move on.
Take time out
Ring-fence time in your day to unwind and reflect – it will help you recharge your batteries and get things into perspective.
APRIL Medibroker has over ten years experience in providing international health insurance to individuals and companies (both large and small) worldwide. We can offer solutions from all of the top providers and tailor them to your specific needs.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone + 44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com for your FREE Quote on International Medical Insurance.
Medibroker provide independently sourced, International Health Insurance for expatriates working, living or regularly travelling abroad.
Friday, 27 August 2010
Thursday, 12 August 2010
International Medical Insurance and Increasing Medical Costs
We have all heard of inflation, basically it is the increase in the cost of goods and services this year compared with last year, many governments issue a monthly inflation index which tells us how much the cost of living has increased over the last 12 months.
Healthcare also suffers from inflation, commonly known as Medical Inflation.
With 23 years of expierence in both the domestic and International Insurance market place working with individuals and companies providing advice & assistance on their Private Medical Insurance needs.
April Medibroker International Sales Advisor Gerry Mould looks into these interesting questions:
What is Medical Inflation?
Why is it different to standard inflation?
How is it caused?
"We are getting older so we need more medical treatment the older we become, we are also living longer so the medical treatment we need has to continue longer. Medicine has also made huge advances in the last few years, we are not dying from conditions like we used to, so we need medical care to treat them.
For example more people survive a heart attack than before and cancer is now being treated unlike 10-15 years ago when a diagnosis of cancer may have been a death sentence.
The advancement of medical research must be paid for, drug companies and medical supply companies spend a fortune in developing new drugs and medical equipment. They do not pay for this development, funding comes from government grants, insurance company funding and the charge when selling the drugs and equipment.
Throughout the world new hospitals are being built, the cost of accommodation and nursing also is reflected in the charges made by hospitals they are, after all, a business and want to make a profit at the end of the year.
Doctors, however, control the cost of treatment; they decide what treatment to recommend and they want to be thorough. Tests can include blood tests, X rays, CT & MRI scans, ECG’s, echo scans, the list is endless.
Surgical procedures are also more complex or in some cases less complex such as keyhole surgery but the equipment used costs more to manufacture. Less invasive techniques such as a colonoscopy or gastroscopy assist in the diagnosis of conditions which previously would have involved surgery but involve using expensive equipment.
Who pays for all these costs?
Mostly, we do, if we pay for treatment ourselves or if we have Expat Medical Insurance.
International Medical Insurance companies usually do not specify the hospital or doctor you may use, there are so many across the world it is not possible to dictate a specific hospital or doctor in a particular country. In the USA insurers use networks which have specified hospitals and doctors who have agreed to charge set fees, it is not like this in the rest of the world.
An international health insurance company will contact a hospital when a patient requires inpatient treatment and arranges for bills to be sent directly to them. When a bill arrives the International Medical Insurance Provider will assess the costs and may query the charges.
International Health Insurance companies know how much a procedure costs and what a hospital will charge. They will challenge bills that they consider to be too high but at the end of the day the invoice has to be paid.
All these increased costs are assessed by International Medical Insurance Companies and when they review their premiums, which usually end up being higher than last year.
How do you now beat this?
First of all speak to a specialist International Medical Insurance broker who knows from the plans they have available which will suit you.
International Health Insurance providers have different ways of developing and charging premiums, it is a complex issue. Each insurer publishes premiums rates and as I said earlier we are all getting older so the premiums reflect our age.
The older we are, the higher the premiums. The younger you are, usually, the lower the premium.
Once 50-55 is attained it starts to change, some International Medical Insurance companies start to increase premiums at this age, so by the time you retire international health insurance may be the highest monthly or annual cost you pay. (I am assuming that you would not have a mortgage at this age but I know that some people do.)
It is our advisers job to try and guide you.
Once you are insured and you have claimed for treatment (after all that is what international medical insurance is for) you may have little choice but to stay with the same insurance company otherwise your condition may not be covered by a new International Medical Insurance company, so you will want to ensure that your future premiums are manageable.
