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Medical insurance - any advice?

9 replies

A99Sing · 21/04/2013 10:31

We're moving to Singapore in June and trying to figure out what to do about medical insurance. BUPA etc seems fine for the big things like emergency hospital care but what about the basics: dd with chest infection or chicken pox, smear tests for me....the everyday doctors bits and pieces don't seem to be covered. Am I being a bit dim and missing something or do we pay for these sorts of things locally?

Also we're trying for baby no2, what happens if I get pregnant before being with BUPA for their specified 10 months (which hopefully I will)?

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exexpat · 21/04/2013 10:39

With the expat medical cover we used to have (not Bupa but similar) the excess for any claim was about £70, so yes, most routine doctor's visits etc we had to pay for ourselves. Some plans have a certain amount allocated per year for routine minor GP care, but that usually bumps the premiums up by an equal or greater amount... Do you have to pay the insurance yourself, or is it part of an emplyer's expat package?

And yes, if you get pregnant before the 10-month exclusion period, you will have to pay for everything yourself. Sometimes there is a clause which says the insurer will pay for any pregnancy-related medical emergencies before that (but not routine care) - you would have to read the small print very carefully.

I had an uninsured pregnancy in Japan 15 years ago which probably cost me £8,000; you would have to ask around and find out what it might cost you in Singapore. You may have to delay TTC or just make sure you have enough savings to cover it

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ripsishere · 22/04/2013 02:10

Leave it till you get to Singapore.
Local health insurers are just as good as the big ones - Bupa, Prudential etc.
Ours is with Zurich and costs around 600 ringett a month. That's about 120 pounds. Me (49) DH (55) and DD (12).
Unfortunately our bank won't cover anyone who isn't Malaysian. If we were, it would bring the cost down to around 30 quid a month!
Presumably you are moving with a company. Could they advise you?

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A99Sing · 22/04/2013 22:07

We have to arrange and pay for the insurance ourselves. We're moving with a company but they're fairly small. DH is setting up the first office in Asia so we won't have much/any company support. He's Singaporean but hasn't lived there in 20 years.

Thanks so much for the advice. Even DH has said it's helpful.

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jkklpu · 22/04/2013 22:11

Do make sure you set it up as soon as you get there; don't put it off.

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ripsishere · 24/04/2013 02:13

Agreed. I've seen on several occasions, people arrive in a strange country and need medical help.
Good luck.

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YoniOno · 25/04/2013 14:01

Jumping on this thread! We're relocating to Vietnam, not sure yet what health insurance package DH's company will provide. I didn't know about exclusions for pregnancy - we'd planned to start ttc ASAP once we're settled. Will get him to (subtly) ask - how I'm not quite sure!

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ripsishere · 26/04/2013 02:09

Ask if you can see the policy!

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MasterOfTheYoniverse · 26/04/2013 03:32

Does your DH have a CPF account/contributions?

Local care and hospitals are great. Why pay fir an "expat" insurance?
Surely you can become PR straight away and benefit from the local schemes?