Can You Find Expat Health Insurance to Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?

Comprehensive health insurance is certainly a necessity when you become an expat, regardless of the country you end up calling home. Unfortunately, many potential expats struggle to make their dreams of living abroad come true simply because of concerns surrounding pre-existing medical conditions.

Is Expat Health Insurance Still Possible?

Firstly: Yes, it’s almost always possible to find expat health insurance that covers pre-existing conditions. The difficulty varies according to your country, age, financial situation, and numerous other factors, though the most influential will be the type of pre-existing condition from which you suffer. In all cases, you’ll need to work harder and spend more time considering individual plans.

Tips for Finding Expat Health Insurance that Covers Pre-Existing Conditions

You might be tempted to conceal your pre-existing condition when you apply for expat health insurance, but this is an incredibly bad idea. If you ever make a claim relating to an undeclared pre-existing condition, your insurance provider is exceedingly unlikely to cover the cost. Your insurance is also likely to become void if the oversight is discovered, even if you didn’t make a claim relating to it.

So, you’ll need to declare the condition to your health insurer and ask to see plans based around your own needs. Even if one insurance provider cannot cover you, they might be able to point you towards a provider that can. You should look at long-term plans instead of short-term plans – they are far more likely to offer coverage for a pre-existing condition.

If your condition is likely to get better, you could consider delaying the move. Pregnancy, for example, is considered a pre-existing condition, and it’s one that could see your monthly payments soar. As such, it might be easier to wait until you’ve given birth and no longer require maternal healthcare before making the move. Similarly, you may be going through treatment at the present moment but hope to be treatment free soon. If you can show that you’ve been treatment free for a certain length of time, insurance providers will often be able to offer lower rates.