What does Shopping in Style Really Mean in Dubai?

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The Dubai Mall - the world's largest shopping mall.

A pre-emmigration checklist for expats moving to Dubai is sure to pack plenty of entries. The basic necessities of expat health insurance and travel documents may square off with hopeful items such as swimwear or a stack of fiction books too long neglected. With its welcoming climate and smattering of skyline highlights, Dubai has inspired many stuffed suitcases. In past decades, this jewel in the crown of the United Arab Emirates has exploded with popularity, connoting a sense of luxury and exotic refinement to those flipping through travel magazines and sparking the interest of scores of businesspeople. As a result, increasing numbers of expatriates from across the Middle East and throughout the Western world are finding new homes in these warm sands –and as in any new place, there’s much to discover.

Though it likely isn’t on every expat’s to-do list to start spending serious cash upon arrival just for the fun of it, Dubai is undeniably a shopper’s city. With a retail business making such a boom it hosts not one but two lengthy “shopping festivals” a year, Dubai knows how to make the practice of spending money thrilling. Tourists may seem to have all the fun when it comes to throwing down some funds for local goods and high-life luxuries, but there’s no reason why expats can’t get in on the glamor –and get a bit of a bargain while they’re at it. Finding a job, a place to stay, and health insurance abroad may seem like shopping enough at first, but once settling in is underway and this emirate begins to be explored, the itch to join in on its love affair with commerce is a common sensation. In search of the famed experience of “shopping in style” in Dubai, many people head to the Dubai Mall; after all, with over twelve hundred stores, four floors, and its own ice rink and aquarium, the venue is the world’s largest. Brand names reign supreme, with numerous western influences making their mark on the mall’s offerings, yet finding occasional gems of local craftsmanship and quality is possible while wandering through the four distinct shopping quadrants. Sleek, modern interiors, seemingly endless attractions including a movie theatre complex and an indoor theme park, and a busy environment all conspire to create a kind of style for shoppers –but with a little sleuth work, expats may be able to move beyond the call of the mall to discover a different kind of style.

Local outlets known as souks are where many locals find their goods, and with specialties that range from finely-crafted gold to rich, embroidered textiles and beyond, there’s no lack of luxury despite the less imposing facades of small city markets. Dazzling jewelry is sold by weight, as are exotic spices fit for many nights of successful experimentation in an expatriot’s kitchen. And while the mall’s gleaming stores are purely price tag territory, smaller souks often engage in the ancient art of haggling –making them prime learning grounds for new residents in need of an education in how to settle for the right price.

Style, as so many expats have learned, is so often less about appearances and more about the grace and agility with which one can adapt to new people, new circumstance, and new situations. In the shadow of Dubai’s style havens, those who plan to stay can find ripe opportunities for honing genuine style the way expats have been doing it for decades. As the Middle East increasingly picks up cues from the western world, this dichotomy is growing ever more widespread.

An Expat’s Holiday Hopscotch in Thailand

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Koh Tao beach is a scuba diving paradise in southern Thailand, an expatriate favourite.

When saying goodbye to the country of your birth – or at least, to the land in which you’ve gained the most experience and made the strongest memories – there are many parts of your identity that may seem to fall away. A dislike of certain foods may fade as a new culture and its cuisine demonstrate what can be done with a different range of flavours, or the familiar features of a home or apartment may subside in favor of strange new designs that slowly begin to establish themselves as “cozy.” Nevertheless, some parts of the world “back home” seem to stick around forever, and holidays are often caught in this category. As expatriates become more accustomed to their adopted countries and begin to take on a role more deeply grounded than that of a simple tourist, the passing of familiar holidays may make new lands seem strange all over again.

In Thailand, which is home to so many holidays it’s a wonder the nation’s banks manage to ever be open, growing westernization means that travelers and expats alike can celebrate their native holidays without seeming too outlandish. Shops here and there might display a plastic, light-strewn window display of Santa Claus come December, and certain egg-and-rabbit-shaped confections might be found in stores when Easter is in full swing in other parts of the world. And while there may not be any harm in taking advantage of these foreign treats when back home holidays arrive, there’s no amount of candy or strings of lights that can deliver the true communal spirit of celebration. Armed with phrase books and notes on currency exchange, an expat health insurance policy and a promise to keep using sunblock, people new to Thailand may sometimes miss the revelry of their favorite holidays, but it’s important to not let that make one miss the spectacle and spirit of this country’s own holiday celebrations.