Some International Health Insurance Companies such as Interglobal offer a no claims discount, so if you have not claimed on your plan in the previous policy year they will give you a discount of usually 10% of your renewal premium.
Taking this into account along with any excess you have chosen, you need to assess whether a small claim is financially necessary. You may find that a small claim will cost you more than the value of the treatment.
IMG Europe also will give 15% no claims discount of your renewal premium but it is not automatic, you have to claim it, and the premiums offered at renewal are not the same as in the first year. They are usually higher so the no claims discount can be very important when your renewal offer is made. This will also need to be considered when making a small claim.
IHI Bupa do not increase premiums for your age once you reach 60, they will still increase premiums for medical inflation. If you apply for a new plan over age 60 they will apply a premium loading, we have found that this is still competitive compared with other insurers in the long term.
Nordic Healthcare do not increase premiums as you get older, the premium you pay in the first year will not increase as you get older, also they have historically only increased premiums by 5% per year to cover increasing medical costs. The premiums may be higher in the first few years but overall there may be significant savings compared with other plans.
As I have already said I recommend you speak to our Expat Health Insurance advisers, they know how to assist you and give advice suitable to your personal needs and concerns.
They will also save you having to contact each insurer and excluding the plans that are not suitable for you."
Gerry Mould
12/08/2010
APRIL Medibroker has over ten years experience in providing international health insurance to individuals and companies (both large and small) worldwide. We can offer solutions from all of the top providers and tailor them to your specific needs.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit http://www.medibroker.com/individuals-families/free-quote.html?id=AMBLOG&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=PMI_Quote&utm_campaign=FREE%2BQuote for your FREE quote.
Our quotes and advice are without charge.
Healthcare also suffers from inflation, commonly known as Medical Inflation.
With 23 years of expierence in both the domestic and International Insurance market place working with individuals and companies providing advice & assistance on their Private Medical Insurance needs.
April Medibroker International Sales Advisor Gerry Mould looks into these interesting questions:
What is Medical Inflation?
Why is it different to standard inflation?
How is it caused?
"We are getting older so we need more medical treatment the older we become, we are also living longer so the medical treatment we need has to continue longer. Medicine has also made huge advances in the last few years, we are not dying from conditions like we used to, so we need medical care to treat them.
For example more people survive a heart attack than before and cancer is now being treated unlike 10-15 years ago when a diagnosis of cancer may have been a death sentence.
The advancement of medical research must be paid for, drug companies and medical supply companies spend a fortune in developing new drugs and medical equipment. They do not pay for this development, funding comes from government grants, insurance company funding and the charge when selling the drugs and equipment.
Throughout the world new hospitals are being built, the cost of accommodation and nursing also is reflected in the charges made by hospitals they are, after all, a business and want to make a profit at the end of the year.
Doctors, however, control the cost of treatment; they decide what treatment to recommend and they want to be thorough. Tests can include blood tests, X rays, CT & MRI scans, ECG’s, echo scans, the list is endless.
Surgical procedures are also more complex or in some cases less complex such as keyhole surgery but the equipment used costs more to manufacture. Less invasive techniques such as a colonoscopy or gastroscopy assist in the diagnosis of conditions which previously would have involved surgery but involve using expensive equipment.
Who pays for all these costs?
Mostly, we do, if we pay for treatment ourselves or if we have Expat Medical Insurance.
International Medical Insurance companies usually do not specify the hospital or doctor you may use, there are so many across the world it is not possible to dictate a specific hospital or doctor in a particular country. In the USA insurers use networks which have specified hospitals and doctors who have agreed to charge set fees, it is not like this in the rest of the world.
An international health insurance company will contact a hospital when a patient requires inpatient treatment and arranges for bills to be sent directly to them. When a bill arrives the International Medical Insurance Provider will assess the costs and may query the charges.
