Improvements to Aviva’s International Health Insurance

Aviva has boosted their international PMI offering and it looks pretty certain that many more insurers will be in the market to upgrade their products and follow suit. The new benefits will be available from July 2011 and these changes include new customers as well as existing renewing customers on their International Solutions policy.

International Solutions

Their worldwide medical insurance proposition – International Solutions, now offers an increase in benefits from £1.5 million to a total benefit limit of £5 million. Routine chronic cover has doubled to £15,000 a year and newborn lifetime cover increases by five times to a total of £100,000 for 112 days. A number of benefits from the “additional cover options” have been transferred into core cover and this includes vaccinations – only previously available for customers who purchased the wellness module.

More changes include mandatory per claim excess removal for individual policies – this is now optional, and for reduced out-patient options, the annual limit has been increased. The annual limit includes an increase from £1,000 to £2,500 for out-patient surgical procedures, consultations, diagnostic tests, and physiotherapy.

The repatriation benefit is new and this has been specifically developed for customers on the compassionate travel option. This offers members the choice to return home to their region of cover when the treatment required is not available locally; it may also include a country of nominated cover.

Aviva policyholders are able to locate a networked doctor or hospital online and decide if they wish to select a service provider within the network. Dental and optical options have also been improved and both individual and corporate International Solutions have increased out-patient options; but we did mention these earlier.

Global health insurance is a growing market and important to the vast number ex-pats living in countries where emergency evacuation or extensive medical treatment could result in hard to believe out-of-pocket expenses.