Expatriate or travel insurance to cover your healthcare costs abroad

Actual costs correspond to the sums incurred by an individual for healthcare expenses. Part of the actual costs may be reimbursed by the compulsory health insurance scheme, and part may be covered by the complementary health insurance. The proportion reimbursed by the latter depends on the level of cover taken out. The amount of both reimbursements may not exceed the actual costs incurred.

Insurance companies often reimburse you on the basis of the Sécurité Sociale reimbursement rate.

Example: If an insurance company reimburses 300% of the Social Security reimbursement base, you will only receive 69 euros for a consultation with a GP, because the standard rate for a consultation is 23 euros, i.e. 23*300% = 69 euros. In countries with high medical costs, such as the United States, this type of medical expense can amount to more than $150. It is essential to be reimbursed on the basis of your actual expenses.

The European Health Insurance Card allows you to be covered for medical expenses in any of the 27 EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or the UK under the same conditions and at the same rate (free in some countries) as people insured in that country. The EHIC is free of charge and remains valid for 2 years.

The cards are issued by the health insurance authorities in your country.

For more information: Assurance Maladie website.

How does the European Health Insurance Card work?

The EHIC covers medical care and treatment necessitated by your state of health. Simply present it to a public health professional (doctor, hospital, etc.) and your medical expenses will be covered in accordance with the social security rules and legislation of your country of expatriation. However, if you are travelling to a member country for the sole purpose of receiving medical treatment, your EHIC will not be accepted: planned treatments are not covered abroad.

How do I obtain an EHIC?

Contact your health insurance fund to apply at least two weeks before your departure. No documents are required for the card to be issued. If you leave less than two weeks after applying for your card, your health insurance fund can issue you with a provisional certificate of coverage, confirming your entitlement. This certificate is valid for three months and can be used until you receive your EHIC card.

What are the limitations of the European Health Insurance Card?

• It does not replace travel insurance. It does not cover private health care, or costs such as a flight back to your home country, or loss or theft of property;
• Does not cover the cost of medical treatment scheduled in another EU country;
• Does not guarantee free services. As healthcare systems differ from country to country, some services provided free of charge in your country may not be available elsewhere.

The European Health Insurance Card does not replace international health insurance. Expenses are reimbursed on the basis of the rates and legislation in force in the country of expatriation. As healthcare systems vary from country to country, we strongly recommend that you take out international health insurance for peace of mind.

Tacit renewal means that unless you notify us to the contrary, the contract will be renewed automatically.

What is a tacitly renewable contract?

A tacitly renewable contract is one that automatically renews itself for a further year at the end of its term. In other words, it is not necessary for the contracting parties to express their wish to renew it.
Fixed-term insurance contracts often include a tacit renewal clause. Renewal of the contract may be provided for in the interests of the parties to the contract.

Can I object to tacit renewal?

The Chatel Law (Law no. 2005-67 of January 28, 2005) reinforces policyholder protection by imposing a duty of information on the insurer. It also sets strict deadlines for the procedure. The policyholder’s objection to the tacit renewal of his contract must be made by registered letter.
You must be clearly reminded of the option not to recommit no later than two weeks before the deadline for cancelling your contract.

How does the Loi Chatel work?

The Chatel law offers new cancellation options. There are 3 possible scenarios:

• the insurer respects its obligation and you receive a letter informing you of the possibility of cancelling within the legal time limit, i.e. 15 days before the end of the notice period. You can terminate your contract before the end of the notice period, after which you will be subject to automatic renewal.
• you receive the notice of termination just a few days before the end of the notice period. You then have 20 days from the date of dispatch of the expiry notice to cancel the contract.
• the insurer does not respect the rule, does not send a letter or does not comply with the legal deadlines. You can cancel the contract at any time by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. If you have already paid your premium, the insurer must reimburse you for any overpayment.

However, you should be aware that the Chatel law is only valid for tacit renewal contracts, which only apply to individuals outside their professional activities, and does not apply to life insurance, death insurance or group contracts. Finally, don’t forget that once you’ve cancelled, it’s important to find new health insurance to stay covered.

CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Etranger) is a private organization that operates on the same reimbursement scale as Sécurité Sociale.

Who is affected by the CFE?

Created in 1978, the CFE, as its name suggests, works for French nationals living abroad. It reimburses a portion of your medical expenses in return for a quarterly contribution calculated on the basis of your income, age and family situation.
You can choose between “1st euro” insurance (without CFE) and complementary CFE insurance.