International Health Insurance companies know how much a procedure costs and what a hospital will charge. They will challenge bills that they consider to be too high but at the end of the day the invoice has to be paid.
All these increased costs are assessed by International Medical Insurance Companies and when they review their premiums, which usually end up being higher than last year.
How do you now beat this?
First of all speak to a specialist International Medical Insurance broker who knows from the plans they have available which will suit you.
International Health Insurance providers have different ways of developing and charging premiums, it is a complex issue. Each insurer publishes premiums rates and as I said earlier we are all getting older so the premiums reflect our age.
The older we are, the higher the premiums. The younger you are, usually, the lower the premium.
Once 50-55 is attained it starts to change, some International Medical Insurance companies start to increase premiums at this age, so by the time you retire international health insurance may be the highest monthly or annual cost you pay. (I am assuming that you would not have a mortgage at this age but I know that some people do.)
It is our advisers job to try and guide you.
Once you are insured and you have claimed for treatment (after all that is what international medical insurance is for) you may have little choice but to stay with the same insurance company otherwise your condition may not be covered by a new International Medical Insurance company, so you will want to ensure that your future premiums are manageable.
Some International Health Insurance Companies such as Interglobal offer a no claims discount, so if you have not claimed on your plan in the previous policy year they will give you a discount of usually 10% of your renewal premium.
Taking this into account along with any excess you have chosen, you need to assess whether a small claim is financially necessary. You may find that a small claim will cost you more than the value of the treatment.
IMG Europe also will give 15% no claims discount of your renewal premium but it is not automatic, you have to claim it, and the premiums offered at renewal are not the same as in the first year. They are usually higher so the no claims discount can be very important when your renewal offer is made. This will also need to be considered when making a small claim.
IHI Bupa do not increase premiums for your age once you reach 60, they will still increase premiums for medical inflation. If you apply for a new plan over age 60 they will apply a premium loading, we have found that this is still competitive compared with other insurers in the long term.
Nordic Healthcare do not increase premiums as you get older, the premium you pay in the first year will not increase as you get older, also they have historically only increased premiums by 5% per year to cover increasing medical costs. The premiums may be higher in the first few years but overall there may be significant savings compared with other plans.
As I have already said I recommend you speak to our Expat Health Insurance advisers, they know how to assist you and give advice suitable to your personal needs and concerns.
They will also save you having to contact each insurer and excluding the plans that are not suitable for you." 12/08/2010
APRIL Medibroker has over ten years experience in providing international health insurance to individuals and companies (both large and small) worldwide. We can offer solutions from all of the top providers and tailor them to your specific needs.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit http://www.medibroker.com/individuals-families/free-quote.html?id=AMBLOG&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=PMI_Quote&utm_campaign=FREE%2BQuote for your FREE quote.
Our quotes and advice are without charge.
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Moving abroad soon and need medical insurance that covers you in different countries?
April Medibroker is a fully independent international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Recentley we at April Medibroker were contacted by a client with the following request for information international medical insurance.
Andrew Wilson CEO of April Medibroker replied
All insurers/providers have their own separate claims procedures and their Policy Wordings must be consulted for exact claims advice.Please note that this information is provided as generic advice only.
Although each international health insurance provider has their own claims procedures.
As a rule of thumb there are a number of similar themes that run through most, if not all, plans.
It is important to make sure that policyholders are familiar with their insurers own claims process - if they are not followed correctly claims could be delayed or even refused.
Inpatient/Daypatient Claims
Daypatient Treatment - treatment at a hospital where an insured person is admitted and occupies a bed, but does not remain overnight.
It is a condition of international medical insurance plans that inpatient/daypatient claims are pre-authorised. This means that the insurer/provider should be contacted in advance of treatment and advised as to what treatment is required and at what hospital it will take place. The insurer will then contact the hospital and arrange for any bills to be paid directly by them, thus saving clients from having to pay potentially large treatment costs and then reclaim the money from the insurer.
