Version 1.3 of the International Private Medical Insurance Provider Directory is out now.

Medical insurance underwriters and providers are represented and International Private Medical Insurance Magazine would like to take this opportunity to say a warm thank you to all of the guide sponsors including ALC Health, Antaé, Cigna Global iPMI, Expatriate Group, GeoBlue, Globality Health, Healthcare International, Integra Global and Wellaway.

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List your company in the iPMI Magazine iPMI company guide. Working hand-in-hand with your own company micro website on iPMIM, this guide can land-your-brand on the desk of an eclectic worldwide readership.

Version 1.2 of the International Private Medical Insurance Provider Directory is out now with the addition of Antaé, a leading employee benefits firm based in Switzerland.

Based in Lausanne in Switzerland, Antaé is specialised in advice, design and distribution of international mobility solutions: private medical insurance, travel health insurance, assistance and security, protection, kidnap and ransom, pension. Our clients are international corporate businesses and organisations, NGOs, international private schools and international students in Switzerland. Antaé is FINMA registered – N° 28246

Medical insurance underwriters and providers are represented and International Private Medical Insurance Magazine would like to take this opportunity to say a warm thank you to all of the guide sponsors including ALC Health, Antaé, Cigna Global iPMI, Expatriate Group, GeoBlue, Globality Health, Healthcare International, Integra Global and Wellaway.

GET LISTED

List your company in the iPMI Magazine iPMI company guide. Working hand-in-hand with your own company micro website on iPMIM, this guide can land-your-brand on the desk of an eclectic worldwide readership.

Underwriters and providers are represented and Team iPMIM would like to take this opportunity to say a warm thank you to all of the guide sponsors including ALC Health, Cigna Global iPMI, Expatriate Group, GeoBlue, Globality Health, Healthcare International, Integra Global and Wellaway.

GET LISTED

List your company in the iPMI Magazine iPMI company guide. Working hand-in-hand with your own company micro website on iPMIM, this guide can land-your-brand on the desk of an eclectic worldwide readership.

iPOLICY Magazine Issue 004 June 2015 Powered By International Private Medical Insurance Magazine (iPMIM) from iPMI Magazine on Vimeo.

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To get in touch with and contact International Private Medical Insurance Magazine (iPMIM) simply send us an email. You can write to the team on: ipmiATipmimagazine.com and we will get back in touch right away. (replace AT with @)

The new directory is also featured in our Medical Broker and Intermediary report, iPolicy.

Issue 4 is out now and can be found at: https://ipolicymagazine.com/read-ipolicy/item/274-ipolicy-issue-4

iPolicy Issue 4 kicks off with an executive interview with the new Managing Director @ Cigna Global iPMI.

About the iPMI Company Directory

Delivering pertinent company information to worldwide insurance brokers, intermediaries and agents the International Private Medical Insurance Magazine iPMI Provider Network Directory is the definitive global resource featuring international medical insurance underwriters and providers.

Identify, select and source the most appropriate insurance partners that may assist you expand your product portfolio range and coverage. Designed by iPMI providers for iPMI brokers, the directory works hand-in-hand with iPMI Magazine company micro web sites. Follow the interactive links throughout the directory for more company intelligence and content.

International Private Medical Insurance Magazine is proud to announce that ALC Health, a leading provider of international medical insurance, has renewed its advertising agreement to run all the way until January 2016.

One of the original supporters of International Private Medical Insurance Magazine, à la carte healthcare (ALC Health) is an award winning international medical insurer who for over 10 years has been protecting the health of private clients, companies and organisations across the globe. The company continues to grow and develop on a philosophy of ensuring that every policyholder whether as a private individual or a member of a corporate group is assured of the highest level of personal service and support.

• Launches its first benefit based health product – MetLife Major Illness Premium Back Cover;
• Covers 35 illnesses with a return of premium option;
• Insurance if one falls ill and assured returns if one stays healthy – Scores over other basic health products in the market as in case of non-occurrence of any critical illness, all the premiums paid back to the policy holder;
• The only insurance plan in the market that pays customer for staying healthy;
• Low premium starting Rs 5,958 with a cover of Rs 5 lakhs;
• Rebates available for high sum assured from Rs 10 – 50 lakhs;
• Tax benefits are available under applicable tax laws.

