Place in the sun encourages boom in international private medical cover

8 August 2005

Record numbers of Britons are buying international private medical cover as the number of people with second homes abroad has rocketed.

Figures just released from the Nationwide Building Society1, show foreign home purchases have risen 85 percent in the last decade, up from 89,000 to 165,000.

This stampede to buy a place in the sun has been matched by the number of people taking out international private medical insurance, as the next generation of expat Britons make sure their health is taken care of in their new adopted countries.

Bupa International has seen the number of customers increase by 20 per cent since 2001. The number of people now taking out international health cover is around 300,000.

Paula Covey, Bupa International's head of marketing says: "We've been caring for the health needs of expatriates for nearly 35 years and in recent times have experienced great growth in the international private medical insurance market as more people move abroad and seek peace of mind about their health.

"For us what is most important is that people make sure the policy is right for them. Here's our guide to finding the correct policy and insurer."

• Make sure you choose an insurer that will provide worldwide cover, giving cover whenever and wherever you need it
• Select a scheme that covers immediate emergency care, referral to a specialist or hospital if necessary, therapist treatment, dental treatment, hospital treatment and in-patient care
• Ensure you have 24-hour access to help and advice. A good insurer will have a multi-lingual helpline open every hour of every day of the year
• Choose an insurer that has direct settlement arrangements with hospitals and clinics to save you time, money and effort
• Ensure you will be able to keep an eye on your scheme details and track individual claims online
• Routine illness is the most common reason for making a claim, so it is important you are protected against such eventualities
• It is important for your insurer to pay claims in local currency so you avoid losing out on exchange rates

For more information about Bupa International’s insurance policies go to www.bupa-intl.com

1 Nationwide Building Society House Price Survey.

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