There are, of course, circumstances where pre-authorisation is not practically possible - principally in the event of accident and emergency.
We at April Medibroker always recommend to our clients that they keep a copy of their insurance documents or membership card with them and also make sure that friends, family or colleagues also have access to them should the client be unable to contact the insurer.
This type of claim is defined as:
Outpatient Treatment - treatment at a hospital, consulting room, or out-patient clinic where an insured person does not occupy a bed. Under international health insurance plans, this type of treatment does not generally need to be pre-authorised but needs to be paid for by the policyholder and then claimed back from the insurance company.
In order to do this, original itemised invoices and receipts must be obtained from the doctor, therapist etc at the point of treatment/payment. In addition to these documents a claim form needs to be completed by both the insured person and the treating medical practitioner (note that many insurers will not reimburse any charges made by the medical practitioner for completing a claim form). These claims forms are available either from the insurer or can be obtained from the downloads page on this site.
It is, however, always a good idea to contact the insurance company in advance to check that the required treatment is covered under the terms of the policy.
The completed claims form, along with the appropriate original receipts and invoices should then be sent to the claims department of the insurance company as soon as possible (many companies will only accept claims submitted within a certain time from treatment being received - generally six months).
Upon receipt, the claims department will assess your claim and refund eligible payments either by cheque or bank transfer. They may however require further medical reports or information before they will make the payment.
Should treatment be required on an ongoing basis, new claim forms aren't necessarily required for each set of bills and receipts as long as the insurer is advised that they relate to an existing claim. It is however possible that if the treatment continues longer than six months the insurer may require either a new claim form or an up to date medical report (which they may not be willing to pay for).
Andrew Wilson
CEO April Medibroker
Andrew has over fifteen years experience in the insurance industry and has spent the last eight years specialising in international health insurance for expats, both on an individual and corporate level.
APRIL Medibroker has over ten years experience in providing international health insurance to individuals and companies (both large and small) worldwide. We can offer solutions from all of the top providers and tailor them to your specific needs.

Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Q. I don't understand why I would need an "expat" health insurance plan when I start my business abroad - why can't I just get the same coverage as the locals?
Many expats move to another country under the assumption that comprehensive healthcare is available to them when they get there - whether a free system such as the UK's NHS or by simply slotting in to a state system.Even if such systems exist, or local health insurance plans are readily available there are a number of very important factors that need to be taken into account to ensure that you and your family are adequately provided for should the need for medical treatment arise. In many areas of the world (and not just those countries without a developed healthcare infrastructure) International Medical Insurance is not a luxury but a necessity. Some of the most important of these factors are shown below:
By giving coverage across a greater geographic area (not just a single location), international plans allow far greater flexibility and choice should you need treatment. This is especially important should the unthinkable happen and you suffer from a major medical condition. An expat insurance plan will allow you to choose when and where to have the relevant procedures - this even extends to the scenario of "elective" treatment, allowing you to travel abroad to centres of excellence (although in most cases you would have to bear the cost of the actual travel expenses).
Strength and Longevity:-
In many countries expats are ineligible for local health insurance, at least for a period of time (such as the USA and, in many circumstances, France). This leaves the option of an international insurance plan or paying for treatment yourself. Whilst the latter option can appeal to many on a "it'll never happen to me" basis, the reality is that paying for treatment yourself can be a VERY expensive risk to take.
Choice of hospitals and doctors:-
International health insurance plans generally give a free choice of which doctors and hospitals can be used by the policyholders to ensure that the best care is available. Many "local" insurance plans can restrict cover to include only certain hospitals/doctors, and in some countries only those providers in a certain area (such as county, province or state etc). A local plan may not give cover over an entire country, whereas an international plan will not only cover all of that country but also other countries too.