The World health Organization (WHO) has identified India as a nation that will have most of the lifestyle disorders in the near future. The population for such diseases is getting younger by the day and more than hospitalization cost, the ancillary expenses linked to the recovery period cripple household finances. Recognizing this pertinent issue, PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd, today, announced its foray into health segment with the launch of ‘MetLife Major Illness Premium Back Cover’(MMIPBC). As the name suggests, the plan returns all the premiums paid incase there is no claim from the policyholder during the policy term and upon survival. The plan also provides the policyholder with a lump sum amount on diagnoses of any critical illness covered by the policy thereby ensuring that the family has adequate funds to meet the unplanned medical expenses and get the best possible treatment.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Tarun Chugh, MD & CEO, PNB MetLife said, “MetLife Major Illness Premium Back Cover is the only product in the market which returns all the premiums paid at the end of the policy term incase of no claim and provides cover against 35 critical illnesses. As this is a benefit based plan, the claim process is simpler without the involvement of a third party administrator like in the case of indemnity based health plans. A product like MMIPBCtypically helps a family cover unplanned medical expenses over and above the hospitalization cost. As per market data, only 14% of expenses incurred due to major illnesses is due to hospitalization which is covered by the conventional mediclaim and health plans which means the rest of the 86% of cost is borne by the customers themselves. This is one of the reasons apart from inadequate health care planning that drives people to poverty”

Features of MetLife Major Illness Premium Back Cover

• A non-linked, non-participating health insurance plan
• Coverage against 35 critical illnesses
• Return of premium on maturity, in case of survival and no claim made during the policy term.
• Guaranteed# lumpsum payout in case any of the 35 critical illnesses diagnosed.
• Tax benefits as per prevailing tax laws
• Term of 10 years with an entry age of 18-55 years
• Rebates available for high sum assured from Rs 10 – 50 lakhs

*for reinstatement cases too

For more information, visit www.pnbmetlife.com

# Terms and conditions apply
Insurance is the subject matter of the solicitation
For more details on terms and conditions, pls refer sales brochure

Friends Life has announced the launch of Global Treatment, in association with Best Doctors – an additional option to its Protect+ range. Global Treatment is the first protection option of its kind in the UK and is exclusive to Friends Life.

Friends life - Global Treatment HD from Friends Life on Vimeo.

Global Treatment gives customers access to the leading medical experts and treatments around the world – for themselves and their children. Covering a range of serious illnesses, including all cancers, Global Treatment will pay and arrange for people to get from their front door to a hospital they choose. It offers more choice and access to high-quality treatment in leading international hospitals outside of the UK.

Mark Anders, Director of Sales at Friends Life, said “Global Treatment revolutionises the protection insurance industry and is a unique optional benefit in the UK. It provides peace of mind that comes from knowing you are in the best hands. If a customer or their children were diagnosed with a serious illness, Global Treatment can open the doors to more options, giving them access to treatment at world-renowned hospitals by leading medical experts. If a customer is diagnosed with cancer and the best possible treatment is in New York, Zurich or Sydney, for example, Global Treatment will cover the costs. All they have to do is concentrate on getting better.”

The key features of the Global Treatment option are:

• Available to customers and their children
• Pays for all overseas treatment at a hospital chosen by the customer
• Arranges and pays for all travel from the customer’s front door to a hospital they choose, including cost for an accompanying person
• Arranges and pays for all accommodation costs, including cost for an accompanying person
• Pays £100 a day allowance per night of hospital stay.
• Each insured person has unlimited use of Global Treatment, up to a maximum benefit entitlement of £1 million per insured person, per year. They can be treated multiple times with coverage of up to £2 million per insured person in their lifetime
• On return to the UK, it covers the cost of necessary medication if they are not available on the NHS (up to the value of £50,000)
• Global Treatment covers cancer, neurosurgery, coronary artery by-pass surgery, heart valve replacement or repair, bone marrow and live donor organ transplant
• Costs just £4 per month*

Frank Ahedo, Managing Director at Best Doctors, who are supplying the medical expertise for Global Treatment, said “Best Doctors has been providing people in the UK with a Second Medical Opinion service for over 10 years. Global Treatment now builds upon the value of this service, taking it to the next level by providing and paying for treatment and expenses. As well as giving advice to people, we can now get them in front of some of the most skilled doctors at centres of medical excellence around the world. I’m very proud that Best Doctors will be working alongside Friends Life to deliver this fantastic additional benefit.”

