Both products provide invaluable cover, but there is a significant difference between the two: not only in the price, but also the distinct needs that they are each designed to meet. Here is a brief summary to help you decide what’s right for your employees.
| Travel Insurance | International private medical insurance | |
| What is it? | Travel insurance is designed to provide emergency medical cover for individuals while travelling outside of their country of residence.It often includes cover for delays and cancellations as well as a level of personal possessions cover. | International private medical insurance is designed to provide medical cover for individuals while living and working overseas.This includes routine medical care. |
| How is it bought? |
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When is it needed?
- When travelling overseas for limited periods at a time (as a rule, less than three months)
- When living and or working overseas (i.e. on a three- to six-month basis) or for globally mobile employees
- In some areas where it is a legal requirement (such as Abu Dhabi)
What does it typically cover?
- Accidents and emergencies
- Treatment in any country within your chosen cover until you are fit to return home (either to continue on NHS or through private medical insurance)
- Countries except your home country and those where you are advised not to travel
- Depending on the policy bought, it may be limited to business only or leisure only and not a combination of both
- Not all cover pre-existing conditions
- Limited number of days or trips overseas
- Personal possessions up to set limits
- Cancellation and curtailment within set limits
- Accidents and emergencies
- Elective treatment
- Ongoing treatment of chronic conditions (available with some products, including Jelf International’s exclusive umbrella scheme)
- Treatment within the country of residence or any country that you are travelling to within your chosen area of cover and level limits
- Cover is available 100 per cent of the time
- Pre-existing conditions are covered for those who meet the qualifying criteria
- Unlimited days/international trips
- No personal possessions cover
Approximately how much does it cost?Costs vary dependent on provider, number of lives insured, age and level of cover required. The average range is circa £50–£80 per individual*Costs vary depending on provider and level of cover required, but with our exclusive umbrella scheme, we can provide cover from as little as £440–£530^As a rule of thumb, you should consider unternational private medical insurance if you:
- Have employees working outside their home country for more than three to six months per year or they are globally mobile
- Have employees working in countries where healthcare is a legal requirement
- Want to be assured that you are providing duty of care — especially where there is no NHS equivalent or the standard of healthcare is poor
For more information visit Jelf International’s website or speak to our dedicated team of international specialists.*Through our exclusive partnership with Aetna, on the basis of 21–50 lives enrolled, we can offer basic cover up to the age of 69 at £46.82^Based on the lowest level of cover for an individual aged 23 and 33 and a limited range of countries