Mobility and Portability:-
There is an ever increasing global trend of "international citizens" who are geographically mobile whether it be through their employment or just their chosen way of life. International medical insurance plans are portable between the vast majority of countries, whereas local/domestic plans in most countries are highly unlikely to be. One of the great benefits of this portability is that cover can be continuous - if claims are made for a medical condition, cover and future treatment can be continued. If you move between different insurers and plans there is always an inherent risk that conditions that have been claimed upon on one plan are unlikely to be covered under a new policy as"pre-existing conditions" .
Additional Benefits:-
In conjunction with a global experience of healthcare, international insurance providers also offer a wider spread of benefits (and with higher financial limits) than most country specific insurers. Multi-lingual assistance services, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week are an integral feature of most policies. Medical evacuation and repatriation are key features of international plans, ensuring that the best and most appropriate treatment is available to policyholders at internationally renowned centres of medical excellence. Benefits such as this are of even greater importance for expats in countries with less developed or lower quality healthcare systems.
I would strongly recommend that anyone considering a new life abroad takes fully independent advice from a broker in order to find the most appropriate solution to their health insurance needs.
At April Medibroker we only advise on plans that have a proven track record of quality and integrity. If local health insurance is the best way for you, we will let you know - in fact we can provide this as well in certain countries. CEO April Medibroker
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country
(expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA.
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com for your FREE Quote
Our quotes and advice are without charge..
International Maternity Cover
Having a baby can be one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences of your life, it can also be one of the most stressful and traumatic times, due to complications, or, being unprepared by not having adequate international health insurance to cover the costs of childbirth, complications and caring for your newborn baby.
Treatment for Pregnancy and Childbirth, whether planned or otherwise, can be extremely expensive and the price of maternity treatment around the world can vary alarmingly, if there are complications with the pregnancy, costs can escalate significantly, this should be prepared for when you are planning on having children, now or in the future as it is not possible to buy international medical insurance to cover the costs of your pregnancy if you are already pregnant.
When choosing the right expatriate health insurance provider to cover maternity, you should consider the following:
• In which country will you be residing while you are pregnant or giving birth? Prices vary from region to region and country to country.
• How long must you be enrolled on an international medical insurance plan before you are eligible for reimbursement of medical costs incurred?
• Is there adequate coverage in case of complications during maternity?
• What quality of cover is available for newborn children?
Regional Variations in Costs.
International Healthcare costs around the world differ significantly, in the Middle East, one expatriate medical insurer has reported recent costs for a normal delivery of between $3,300 US Dollars and $8,000 US Dollars, these charges increase if complications arise and a Caesarean Section is required, costs are then reported between $6,500 US Dollars and $10,000 US Dollars. The same expatriate health insurance company explains that costs for private maternity can rocket in the USA, normal delivery charges are reported between $20,000 US Dollars and $25,000 US Dollars, costs for Caesarean Sections in the United States have recently been reported as rising up to $35,000 US Dollars to $40,000 US Dollars. April Medibroker can help advise you on the best international health insurance plan to suit your needs with realistic maternity claim limits for your part of the World.
Waiting Periods
Due to the potential high cost of private maternity treatment overseas, expatriate medical insurance provider will only offer cover for maternity treatment after you have been enrolled on an international health insurance plan for a continuous period. These periods vary by expat insurance provider and generally hover around the 12 months of continuous cover mark, although some insurers have lower waiting periods, the lowest currently being 8 months. All costs and treatment incurred relating to a pregnancy that occur before the end of the waiting period are excluded from cover, treatment received that occur after a waiting period is completed would be covered up to the costs allowed by that insurer. Please be aware, if you are already pregnant before moving overseas you will not be able to buy international medical insurance to cover the costs of this pregnancy.
Complications of Maternity
Newborn Children and Cover
April Medibroker is a fully independent international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA.
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com, for your FREE Quote
Our quotes and advice are without charge.