Loy Kathrong, a holiday that usually falls in November, sees untold scores of people sending broad banana-leaf boats down nearby rivers and lakes, bearing flowers and candles which, if they do not go out before they’ve left the launcher’s line of sight, are said to wash away bad luck. The celebration pays homage to the river goddess and her gift of life, and as the bevy of bloomed and softly-glowing boats sails by an expat’s eyes, a sense of gratitude and reverence is sure to inspire and ignite. No less momentous but certainly more carefree is the country’s annual celebration of Songkran, or the Thai New Year. Super-soaker water guns are sold on street corners, pots and pans of water are brought out from houses, and across the country, people spend three days making merry in what may well be the world’s biggest water skirmish. Shrieks of glee and gasps of surprise, honking horns and peals of laughter offer an inescapable sense of joy to expats, no matter where their citizenship may lie. Throughout the year, many other holidays dot the Thai calendar, with both solemn and silly experiences to be had.

Once newcomers have finalized accommodations, found the nearest authentic eatery, closed the deal on their medical insurance, and learned the ropes and routes of local transportation, traveling deeper into the soul of a country may seem like a slow process. In Thailand, as in so many parts of Asia, striking opportunities for making this journey with a bit of fast-forward action exist. By staying true to one’s favorite aspects of holidays back home while embracing new celebratory traditions, it’s easy to enjoy the best of both worlds and to start becoming a true local in more places than one.

Freelancing Expats

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A freelance writer

Not being tied to a desk surrounded by four walls is what motivates many freelance expatriate writers - who could blame them?

Are you an expat that relies on freelancing as a source of income? If so, you’re probably not the only one. A quick browse around some of the internet’s leading expat communities and job sites indicates that many expats rely on some form of freelance work to support their living expenses overseas. In a blog posting by Douglas Morris on transitionsabroad.com, he talks about the thriving expat micro-economies which he finds in his adopted country of Turkey, citing examples of an American hairdresser who had followed her salaried husband to Ankara and started her own hairdressing studio at home, getting fully booked without even advertising. He also mentions his yoga instructor, who again has relied on word of mouth in Ankara’s expat community to build up a group of customers, earning a steady income of $2,000 a month.

Expats, removed from their home countries, tend to become more resourceful and hands-on, applying their skills in alternative ways they would never have thought of back home. For many an itinerant traveller, the holy grail of expat freelance work is travel writing – getting paid to travel and write about those experiences. Being able to live in different countries and be your own boss is a dream for many, although those that are talented enough to really make a decent living from writing probably belong to the minority. The drawback of being a freelancer is that there is no job stability, and incomes can fluctuate wildly depending on the availability of suitable work, but, the upside is that you can take your work with you, wherever you want to go. This means that for travellers, freelancing is probably the most ideal, if not the only, means of generating an income.

Numerous websites offer the ability for freelance workers to find freelance hirers, and vice versa, with one of the most successful websites being www.freelancer.com, which is ranked one of the world’s top 250 websites. The most common job categories are website design, graphic design, search engine optimisation and writing. The majority of jobs are posted in the United States, but India is where most of the jobs are accepted. For budding freelance journalists, another good resource is www.freelancewriting.com, which offers some useful tips on how to make a living out of writing.

For today’s aspiring journalists it seems that a key trick of the trade is mastering the use of Twitter, the social networking service which allows users to follow updates from other users, whether they be celebrities, sports stars, other writers, and even politicians. In a useful illustration by Brian Scott, he demonstrates by way of a mind map how you can use Twitter for your own writing business. According to Scott, Twitter comes in handy for networking, marketing, sharing information, educating yourself and attracting a wider audience. Some of the most successful tweeters are Stephen Fry, British actor, writer and comedian, with 2.1 million followers, or Lady Gaga with 8.7 million followers. But if it’s taking you longer than expected to accumulate a proper ego-inflating Twitter following, take comfort in the fact that as of 2011 only 366 people in the world have over one million followers, while the majority of Twitter users (about 76%) have less than 20 followers.

Mastering the use of freelance work sharing websites, Twitter, Facebook, and the myriad of other community forums that cater to the world’s expat communities is extremely important for any expat wanting to make a living being self-employed. Don’t forget that you’re trading job stability and a regular salary for a much greater degree of personal freedom – but not being tied to a desk all day is a huge plus!

Are Dubai expats spoilt?

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Dubai Palm Island

Expats in Dubai tend to live a bit different from expats elsewhere - a bit more extravigantly? Some would certainly say so.

