Staff Left Vulnerable Overseas As Employers Cut Corners On Health Cover

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A quarter (23%) of employers want to provide health insurance for staff abroad, but can’t afford it

A quarter (23%) of employers want to provide international health insurance to staff abroad but simply can’t afford to, according to the “Anatomy of an international business” research by Expacare.

The research examined employers’ attitudes towards providing international health insurance for staff, revealing that one third of employers (33%) consider it a personal choice for employees. However encouragingly, more than a quarter (28%) of employers’ view international health insurance as essential for any staff working abroad.

Healthcare inflation is currently at an all-time high, meaning businesses are ever more wary of costly insurance. But for companies operating with staff overseas, it is crucial they ensure their employees are adequately covered. They should purchase the right policy, using a tailored approach or modular approach according to their business needs, particularly if funds are tight. They should also know exactly what their staff are covered for so they are not left vulnerable overseas.

Employers are in fact aware of the elements they consider most important on an international healthcare plan. A fifth think having cancer cover (20%) is one of the most important parts of a policy for their staff. In addition, nearly two-fifths believe medical evacuation (39%) is crucial, a quarter value a 24-hour medical helpline (26%) and just over a quarter nearly a third want their staff to have a choice of medical facilities and doctors (27%). However, many still omit a number of vital provisions, despite there being a number of flexible options available.

Worryingly, palliative cancer cover is an often overlooked element on policies, with only one in ten considering this most important (12%). This is despite a high number of employers (20%) citing cancer cover as essential. Meanwhile, only a fifth (20%) think that cover for acute episodes of a chronic condition should be covered, which can often prove very costly.

Perhaps the most concerning finding is that 16% think travel insurance covers their staff’s health needs overseas. Meanwhile, a further one in ten (10%) employers believes that when operating in the EU there is no need for health insurance. This suggests illustrates a lack of knowledge around what is needed when positioning staff abroad but employers must be familiar with the requirements of where they are posting their staff as well as any policies purchased.

Beverly Cook, Managing Director of Expacare, commented: “The research shows a lack of understanding amongst employers of how best to care for their staff working internationally. Due to costs, some employers are simply not offering international health insurance to employees working abroad. Meanwhile others risk omitting some crucial elements from the cover. Businesses should find a provider which can fine tune policies to decide where cost savings can be made without sacrificing on the cover offered, a service we are proud to offer at Expacare based on our in-depth knowledge.

“In addition, while many have good intentions, we were shocked to see that so many believe travel insurance would cover all healthcare needs. I cannot stress enough how valuable it is for employers to research the country they are sending their employees to and understand the risks. Often businesses will take a ‘one size fits all’ approach to their policy, but this can mean cover is often lacking just where it is most needed.”