Expatriate Healthcare plans for expats in the Gulf and Europe

Expatriate Healthcare is a value-focused international insurer: four plans from an inpatient-led entry point to a comprehensive tier, moratorium underwriting with no medical questions, and pricing in dollars, euros or pounds. IPMIEMEA explains how it fits the Gulf and Europe.

Four plans from lean to comprehensive

Expatriate Healthcare's international private medical insurance (IPMI) is built for people who want solid cover without a top-tier price. The range starts with an inpatient-focused plan and steps up to a comprehensive one, so the premium follows the cover you actually want. The plans are distributed and administered by Expatriate Healthcare and underwritten by Gen Re / Guardrisk.

All four are available in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling, with benefit limits expressed in the chosen currency. Exact limits and the area of cover are confirmed at quote.

What is covered, plan by plan

• Hospital and surgery, all plans: private room, surgeons, anaesthetists, theatre, specialist and nursing fees, and intensive care, at full refund.
• Outpatient: full outpatient (GP, specialist, diagnostics including MRI, CT and PET, oncology, physiotherapy) on Select and Primary+; capped on Primary+ Lite; Primary is inpatient-led.
• Evacuation, all plans: emergency medical transport and local ambulance at full refund, with companion travel and accommodation benefits.
• Other: accidental emergency dental on all plans; organ-transplant cover with a limit that scales by plan; HIV/AIDS cover on Select, Primary+ and Primary+ Lite.

Moratorium underwriting: simple to join, with a two-year rule

Expatriate Healthcare uses moratorium underwriting, so there are no medical questions when you apply. The trade-off is in how pre-existing conditions are handled:

• Any condition you had, or were treated or advised on, in the two years before joining is automatically excluded at the start.
• Each of those conditions becomes covered once you have gone two continuous years after joining without treatment or symptoms for it.
• Genuinely new conditions that arise after you join are covered from day one.

This is a low-friction route for someone whose recent health has been stable. It is less suitable for someone with an active condition who would rather have it assessed and, possibly, accepted up front. Our guide to pre-existing conditions compares moratorium with full medical underwriting and transfer terms.

Pre-authorisation, emergencies and currency

• Planned inpatient treatment should be pre-approved as soon as reasonably possible, and at least 7 days before a non-emergency admission.
• Emergencies and evacuation are covered on every plan; emergency transport takes you to the nearest appropriate facility, with travel benefits for accompanying family.
• Plans are serviced in your chosen currency, which avoids exchange friction when claims are paid.

Using Expatriate Healthcare from the Gulf or Europe

Three currencies cover the whole IPMIEMEA map. A resident of the United Kingdom, or a British expat in the UAE or Bahrain, can hold the plan in sterling; a resident of Spain, Portugal or Germany in euros; and a dollar-paid professional in Saudi Arabia or Qatar in dollars, with claims paid in the same currency. The area of cover is confirmed at quote rather than published in the material behind this page, so ask whether the USA is included and whether a narrower area is available; our guide to Europe regional versus worldwide cover explains what to ask.

Gulf residents generally need a locally compliant policy, usually arranged by the employer, with an international plan bought as a top-up or by people outside the local scheme. The inpatient-led Primary plan, with evacuation at full refund, is a natural top-up for someone whose local policy handles routine care but who wants hospital and evacuation cover that follows them home to Europe. Check the current rule where you live and read our guide to mandatory Gulf health insurance and top-up cover.

The moratorium basis also suits a common European profile: a self-employed person or early retiree in Spain or Portugal who wants cover quickly, has had no treatment in the last two years, and does not want to fill in a long health questionnaire.

Who Expatriate Healthcare suits

A strong fit if you are price-conscious and want dependable cover for what matters most, hospital treatment and emergency evacuation, without paying for a top-tier comprehensive plan, and if the currency choice matches how you are paid. The no-questions application is a bonus if your recent health is stable.

Compare alternatives if you want extensive routine outpatient, dental and maternity as standard, the very highest benefit limits, or a plan that will assess and possibly accept an existing condition up front. Nomi prices Expatriate Healthcare beside the rest of the market for your details; XN Global and Now Health SimpleCare are other value-focused plans to read.

Frequently asked questions

This page is general information, not personal or medical advice, and is based on Expatriate Healthcare plan documentation; exact terms, limits and underwriting are confirmed by the insurer at quote. Prices are indicative. Expatriate Healthcare and related names and logos are the property of their respective owners.