Treatment for Pregnancy and Childbirth, whether planned or otherwise, can be extremely expensive and the price of maternity treatment around the world can vary alarmingly, if there are complications with the pregnancy, costs can escalate significantly, this should be prepared for when you are planning on having children, now or in the future as it is not possible to buy international medical insurance to cover the costs of your pregnancy if you are already pregnant.
When choosing the right expatriate health insurance provider to cover maternity, you should consider the following:
• In which country will you be residing while you are pregnant or giving birth? Prices vary from region to region and country to country.
• How long must you be enrolled on an international medical insurance plan before you are eligible for reimbursement of medical costs incurred?
• Is there adequate coverage in case of complications during maternity?
• What quality of cover is available for newborn children?
Regional Variations in Costs.
International Healthcare costs around the world differ significantly, in the Middle East, one expatriate medical insurer has reported recent costs for a normal delivery of between $3,300 US Dollars and $8,000 US Dollars, these charges increase if complications arise and a Caesarean Section is required, costs are then reported between $6,500 US Dollars and $10,000 US Dollars. The same expatriate health insurance company explains that costs for private maternity can rocket in the USA, normal delivery charges are reported between $20,000 US Dollars and $25,000 US Dollars, costs for Caesarean Sections in the United States have recently been reported as rising up to $35,000 US Dollars to $40,000 US Dollars. April Medibroker can help advise you on the best international health insurance plan to suit your needs with realistic maternity claim limits for your part of the World.
Waiting Periods
Due to the potential high cost of private maternity treatment overseas, expatriate medical insurance provider will only offer cover for maternity treatment after you have been enrolled on an international health insurance plan for a continuous period. These periods vary by expat insurance provider and generally hover around the 12 months of continuous cover mark, although some insurers have lower waiting periods, the lowest currently being 8 months. All costs and treatment incurred relating to a pregnancy that occur before the end of the waiting period are excluded from cover, treatment received that occur after a waiting period is completed would be covered up to the costs allowed by that insurer. Please be aware, if you are already pregnant before moving overseas you will not be able to buy international medical insurance to cover the costs of this pregnancy.
Complications of Maternity
Although many babies are born without any major difficulties, there are times when a little more help is required and extra medical treatment is required, expat medical insurance companies are aware of this and generally will offer higher claim limits for maternities that involve complications.
Once a new baby arrives expat medical insurance plans will usually cover the costs of a Well- Baby check and immediate care, it is then essential that the newborn child is enrolled on cover as soon as early as possible as claim limits to cover the treatment of newborns can vary considerably. There are some providers who offer special rates or free cover for children when insured with one or more parents, we are able to advise on plans that offer these incentives and we can also help to identify the plans offering the highest level of cover that also include cover for congenital birth defects and fertility treatment.
The sales advisors at April Medibroker have considerable knowledge of the plans available from the Worlds largest providers of International health insurance, not forgetting smaller providers that offer excellent benefits and service. All plans offered by April Medibroker have been fully scrutinised by our staff, and benefits, service, stability and integrity of plans offered are constantly evaluated to make sure that they are suitable to offer our clients and maintain our reputation as the Worlds most respected International Medical Insurance broker.
Steve McCrady 03/06/2010
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA.
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com, for your FREE Quote
Our quotes and advice are without charge.
Friday, 11 June 2010
April Medibroker Announce Independent Insurer Ratings Results June 2010
APRIL Medibroker are proud to have implemented an independent Insurer Ratings program.
Our objective in rating each insurer / plan provider is to maintain high quality service standards throughout the industry via direct accountability.
Results were achieved via the professional opinions of experienced APRIL Medibroker advisors and client services staff, who were asked to evaluate the criteria listed below on a scale of 1 to 5 (Poor to Excellent).
The results were added and insurer / plan providers were ranked according to points scored. Our advisors completed this exercise from their homes, thus resulting in unbiased and impartial rankings.
The APRIL Medibroker rating system has received great acclaim by the healthcare industry and these results will soon be published in various healthcare publications and websites.
