Now Health SimpleCare for expats in the Gulf and Europe
SimpleCare is Now Health International's lower-cost, digital-first international plan, with three levels that run from hospital-only cover to outpatient and dental benefits. IPMIEMEA explains how the three levels differ and how the area options work for the Gulf and Europe.
- CORE excludes outpatient treatment entirely, so everyday GP and specialist visits are a choice between 100 and 250.
- SimpleCare is never a worldwide-including-USA plan; planned treatment in the United States needs WorldCare or another insurer.
- A regional area, where offered for your residence, is the lever that makes SimpleCare cheap, but only if treatment stays inside it.
- Now Health's five-working-day claims figure is a service target, not a verified average or a guarantee.
- The regional brochure and handbook carry sub-limits and exclusions and take precedence over any summary of the annual maximum.
Three levels, one clear dividing line
SimpleCare is Now Health International's value-focused international private medical insurance (IPMI), built for people who want international cover with digital policy servicing and without the limits and price of the insurer's flagship WorldCare range. The two products are separate, with their own documents.
| Plan | Annual maximum | Published structure |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleCare CORE | US$1,000,000 | Hospital-focused: inpatient treatment, surgery, cancer and evacuation/repatriation. Outpatient treatment is excluded. |
| SimpleCare 100 | US$1,500,000 | Inpatient cover plus lower-level outpatient benefits, including GP visits, prescribed drugs and physiotherapy. |
| SimpleCare 250 | US$1,500,000 | Broader outpatient cover plus routine and complex dental benefits. |
The annual maximum is not the limit for every benefit. The regional brochure and handbook carry sub-limits, exclusions and conditions, and those documents take precedence over any summary.
How to decide between CORE, 100 and 250
The three levels are really a question about how you want to pay for routine care. With CORE you insure the expensive events (hospital admission, surgery, cancer treatment, evacuation) and pay for GP visits and prescriptions yourself. With 100 you add a lower tier of outpatient benefits so that routine visits, prescribed drugs and physiotherapy are partly covered. With 250 the outpatient cover is broader and dental is included.
For someone in good health who rarely sees a doctor, CORE can be the rational choice: the money saved on premium funds the occasional consultation. For a family with children, or anyone managing an ongoing condition, the outpatient tiers usually earn their keep. Our guide to inpatient versus outpatient cover explains the trade-off in more detail, and the EMEA cost guide covers what else moves the premium.
Area of cover and deductibles
Depending on your country of residence, the published area choices are a regional area or worldwide excluding the USA. Annual deductible choices are available on the plan. Because the options and the plan documents vary by issuing region, the brochure and handbook for your residence govern what you can select and what it covers.
This means two things in practice. First, SimpleCare is not a worldwide-including-USA plan; if you need planned treatment in the United States, look at WorldCare or another insurer. Second, a regional area, where it is offered for your residence, is the lever that makes SimpleCare a budget product, and it only works if you are confident you will be treated inside that region.
See SimpleCare against the market
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Claims, pre-authorisation and member tools
- Now Health states a target of paying eligible claims within five working days. This is a service target, not a verified average and not a guarantee.
- The secure online portfolio lets members view documents, submit claims and pre-authorisation requests, and track progress.
- The mobile app supports provider search, appointments and claims.
- A virtual membership card is available.
Underwriting terms, benefit sub-limits, eligibility and pre-authorisation requirements are set out in the current regional policy documents and are not summarised in the material behind this page. No network count or named hospital partnership is published there, so none is claimed here.
Using SimpleCare from the Gulf or Europe
Because the area options depend on residence, the first question for an IPMIEMEA reader is which choices Now Health publishes for your country. Where a regional area is available, it can suit a resident of Spain, Portugal or Germany who wants private cover close to home and does not travel far for treatment; worldwide excluding the USA suits a resident of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Bahrain who flies to Europe for part of the year. Limits are published in US dollars. Our guide to Europe regional versus worldwide cover works through when the regional saving is worth it.
Gulf residents generally need a locally compliant health policy, usually arranged by the employer. A hospital-focused plan like SimpleCare CORE is a natural top-up for someone whose local policy handles routine care but who wants higher limits and evacuation for serious events, while people the local scheme does not cover may want 100 or 250 as their main plan. Check the current rule in your emirate or state, and read our guide to mandatory Gulf health insurance and top-up cover. UK residents can read how an international plan sits beside the NHS on the United Kingdom page.
Who SimpleCare suits
A good fit for people who want a lower-cost international plan with digital servicing, who are clear about whether they want outpatient cover, and who can live inside a regional area or a worldwide-excluding-USA area. It is Now Health's answer to the budget end of the market, and WorldCare is its answer to the premium end.
Compare alternatives if you need cover in the United States, if you want very high annual limits, or if you want maternity or a fuller benefit set than the published structure shows. Nomi prices SimpleCare and WorldCare beside the rest of the market for your details; Expatriate Healthcare and HCI NIMBL are other value-focused options to read.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Now Health SimpleCare plans?
Does SimpleCare CORE cover outpatient treatment?
What areas of cover does SimpleCare offer?
How quickly does Now Health pay SimpleCare claims?
How do I manage a SimpleCare policy?
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This page is general information, not personal or medical advice, and is based on Now Health International's published SimpleCare product and plan-comparison pages; current regional documents and the terms issued by Now Health govern the cover, and exact terms, limits and underwriting are confirmed at quote. Prices are indicative. Now Health International and SimpleCare are trademarks of their respective owners.