Global Treatment is available to anyone taking out a Friends Life Protect+ policy (life cover, critical illness cover or income protection). Through those policies, customers can already access Best Doctors ‘Second Opinion’ service**. The results of this service will allow Friends Life customers to make informed decisions regarding treatment options and should the decision be to travel to a leading international hospital Global Treatment will make that possible.

Mark Anders from Friends Life added, “All too often you hear heart-breaking stories of families desperately trying to raise thousands of pounds to send a loved one abroad so they can get treatment for a serious illness. In many cases, Global Treatment can be the solution by providing the access and the opportunity to receive the very latest treatment. We are the only UK protection insurer to offer this benefit and we’re able to do it for just an additional £4 a month, making it a fantastic proposition for customers and their children. Our propositions are designed around the real needs of real people and what they may face whilst coping with a serious illness. Global Treatment is just another example of how we deliver for our customers.”

*Global Treatment can only be purchased as an addition to a Friends Life Protect+ policy
**Second Opinion is a discretionary benefit which can be withdrawn by Friends Life at any time

Allianz Worldwide Care has announced the launch of international healthcare plans for individuals and their families living in China, developed in partnership with sister company, Allianz China General Insurance Company.

The healthcare plans, which have been designed specifically for expatriates and local nationals, will initially be available for those living in Shanghai, China’s largest population centre. The creation of the healthcare plans for individuals was a natural evolution for the two Allianz companies, following the successful launch of a range of corporate healthcare plans and the establishment of a dedicated health insurance support centre in the Pudong District of Shanghai in 2012.

Expatriates and local nationals based in Shanghai have a choice of three Core Plans, covering a wide range of in-patient and day-care treatments, along with other benefits such as medical evacuation, diagnostic tests and oncology treatment. The Core Plan can be supplemented by optional plans offering cover for out-patient, maternity, and health and wellbeing treatment. There are also two optional dental plans providing cover for general dental treatment, dental surgery, and orthodontics.

Michael Li, CEO of Allianz China General Insurance Company said, “Our local knowledge and contacts together with Allianz Worldwide Care’s global healthcare expertise have enabled us to provide an outstanding solution to individuals looking for international health insurance. The importance of private health insurance and access to private local and international medical facilities is widely recognised, particularly given China’s overcrowded public hospital system.”

Claude Daboul, Director of Sales, Marketing and Operations at Allianz Worldwide Care added, “Shanghai has a population of approximately 24 million and market insights indicated a growing demand for cover which gives individuals and their families access to private and international medical facilities. Our new healthcare plans, developed in partnership with Allianz China General Insurance Company, provide this. They offer direct settlement for in-patient, out-patient and dental treatment throughout China, and access to Allianz Worldwide Care’s extensive medical network outside of China. The modular design of these plans also means that clients can select the type and level of healthcare cover that’s absolutely right for them.

Daboul continued, “What is equally compelling for clients is that these healthcare plans offer generous levels of cover for pre-existing and newly diagnosed chronic conditions as well as oncology treatment.”

Whether traveling to a place you have visited before, or to a brand new destination half way across the world, it is important to invest in a travel insurance policy that will protect against unexpected situations that can occur both before and during your travels.

It should never be a question about whether or not you can afford a travel insurance policy, but a question of how could you afford to travel without one. A low payment spent on travel insurance could save you and your family thousands of dollars in medical expenses due to unexpected illness or injury while on a trip, lost or stolen baggage, or flight cancellation and delays. Travel Insured, a leading travel insurance provider explains why you need to purchase travel insurance for your next trip.

1. Travel insurance is your safety net - Travel Insurance allows you to travel with 24/7 protection and support. If you are investing in a trip, it is imperative to invest in coverage for your health, safety, and travel costs. Travel insurance provides you with a safety net, just in case you find yourself in a less than ideal situation.

2. Travel insurance provides medical coverage - Most existing health insurance coverage does not apply while traveling abroad. Travel insurance plans include emergency medical and emergency medical assistance coverage as well as any transportation that may be needed. This protection can provide you with proper medical care and protect you financially if you had to stay in hospital, be evacuated for treatment, or undergo a major medical process.

3. Travel insurance protects your personal belongings - you are inconvenienced by either lost or stolen baggage during your travels, travel insurance coverage can provide you up to the maximum amount stated in the policy for the personal effects lost such as clothing, electronics, and other personal items.