Other people can also join CFE:

Nationals of a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, when expatriated outside their own country;
Other foreign nationals, outside their own country and employed by a company that has affiliated its staff to the CFE.

It covers expatriate employees, the self-employed, people not in employment, pensioners and students.
What insurance cover does CFE offer?

CFE covers 3 risks:

Health: sickness, maternity and disability.
Occupational risks: accidents at work and occupational diseases
Old age: retirement

They operate independently and must be subscribed to separately. You don’t have to take out all 3; you can choose the insurance you need.
CFE: protection for all

All expatriates can join the CFE, regardless of their nationality.

• their family and professional situation during expatriation
• their country of residence
• their age
• their state of health

There is no need to fill in a medical questionnaire prior to enrolment. And there are no exclusions for healthcare costs.
We recommend that you join CFE as soon as possible, as there is a waiting period if you join more than three months after the start of your expatriation. This period is :

Three months for people under 45.
Six months for people over 45.

CFE: continuous protection

CFE ensures continuity of rights with the French social security system. On their return to France, members are immediately reinstated in their social security system.

CFE limits: taking out supplementary health insurance

The Caisse des Français de l’Étranger only covers part of your healthcare expenses abroad, such as hospitalization costs or a consultation with a general practitioner or specialist.
It only reimburses on the basis of the conventional tariff, and does not take into account the cost of expenses incurred abroad. To cover the difference, it is essential to take out additional expatriate insurance, especially in countries where medical costs are high.

The Working Holiday Visa (WHV) allows travelers to work and/or travel in a country for one year.

This is a temporary immigration visa, valid for a maximum of twelve months – or up to twenty-four months in Canada for French nationals – and only for young nationals of signatory countries.

Why go on a WHV?

There are several reasons or conditions that may prompt you to go on a WHV :

• The opportunity to discover new countries
• You are not obliged to have already found a job before leaving.
• This allows you to create and develop your own personal and professional network
• Also gain professional experience abroad and improve your skills

Which countries offer WHV visas?

The French have access to 15 destinations: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Taiwan, Uruguay, Hong Kong and Ecuador. In all these destinations, only Australia and New Zealand have unlimited quotas. These are therefore the most accessible destinations.

Belgians have access to 5 countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan).

What are the visa requirements?

Conditions may vary from one country to another, particularly in terms of age and the quota of people accepted. Overall, the conditions are as follows:

• Not have already obtained a WHV in the country in question. However, there is an exception for Australia, which allows pvtists to apply for a new visa.
• Minimum age 18, maximum age 30. Canada, Australia and Argentina allow visas to be issued to travelers under 35.
• French nationality and valid French passport
• You must not have any dependent children during your stay.
• Have a return ticket or sufficient savings to be able to finance it
• Have sufficient resources to support yourself when you arrive in the partner country, while you look for work. The timing of these savings varies according to the bilateral agreement.
• Travel insurance covering at least the cost of hospitalization, illness and repatriation.

The WHV gives many students and others the chance to study and work at the same time. WHV insurance makes it easier to move from one country to another at a reasonable price.

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As part of a secure payment, your credit card number, expiry date and cryptogram are encrypted during transmission to protect you and ensure that no data is transmitted unencrypted over the Internet. Mondassur uses the “3D Secure” system.

With “3D Secure”, Visa and Mastercard have consolidated online payments. When you make an online payment, you will be asked for a 3D Secure code to verify that you are the cardholder and to protect you in the event of theft of your bank details.

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The country of origin is the country you come from. This is usually the country of nationality.

For some expatriates who acquire another nationality, their country of origin will be that of their “1st” nationality. Today, more and more people have several nationalities, if authorized by the countries concerned. In this case, people generally tend to use the one that best suits their needs.

For an international health insurance quote from MONDASSUR, you must indicate your country of origin and your country of destination.

This covers bodily injury and property damage caused to a third party.

Example: You break a mirror in a store, injuring a customer. The store is entitled to claim compensation from you and the person you have injured. Your civil liability will cover these physical and material damages.

In travel insurance, civil liability cover is limited to private life (not professional liability cover) and does not apply to your rental car, for example, for which you must take out civil liability insurance linked to the car.

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A deductible is the amount that will not be reimbursed, regardless of your expenses.
Example: You go to the dentist and the consultation costs €75. If your deductible is €30, you will be reimbursed for the remaining €45. Reimbursement will depend on the contract you have taken out, and may cover all or part of the remaining €45.