Self-insurance abroad: a solution?

Going abroad? Some travellers or expatriates choose to self-insure in order not to pay the cost of international insurance for travellers and expats. But is that a reasonable decision?

Pay ingely for medical care yourself?

Admittedly, self-insurance seems a good solution at first glance for the traveller and allows, when booking, to save money. While self-insurance may seem like a good idea, you have to take into account medical problems that can occur in an emergency and become very quickly expensive. Emergency medical operations may be required during your stay abroad. An extraction of wisdom teeth (average: 600 euros) for example or an operation of appendicitis (average: 6200 euros).

The common idea about the cost of medical treatment in emerging countries is that medical costs are not expensive. In reality, there is theheeneme of medical cost inflation in emerging countries, especially in Asia. The increase in medical costs is between 10% and 15% per year. It is explained by the sophistication of the means of treatment, the development of high-tech medical that requires a lot of investment. We have thus met in emerging countries the following costs: the treatment of a fracture of the tibial plateau with 3 days of hospitalization will cost you nearly 10,000 euros. 2 days of hospitalization for the treatment of gastroenteritis will cost at least 900 euros. These are huge sums to take care of yourself.

The problems of self-insurance

Second, some exotic countries lack technology and doctors to diagnose diseases. This is the case in Papua New Guinea. Hospitals offer only basic treatment. For diagnosis and more advanced treatment, you have to travel to Australia. The cost of a health repatriation to Australia is ranging from 15,000 euros to 50,000 euros. And you have to count the return. With quality Mondassur international insurance, you will be covered at 100% of the actual costs in case of hospitalization and repatriation.

In some countries, the medical cost for a simple consultation is not very high, but hospitalization can be. Note that you must master the language of the country because it is very likely that doctors do not speak French. If, on the other hand, your medical mandarin is far from perfect, it is best to go to a private clinic for consultation with a more specialized doctor. These consultations can cost you a fortune. It is best to take out international travel or expat insurance to be protected from all risks.

In short, international insurance allows you to enjoy your stay abroad with peace of mind. Make your choice of travel or expat insurance easier with our immediate free online tips and quotes.

Compare our travel andexpat insurance offers for stays abroad and subscribe online to the most suitable travel insurance offer for your situation!