Q1. Is global health insurance expensive?

Ans: As compared to domestic health insurance, global health insurance coverage are available for a higher premium because the coverage area of such plans is wider than a regular health plan.

Q2. Is global health insurance for a few countries more expensive than others?

Ans: Yes. Healthcare is costly in countries like the USA & Canada and thus, buying a global healthcare plan that covers such countries are expensive. This happens because the geographical coverage area also impacts the premium of a health plan.

Q3. Are pre-existing diseases covered by global health insurance?

Ans: Yes. All global medical insurance plans cover pre-existing diseases but after a waiting period of 2 to 4 years.

Q4. Is it possible to buy global health insurance in a foreign country?

Ans: Buying a health insurance policy in a foreign country can be extremely expensive as you may not find the plans available in India and have to pay the premium in a foreign currency. Therefore, it is advisable to buy a global coverage health insurance policy before you leave for a foreign country.

Q5. Does global health insurance cover medical expenses incurred in India?

Ans: Yes. All global health insurance plans cover medical expenses incurred within India and abroad.

Global Health Insurance: Compare & Buy Best Plans

How Does Global Health Insurance Work?

A global healthcare plan has been designed to seamlessly cover planned and unplanned medical treatments obtained worldwide. This worldwide coverage health insurance plan will pay for your medical treatments no matter where you are. Whether you fall sick or meet with an accident during an overseas vacation or go abroad for planned medical treatment, your insurance company will take care of the incurred medical expenses if you have a global health insurance policy.

Global Health Insurance at a Glance

Categories	Specifications
Citizenship	Indian
Cashless Treatment	Available
Annual Preventive Health Check-up	Covered within India
Pre-policy Health Check-up	May be required
Restore Benefit	Mostly available
Cumulative Bonus	Available
Pre-existing Diseases Waiting Period	2/3/4 years
Coverage Type	Individual/ Family floater
Renewability	Lifelong
Tax Benefits	Available

List of Best Global Health Insurance Plans

Check out the list of best global healthcare insurance plans in India:

Global Health Insurance Plans	Countries Covered	Entry Age	Overseas Coverage Benefits	Mandatory Deductible/ Co-payment
Aditya Birla Global Health Secure Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 5 years to 65 years Child – 91 days to 5 years	In-patient treatment for 16 major illnesses Post-hospitalization expenses Accommodation expenses International second opinion for major illnesses Repatriation of mortal remains	NA
Bajaj Allianz Global Health Care Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 to 65 years Child – 3 months to 30 years	Hospitalization expenses Palliative care Rehabilitation Medical evacuation OPD treatment	20% co-payment on all dental treatments
Care Health Insurance Plan	Worldwide excluding the USA (Option to extend the coverage)	Adult – 18 years onwards Child – 91 days	In-patient hospitalization expenses Day care treatments Maternity cover Coverage for 12 critical illnesses	10% co-payment
Cholamandalam Flexi Health Supreme Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 to 75 years Child – 3 months to 26 years	In-patient hospitalization expenses Day care expenses Personal accident cover	NA
Digit Health Insurance Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 years onwards Child – 91 days onwards	In-patient hospitalization Day care procedures Organ donor expenses	NA
Future Generali Health Elite Plan	Worldwide excluding USA & Canada (Option to extend the coverage)	Adult – 18 to 65 years Child – 91 days	Emergency hospitalization expenses Treatment of 20 listed critical illnesses Emergency ambulance expenses Return airfare Repatriation of mortal remains	20% co-payment
Kotak Mahindra Health Premier Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 to 65 years Child – 91 days to 25 years	Treatment of 18 critical illnesses Personal accident cover	NA
Liberty Health Connect Supra Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 to 65 years Child – 91 days to 25 years	In-patient hospitalization expenses	Deductible of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 40 lakh depending on the sum insured
Magma HDI OneHealth Extra Cover	Worldwide	Adult – 18 years onwards Child – 91 days to 26 years	Emergency In-patient medical expenses Personal accident cover	Deductible of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 20 lakh depending on the sum insured
ManipalCigna LifeTime Health Insurance Plan	Worldwide/ worldwide excluding USA and Canada	Adult – 18 to 65 years Child – 91 days to 25 years	Coverage for 27 major illnesses Area of cover Global ambulance cover Medical evacuation and repatriation Global travel vaccination	NA
Niva Bupa Health Premia Plan	Worldwide excluding USA and Canada (Option to extend the coverage)	Adult – 18 to 65 years Child – 91 days to 30 years	Treatment of 9 critical illnesses Emergency hospitalization expenses Emergency medical evacuation OPD cover Medical repatriation	20% co-payment on OPD claims
Reliance Health Infinity Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 to 65 years Child – 91 days to 25 years	Emergency and planned in-patient hospitalization expenses Outpatient treatment Emergency road transport expenses Emergency air ambulance Cost of medical aids	Deductible of USD 100 on all OPD claims
Royal Sundaram Lifeline Health Insurance Plan	Worldwide excluding USA & Canada (Option to extend the coverage)	Adult – 5 to 65 years Child – 91 days to 25 years	Emergency in-patient hospitalization expenses Treatment for 11 critical illnesses	20% co-payment on the treatment of listed critical illnesses
SBI Super Health Insurance Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 years onwards Child – 91 days to 30 years	Planned treatment of 16 major illnesses	NA
Star Diabetes Safe Insurance Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 to 65 years	Personal accident cover	NA
Tata AIG MediCare Premier Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 years onwards Child – 91 days to 5 years	Planned in-patient hospitalization expenses Day care procedures Compassionate travel Medical visa expenses	NA
Universal Sompo A Plus Health Insurance Plan	Worldwide	Adult – 18 to 70 years Child – 91 days to 25 years	In-patient hospitalization expenses	10% deductible

What is Covered Under Global Health Insurance Plans?