Dubai, commercial hub of the Middle East, has taken on a reputation as the Mecca of lavishly paid expats living extravagant lifestyles. Although not entirely true, I’m probably not too wrong in saying that the majority of Westerners here do like to play to that image by showing off a bit when friends from home come to visit, just to make everyone feel a bit jealous of us. That doesn’t stop us from slagging off the place when we’re enjoying morning brunch of Shawarma and cups of espresso with our expat friends. The real deal though is that a lot of expat managers in Dubai (usually men) tend to work 14 hour days just like the poor labourers that fill up the city’s construction sites. Their spouses are the ones flaunting the wealth and generally working up debts which take ages to pay off, but that’s kind of what the lifestyle here demands of you. Anyway, while nosing my way through some of Dubai’s many expat forums and online support groups,  I came across a pretty amusing website which gives you some idea of the kind of problems ‘rich people’ (expats in Dubai) have here – check it out.

They’ve got some crazy but very real ‘spoilt expat’ conundrums there – some of my favourite I’ve gladly reproduced below (but check out their site for the corresponding pictures):

  • How do I tell my daughter that her new “Dubai” mum is younger than she is?
  • School ski trip to Aspen, Alex Fergusson soccer camp or business class on Virgin Galactic? I hate half term mummy!!!”
  • What do you mean I can’t have botox again until after the baby???
  • 50,000AED a year membership and I can’t hit the ball… but the outfits are soooo cute!
  • I give him 12 dirhams to wash my car in the 49c heat and he’s missed a bit on the roof!
  • I need to let the cat out but the gardener is still out there

Were they good, or have you got any better ones? Having lived here for 2 years now and spent many a night / early morning sipping cocktails at the 400 Club or Boudoir among the Emirati and Glitterati of Dubai, I’ve actually heard a pretty good selection of shallow complaints myself, including:

  • Do I hire another nanny or should I be walking the dog myself?
  • I keep forgetting to sell my downtown condo since we bought our new family home on Palm Jumeirah
  • I’ve been through 5 different caddies since I got here, I can’t believe how hard it is to find the right one
  • There are rooms in my house I don’t think I’ve been into yet
  • I didn’t know truffles made you fat??

And don’t forget folks, the best way to avoid any problems with unforeseen medical expenses is to get proper worldwide expatriate health insurance. InterGlobal has offices throughout the Middle East, including one in Dubai, and we’re familiar with the way things work here – so get in touch and we’ll see how we can help.

Asia’s Private Medical Centres

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Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand

Western expatriates in Asia are big business for Thailand's leading hospitals

 

Have you ever been to a private clinic? As an expat in your adopted country of residence, what things do you consider when choosing between a private clinic versus a public one?

For many, the answer will depend usually on the quality of the public care offered. In some of Asia’s more developed regions, such as Singapore, public clinics are known to have very high standards of medical care and are relied upon by many expatriates. In less developed countries, this isn’t necessarily the case. Questions like this will also affect what kind of medical insurance you end up choosing.

In an article published by a team of experts including Henry Wilde, a Professor of Medicine at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University Hospital, and other notable medical professionals from well-known Thai hospitals, the pros and cons of private health care in Asia are discussed, including the growth of medical tourism and the commercialisation of medical care.

In the early days, expatriates living in Asia’s tropical regions may have had to contend with greatly diminished access to proper healthcare as part and parcel. This has changed – expatriate life is now more or less celebrated for the luxurious and pampered lifestyle which it can afford those from developed countries, without having to sacrifice access to quality medical care. Modern expats demand well-appointed condominiums with swimming pools, home servants, private schooling for the kids, as well as proper private medical insurance of course – and their companies are usually providing it. So with your private medical insurance in hand, what kind of things can you expect?

Most expatriates tend to use private medical facilities, and one of the key reasons is the language – being able to communicate to your nurse or doctor in English, French, German or Japanese makes you feel much more comfortable and relaxed. But what is the quality of the doctor really like? Most doctors working in Western clinics are itinerant in that they tend to move from city to city or country to country rather often. These doctors usually don’t acquire local qualifications, therefore the clinics usually also employ local doctors to deal with documentation requiring a medical license. While many such clinics undoubtedly offer high standards of care, finding and maintaining a good ongoing relationship with a Western doctor may be difficult, especially if you’re staying in-country for the long haul.

Private Western-style clinics and hospitals have become big business in Asia, with share market listings and revenues in the tens of millions of dollars. Run like businesses, they often advertise aggressively, which Wilde et al. claim is in ‘poor taste’. This assertion probably rings true for a lot of expats who live in Thailand and China, which have very relaxed rules on the way private clinics are allowed to market themselves. Following a US Supreme Court  ruling which effectively prevented the country’s professional medical bodies, including the AMA, from banning advertising by doctors, Thailand quickly saw this as a green light and relaxed its own restrictions governing such activities. Much of this marketing activity is aimed at Westerners, which represent a significant foreign currency earner for the Thai economy and therefore, as an industry, has benefited from many favourable Thai government policies. The hospitals themselves though remain fairly well regulated and do provide high standards of care. In China, the problem is a lot worse. Low end private clinics, aiming at the Chinese underclass of workers who are not well served by the country’s restrictive social welfare system, and who do not have sufficient income to afford proper healthcare, are often allured to dodgy operators promising miracle treatments. With inadequate regulation and policing, the sector has thrived, but the consequences are only likely to reveal themselves much further down the track.

