International health insurance guides

What international health insurance is, who needs it in the Gulf and Europe, what it covers and how to choose. Start here.

Age, area, cover level, excess, who is covered, medical history and country of residence: the seven drivers of your premium, explained.

FMU, moratorium, CPME and switch terms, explained in plain English, with what to declare and what to ask before you buy.

Inpatient, day-patient and outpatient cover: what each pays for, where the line sits, and how much of each an expat in the Gulf or Europe needs.

Employer cover plus an international top-up: how the two layers work together in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, and what to check.

Europe-only, worldwide excluding the USA or worldwide: how to choose the area of cover if you live in Europe, and how the UK is treated.

Employer cover, the visa link, and why UAE expats add international health insurance on top. What to check before you compare.

Employer cover is mandatory for expats in Saudi Arabia. Here is what it usually leaves out and how to compare international top-up plans.

Qatar expats: how mandatory insurance and employer cover fit together, what they leave out, and how to compare international plans.

Bahrain expats: public access, the phased mandatory scheme, cover across the causeway, and how to compare international health insurance.

Spain expats: who gets public care, what residence visas generally expect of private cover, and how to compare international health plans.

Portugal expats: public registration, what residence visas generally expect of private cover, and how to compare international health plans.

Germany expats: statutory versus private insurance, why many international plans do not qualify, and where IPMI still fits.

UK readers: the NHS, the visa health surcharge, domestic PMI versus IPMI, and how to compare international health plans.