Applying for International Health Insurance
When you select the best international health insurance plan to meet your needs, you will need to go through an application process before your policy will be approved and issued. Any insurance company offering this type of coverage will usually require a premium payment to be submitted with your application. If, for some reason, your application is not approved, the premium payment will be returned to you.
On your application for international health insurance, you will first be required to select your preferred deductible and plan level. Deductibles will usually range from $250 up to $5,000 or higher. You will also be given the option to select any available optional benefits, for which the additional fees should be clearly stated and understood. You will also be requested to select your effective date of coverage, which must typically be within 30 days of your completion and signature date on the application. Applications with signature dates exceeding 30 days prior to the requested effective date may be considered out-of-date because your health status may have changed during this time frame.
As part of your international health insurance application, you will be asked personal questions, such as date-of-birth, height, weight, gender, occupation and foreign address. This information, along with questions about your health status, is used to determine your insurability and risk factors. Below is a list of some of the health questions you may be expected to answer:
- Do you smoke?
- Have you had significant changes in your weight recently?
- Have you had drug or alcohol dependency?
- Are you currently pregnant of planning an adoption?
- Are you taking prescription medications?
- Have you had disorders of the liver, spine, kidney, eyes, ears, heart, etc.?
- Have you been treated for cancer, heart disease, AIDS, stroke or high blood pressure?
- Have you ever been hospitalized?
Any affirmative response to any of these questions will require additional details to be included and the insurance company reviewing your application may want to review medical records. Failure to disclose information about your health history, or falsification of the application could result in a failure to receive claims benefits and cancellation of your policy.
The information on your application for international health insurance will determine your eligibility for coverage. The insurance company will review your application and either approve or decline it based on this information. In some instances, an "exclusionary rider" may be offered in place of a declined application. This may oftentimes apply to a pre-existing condition for which the insurance company has concerns and is not covered under the common exclusions and limitations. Essentially, your acceptance of this rider gives the insurance company the authority to not pay claims on any medical conditions outlined in the terms of the exclusionary rider.
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