4.Travel insurance helps cover costs if you have to cancel - If your cruise or flight is cancelled for a reason such as a natural disaster, or you need to cancel plans for your own personal reason such as unexpected illness or death of a family member, a travel insurance policy that includes cancellation coverage can reimburse you for any pre-paid, non-refundable deposits that were made for your travel plans.

5. Travel insurance can cover costs if you have to cut your trip short –If you purchase a plan with Interruption For Any Reason, you can receive unused, prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you must interrupt the trip and head home early

Good doctor-patient relations depend on good communication and, whilst most patients (62 per cent) say that they understand what their GPs are telling them, nearly a third (31 per cent) find otherwise, leaving most of this group (73 per cent) feeling confused, anxious or uneasy.

Patients come to GP appointments with varying levels of knowledge and experience of medical matters and it can be difficult for GPs to gauge whether their patients are taking in what they’re saying. It’s therefore reassuring that, according to the findings of an AXA PPP healthcare poll of 2000 patients who have seen their GP in the last 12 months,* more often than not GPs are getting it right.

To get a better feel for patients’ knowledge of some commonly used medical terms, AXA PPP asked survey respondents to answer eight multiple choice questions:

CT scan – 4 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst 43 per cent correctly identified CT as the abbreviation for computerised tomography, nearly a third (32 per cent) thought it meant cranial thermal scan and 11 per cent said it meant computerised torso scan.

Ganglion – 5 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst 45 per cent correctly identified it as a harmless cyst, 25 per cent thought it was a skin tag or hanging nodule and 6 per cent thought it was a cancerous swelling.

Somnambulism – 5 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst 51 per cent correctly identified the commonly used meaning (sleepwalking), 33 per cent didn’t know and 12 per cent thought it was an ear infection.

Hypertension – 6 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst 59 per cent correctly identified it as high blood pressure, over a quarter (27 per cent) thought it meant anxiety or stress and 6 per cent plumped for hyperactive disorder.

MRI scan – 7 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst 65 per cent correctly identified it as magnetic resonance imaging, nearly a fifth (17 per cent) thought MRI stood for multiple radiation investigation and 9 per cent went for mass radiation inventory.

Fracture – 8 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst over three quarters (77 per cent) correctly identified a fracture as a broken bone, 13 per cent thought it meant a sprained bone and 5 per cent thought it was a torn muscle.

Benign – 8 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst most (79 per cent) identified the best meaning of benign as not harmful in effect, 7 per cent thought it meant a terminal illness and a further 5 per cent thought it meant life limiting or disabling.

Haemorrhage – 8 out of 10 know the correct meaning

Whilst 81 per cent knew that a haemorrhage was an escape of blood from a ruptured blood vessel, 8 per cent thought it was another word for piles and 5 per cent confused it with a hernia, thinking it was a protrusion through the abdominal wall.

Older patients consistently outperformed their younger counterparts in correctly identifying these medical terms, which may be attributable to their having had more opportunities to hear of and/or experience them. For instance, 52 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds correctly identified hypertension as high blood pressure, compared with 69 per cent of those aged 55+.

Sixty-three per cent of 18 to 24 year olds knew a fracture was a broken bone, compared with 91 per cent of those aged 55+. And, regarding benign, 65 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds thought it meant not harmful in effect, compared with 92 per cent of those aged 55+. Ten per cent of 18 to 24 year olds even identified benign as meaning terminal, compared with 4 per cent of those aged 55+.

Women generally outperformed men in correctly identifying the medical terms. For instance, 85 per cent of women identified haemorrhage as an escape of blood from a ruptured blood vessel, compared with 77 per cent of men. For hypertension the figures were 67 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively, and for benign they were 82 per cent and 75 per cent.

AXA PPP’s chief medical officer Dr Gary Bolger noted, “Whilst, generally speaking, most people seemed to know the meaning of these medical terms, a surprisingly large proportion did not. Good communication is a two-way process so it is important for GPs to remember that a sizeable minority of their patients may not have sufficient knowledge or understanding to take in what they’re saying.”

Although most patients (74 per cent) did ask their GPs to explain what they meant when they hadn’t understood something, nearly a quarter did not: 11 per cent said nothing because of embarrassment, with 10 per cent doing likewise because they didn’t want to waste their doctor’s time. Three per cent gave up altogether and went to see another doctor. “Whilst some patients can find it intimidating to question their GP when they don’t understand what they’ve said, patients should remember that their doctor is there to help them and they shouldn’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask their doctor to explain what they mean,” Dr Bolger added.