April Medibroker Sales Manager Steve Nelson commented;
"As always our Insurer Ratings make interesting reading.
Not a great deal has changed since out last ratings exercise in terms of the plans benefits, perhaps a small tweak here and there.
We feel the major driving force of the June ratings is service, both to us as a broker but more importantly to our clients the policy holders - this has effectively been the main criteria that has dictated the results this time round.
With all our staff contributing to the ratings it does give us a very good all round impression of how each insurer is doing and so provides a very useful guide."
Full Details of the June 2010 review can be found on the AprilMedibroker website
April Medibroker is a fully independent international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country
(expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA.
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com for your FREE Quote
Our quotes and advice are without charge..
Our objective in rating each insurer / plan provider is to maintain high quality service standards throughout the industry via direct accountability.
Results were achieved via the professional opinions of experienced APRIL Medibroker advisors and client services staff, who were asked to evaluate the criteria listed below on a scale of 1 to 5 (Poor to Excellent).
The results were added and insurer / plan providers were ranked according to points scored. Our advisors completed this exercise from their homes, thus resulting in unbiased and impartial rankings.
The APRIL Medibroker rating system has received great acclaim by the healthcare industry and these results will soon be published in various healthcare publications and websites.
April Medibroker Sales Manager Steve Nelson commented;
"As always our Insurer Ratings make interesting reading.
Not a great deal has changed since out last ratings exercise in terms of the plans benefits, perhaps a small tweak here and there.
We feel the major driving force of the June ratings is service, both to us as a broker but more importantly to our clients the policy holders - this has effectively been the main criteria that has dictated the results this time round.
With all our staff contributing to the ratings it does give us a very good all round impression of how each insurer is doing and so provides a very useful guide."
Full Details of the June 2010 review can be found on the AprilMedibroker website
April Medibroker is a fully independent international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country
(expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA.
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com for your FREE Quote
Our quotes and advice are without charge..
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
In the past pre-existing medical conditions have been excluded from cover
Until recently it was a fact that most private medical insurance plans would exclude pre-existing conditions from cover.
April Medibroker are now delighted to work together with a handful of insurers who will seek to cover pre-existing conditions and all related conditions, from day one.
Crucially, the exclusion would typically exclude the 'consequences of' the pre-existing condition. This could potentially lead to very wide ranging exclusions for a condition that seemed quite insignificant.
However, in the last 12 months or so, several plan providers have approached underwriting from a different angle. We now have plans that will look at your medical history and your pre-existing medical conditions and will try and include them in cover, albeit with a potential premium loading if they do.
This is a major step forward in underwriting and can lead to better cover for a great number of applicants. For a Free quotation including pre-existing conditions visit medibroker.com.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of medical insurance in the last 10 years, is pre-existing medical conditions.
In the past pre-existing medical conditions have been excluded from cover, along with all related conditions. This is true even if the condition was under control with medication. Therefore, for instance, someone suffering from high blood pressure, would find themselves faced with a whole host of exclusions on their policy, such as Angina, Aneurysm, Heart Attacks, Stroke, Thrombosis, Phlebitis etc. The potential cost of someone having to pay their own medical bills following a heart attack is astronomical. In more costly countries even the ambulance alone can be much as $1,500.00, with a heart bypass being as much as $140,000.00.
The only way of getting a pre-existing medical condition covered previously, was through a moratorium plan. This means that an insurer will accept someone immediately, without asking for any medical history but excluding any cover for pre-existing conditions. Then after a period of 2 years, providing no medication has been taken, no medical advice sought and no symptoms suffered in relation to the conditions, they will then become eligible for coverage.
Whilst this may be fine for older non-current conditions, anything that requires ongoing medications or check-ups will never become eligible for cover. High blood pressure is a very common condition which we see a lot. From a clients point of view their blood pressure is now normal as they take medication to bring it under control. Unfortunately, this is not how insurers view things. Even a cured condition which requires no medication, but maybe requires an annual check up just to make sure everything is still OK, would never become eligible for coverage. Clients need to be aware of this, as they will receive a certificate of insurance, not listing any specific exclusions, so may not realise there are any, until they come to claim by which point it’s too late.