Global health insurance plans offer coverage for the following:

In-patient hospitalization treatment
Day care procedures
Emergency treatment outside the area of cover
Medical evacuation
Medical repatriation

Repatriation of mortal remains
Accommodation costs for one parent if the child is hospitalized
Organ donor expenses
Pre-hospitalization
Post-hospitalization
Local road ambulance
Air ambulance
Mental illness treatment
Rehabilitation
Modern treatments
Hospice and palliative care
Hospital cash benefit
Outpatient treatment
Dental treatment
Alternate/complementary treatments
Physiotherapy benefit

What is Not Covered Under Global Health Insurance Plans?

The following expenses are not covered under global health insurance plans:

Cosmetic surgery
Congenital external diseases
Intentional self-injury
Treatments for abuse of alcohol, drugs or other intoxicating substances
External appliances
War and related perils

Why Should You Buy a Global Health Insurance Plan?

Here are some of the top reasons why you should buy a global health insurance plan:

Coverage for Overseas Medical Expenses

Health insurance plans in India usually do not cover medical expenses incurred outside the country. This means that if you want to go abroad for treatment, you will have to pay the medical bills on your own, which could easily exhaust all your life’s savings.

However, by buying a global coverage health insurance plan, you have the freedom to get yourself treated in any part of the world without worrying about paying expensive medical bills.
Planned Medical Treatments

In case you meet with an accident abroad or fall sick during your overseas vacation, your travel insurance policy takes care of these emergency medical expenses. But they never cover planned medical treatments.

On the contrary, most global health insurance plans offer coverage for planned overseas medical treatments in addition to medical emergencies faced abroad.
Access to Quality Medical Treatments Outside India

Most health insurance plans do not offer coverage for medical treatments taken abroad. This prevents people from obtaining the best medical treatment that may be available outside India. Instead, they need to manage with whatever treatments are available within the country.

With global health care insurance, you can get financial access to the best medical treatments, even if it is outside India, without burdening yourself with arranging money for paying the bills.

How to Choose a Global Health Insurance Plan?

Here are a few things to keep in mind while choosing a global health insurance plan:

Opt for Cashless Cover – Make sure to choose a plan that offers cashless treatment facilities outside India. Do check if the insurance company has a tie-up with an overseas TPA to take care of your cashless claims and offer hassle-free settlements.
Check the Area of Cover – Not all global medical insurance plans offer worldwide coverage. Some exclude treatments taken in USA & Canada. Make sure to check the area of cover in a plan and choose the one that covers countries where you may seek medical treatments.
Choose Adequate Coverage Amount – Make sure to choose a coverage amount that is sufficient to cover your overseas medical treatment costs. If you choose a lower sum insured, your out-of-pocket expenses will increase. Similarly, if you select a very high sum insured amount, your premium will be very expensive.
Select the Right Coverage – Overseas medical bills mostly comprise of in-patient hospitalization costs and day care expenses. Make sure to opt for a plan that covers in-patient treatment and day care procedures up to the sum insured limit to ensure maximum coverage.
Go for Plans with Renewal Benefits – Make sure to pick a global healthcare plan that offers renewal benefits, such as the cumulative bonus and annual health check-ups, on every renewal.
Choose Plans with Restore Benefits – Several international health insurance plans offer restoration benefit that restores your sum insured after a claim is raised. Make sure to pick a plan that comes with the restoration benefit.

FAQs

Q1. Is global health insurance expensive?

Ans: As compared to domestic health insurance, global health insurance coverage are available for a higher premium because the coverage area of such plans is wider than a regular health plan.
Q2. Is global health insurance for a few countries more expensive than others?

Ans: Yes. Healthcare is costly in countries like the USA & Canada and thus, buying a global healthcare plan that covers such countries are expensive. This happens because the geographical coverage area also impacts the premium of a health plan.
Q3. Are pre-existing diseases covered by global health insurance?

Ans: Yes. All global medical insurance plans cover pre-existing diseases but after a waiting period of 2 to 4 years.
Q4. Is it possible to buy global health insurance in a foreign country?

Ans: Buying a health insurance policy in a foreign country can be extremely expensive as you may not find the plans available in India and have to pay the premium in a foreign currency. Therefore, it is advisable to buy a global coverage health insurance policy before you leave for a foreign country.
Q5. Does global health insurance cover medical expenses incurred in India?

Ans: Yes. All global health insurance plans cover medical expenses incurred within India and abroad.