Pressure of time can also be an issue for some patients, as a fifth (21 per cent) of those surveyed felt their GP didn’t take enough time to explain things to them in terms they can understand, with over half of this group attributing this to lack of time, which may be unsurprising given an average appointment time of 8 to 10 minutes.** To help patients to better understand some commonly used medical terms, AXA PPP has introduced an online glossary. For more information visit www.axappphealthcare.co.uk/doctorsorders.

*The survey, undertaken by OnePoll in May 2014, comprised 2000 adults who had been to a GP appointment in the last 12 months.

**Make the most of your appointment, NHS Choices: Doctors spend an average of eight-10 minutes with each patient. Once you've got an appointment, plan ahead to make sure that you cover everything you want to discuss. http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Yourchoices/GPchoice/Pages/GPappointments.aspx

Travellers who go abroad without travel insurance cover could face hospital bills of tens of thousands of pounds this summer. Thailand, USA and Canada are most expensive countries for medical treatment on holiday. Misunderstood EHIC could mean a shock to Brits on holiday this summer.

Bupa has analysed its insurance claims data to highlight the potentially high costs of requiring medical attention abroad which may be faced by the 8.5 million people a year who go on holiday without travel insurance. Looking at the average amount paid out for medical treatment in popular holiday destinations since 2008, Bupa found that Thailand, the USA and Canada are the most expensive countries in which to get sick or injured.

For example, treatment for British tourists suffering a heart attack in the USA cost £32,400 per person, on average. Even common injuries and illnesses could cost an uninsured holidaymaker hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds. Bupa paid an average of £1,725 to Mexican hospitals to treat each case of gastroenteritis contracted by its customers, and an average £1,240 for sprains and strains sustained in the USA.

Treatment in European countries can also be costly if tourists are not insured – and may come as a shock to those who fail to understand the limitations of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Bupa paid an average £634 for treatment in France for customers with chickenpox. Heart attacks suffered on holiday in Spain cost an average £9,291. Many Brits may think their medical treatment costs are covered by having a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Nearly one in four people who travel without insurance (24%) said they don’t bother taking out cover because they have an EHIC, yet only a quarter of people were correctly able to identify what the EHIC covers them for. The EHIC allows Brits to pay the same price for medical treatment as the locals in European countries – but this does not always mean that treatment is free. Nearly half of Brits (44%) believe that having an EHIC means the NHS picks up the bill for treatment needed on holiday.

Dr Tim Woodman, medical director, Bupa Health Funding comments, "Few of us go on holiday expecting to get ill or injured, but it does happen, and could cost you a small fortune in hospital bills if you don’t have adequate cover. Even common illnesses or injuries can be expensive to treat, so travelling uninsured is not a risk worth taking."

Dr Tim Woodman’s advice for staying well on holiday this summer

1. If you’re travelling to Europe, make sure your EHIC hasn’t expired and that you understand its limitations. 2. Find out if you need any vaccinations for where you’re going. Arrange to see a nurse or travel clinic six to eight weeks before you go. 3. Check if malaria is present at your destination and get anti-malarial tablets if you need them. 4. Stay safe in the sun: I can’t stress this enough! Slap on the sunscreen, keep hydrated and stay in the shade during the hottest part of the day. 5. Make sure you always pack your existing medication and carry extra for emergencies. For example, if you have asthma, pack one inhaler in your hand luggage and a spare in your hold luggage. Many countries require a doctor's letter or copy of your prescription confirming that these medications have been issued for you. Some countries have very strict rules on drugs that can be brought in, even if you bought them over the counter in the UK, with severe penalties.

As a leading international healthcare insurance group, Bupa offers health insurance and medical subscription products, runs care homes, retirement villages, hospitals, primary care centres and dental clinics. Bupa also provides workplace health services, home healthcare, health assessments and long-term condition management services. With over 22 million customers in 190 countries, Bupa employs more than 70,000 people, principally in the UK, Australia, Spain, Poland, New Zealand and Chile, as well as Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, and the USA. 

Notes: Claims data from Bupa Travel Insurance claims 01/01/2008 to 31/05/2014. Opinion polling was conducted online in July 2014 by Atomik research. 2,012 UK adults took part. Claims data may include treatment at private facilities.