Why do I need International Health Insurance?

If you are living, studying or working abroad it is very important to have adequate health protection in place to cover any unexpected injuries or illnesses.

Under the current rules and regulations, British citizens are entitled to free health and medical treatment on the NHS. However, if they spend some or all of their time living outside the UK, they may not be able to receive free treatment.

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  • If you live in an EU country, you will not be eligible for NHS treatment if you spend more than six months away abroad in any one-year.
  • If you live outside the EU, you will not be eligible for NHS treatment if you are away for more than three months in any one-year.
  • If you are someone who is living or working outside the UK for at a few months of the year, it is also important to bear in mind that even if you receive free emergency treatment abroad, all other non-emergency treatment may not be free.
  • Also, while the cost of treatment abroad may not be an issue, there is no guarantee that the local medical care you receive will be any good.

Language may also be a problem as any miscommunication between yourself and medical staff may prevent you getting the best treatment. You may also find that as a non- citizen of a foreign country, you may not even be allowed to be treated in a state hospital.

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