We are not paid by commission, so we have absolutely no benefit of recommending one plan over another. Therefore we can truly work on behalf of our customers.
April Medibroker is a fully independent international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA.
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com, for your FREE Quote
Our quotes and advice are without charge.
April Medibroker are now delighted to work together with a handful of insurers who will seek to cover pre-existing conditions and all related conditions, from day one.
Crucially, the exclusion would typically exclude the 'consequences of' the pre-existing condition. This could potentially lead to very wide ranging exclusions for a condition that seemed quite insignificant.
However, in the last 12 months or so, several plan providers have approached underwriting from a different angle. We now have plans that will look at your medical history and your pre-existing medical conditions and will try and include them in cover, albeit with a potential premium loading if they do.
This is a major step forward in underwriting and can lead to better cover for a great number of applicants. For a Free quotation including pre-existing conditions visit medibroker.com.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of medical insurance in the last 10 years, is pre-existing medical conditions.
In the past pre-existing medical conditions have been excluded from cover, along with all related conditions. This is true even if the condition was under control with medication. Therefore, for instance, someone suffering from high blood pressure, would find themselves faced with a whole host of exclusions on their policy, such as Angina, Aneurysm, Heart Attacks, Stroke, Thrombosis, Phlebitis etc. The potential cost of someone having to pay their own medical bills following a heart attack is astronomical. In more costly countries even the ambulance alone can be much as $1,500.00, with a heart bypass being as much as $140,000.00.
The only way of getting a pre-existing medical condition covered previously, was through a moratorium plan. This means that an insurer will accept someone immediately, without asking for any medical history but excluding any cover for pre-existing conditions. Then after a period of 2 years, providing no medication has been taken, no medical advice sought and no symptoms suffered in relation to the conditions, they will then become eligible for coverage.
Whilst this may be fine for older non-current conditions, anything that requires ongoing medications or check-ups will never become eligible for cover. High blood pressure is a very common condition which we see a lot. From a clients point of view their blood pressure is now normal as they take medication to bring it under control. Unfortunately, this is not how insurers view things. Even a cured condition which requires no medication, but maybe requires an annual check up just to make sure everything is still OK, would never become eligible for coverage. Clients need to be aware of this, as they will receive a certificate of insurance, not listing any specific exclusions, so may not realise there are any, until they come to claim by which point it’s too late.
The industry as a whole has always had this same tunnel vision approach. However, who is the safer risk – someone with diagnosed blood pressure who now has this under control with medication or someone with undiagnosed high blood pressure, unaware, but all the time putting more strain on their heart? With the demand from customers growing, the insurers needed to take action.
We have already seen conditions like high blood pressure/cholesterol, diabetes, previous cancers, allergies, asthma etc covered. There may be an additional premium percentage added by the insurers for this. This loading can sometimes be reviewed in the future, with a view to reducing or removing it. There is nothing stopping a customer applying to more than one insurer to see who offers the better terms.
Through experience, we know which insurers may decline cover for certain conditions and would therefore not waste the customers time by applying to them. We are also sometimes able to get percentages reduced in certain circumstances. This is where the help of a broker becomes invaluable. We are here to work with our customers to find the best plan for their needs.
We are not paid by commission, so we have absolutely no benefit of recommending one plan over another. Therefore we can truly work on behalf of our customers. Erika Glew
International Sales Adviser April Medibroker is a fully independent international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet.
Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country (expatriates). International health insurance cover is offered for Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA and Worldwide including the USA.
April Medibroker works on the basis of a choice of international medical insurance plans, and gives you Best Advice on both benefits and premiums as well as area of cover needed.
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 296 6140 or visit medibroker.com, for your FREE Quote
Our quotes and advice are without charge.
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