In their article, Wilde et al. also mention the possible benefits due to the growth of Western clinics in Asia’s developing areas, noting the transfer of skills and knowledge about proper medical care throughout the respective country’s national system. Like all industries, the gradual attainment of world best practice is a slow process, but one which can be greatly sped up by the co-existence of private and public sectors in a ‘top-down’ flow of knowledge – provided there is adequate regulatory oversight.

Navigating healthcare systems in a new country can be daunting, so for recently arrived expats, one of the best ways may be to ask your private health insurance provider for advice. Insurers who are present in the region usually have  teams of people with a strong understanding of the situation in each country and are familiar with the needs of expats – so it may be a good idea to check with them first before determining the best place to go for treatment, no matter what the level of severity is.

 

The age of international mobility

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Research shows most graduates want overseas work experience, highlighting the importance of global health insurance.
Research shows most graduates want overseas work experience, highlighting the importance of global health insurance.

 

There is no debating the fact that we live in an age of abundance, when put in a historical perspective. Compared to one hundred years ago, people are now eating more, living longer, attaining higher levels of education, enjoying more travel, and generally leading healthier lives. In many areas of society in the developed world, the excesses caused by excessive consumption has resulted in obesity and overindulgence – children receiving too many presents for Christmas – and the phenomenon of instant gratification, where people come to expect things right here, right now. One of the possibly more overlooked aspects of this new age is the corresponding benefits brought with it by the fact that we now live in a more globalised world. This is especially so for people looking to internationalise their careers, with reports indicating that there are more opportunities than ever before for people looking to work abroad.

New research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has shown that the number of people working outside their home country is set to increase by 50% in the next decade. Their study, conducted by analysing the expectations of 4,200 graduates, show that 80% of respondents want to work abroad. The study further revealed that 94% expect to work across geographic borders more than their parents, and an amazing 70% expect they’ll end up using a non-native language at work – primarily English. The study also notes that with the new rising economic powers (called the E7) set to overtake the traditional large economies (of the G7), the focus of multinational corporations’ expatriate assignments will shift from traditional centres such as London and New York to new burgeoning metropolises including Shanghai, Jakarta and Delhi.

Research by ECA, who specialise in managing international assignment of employees for their corporate clients, have shown through surveys that for companies headquartered in Asia, the top destination for assigning employees was China, followed by Hong Kong and India. For those companies with headquarters in other parts of the world, the top three destination countries were the USA, the UK, and then followed in third place by China. For those seeking some work experience in the world’s largest emerging economy, now could be the best time. Many China watchers are suggesting that now is the apex in China’s growth, beyond which the rate of growth and the corresponding opportunities brought with it will start to decline, relatively speaking. ECA points out in their report that “There are no signs of companies slowing down when it comes to sending staff into China”. Western firms have been investing heavily there and expatriating more employees to Shanghai, Beijing and other major Chinese cities in the face of economic downturn in their own home markets.

When relocating overseas to work, there are a whole host of issues that need to be sorted out, including private health insurance, accommodation, visas, shipping of belongings and so on. Many companies will organise all or most of these issues on behalf of their expatriate employee, but not always – and in some instances, expatriate employees may prefer to organise solutions to some of these problems on their own. Expatriate health insurance being a necessity for any expatriate living abroad for more than 3 months, it’s important that you do your research and find the right level of cover that suits your situations. For comprehensive information on the expatriate health insurance products from InterGlobal, make sure you visit www.interglobalpmi.com.

Expatriate Management

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Expatriate Management Team

Expatriate managers living abroad present a range of issues for their companies.

A study by people management experts Jaime Bonache and Chris Brewster for the Thunderbird International Business Review on globalisation, expatriates and international management, titled Knowledge Transfer and the Management of Expatriation, has revealed some key insights into the workings of expatriate assignments at large multinational companies. The study found that despite huge advances in communications technology both in terms of accessibility and functionality, the trend for expatriate assignments has been upwards. The key driver for this has been the need for multinational companies to ‘control and coordinate’ operations, effectively replicating the head office culture and practices in offshore subsidiaries, ensuring the organisation functions uniformly across the globe.

The study looks at some of the unusual characteristics found in expatriate assignments which seem to defy conventional labour market theories. Why is it that firms insist on sending over managers from primarily the company’s home country to subsidiary countries, when there are plenty of highly skilled people there already? And why do (some) companies insist on only sending employees from the home country and nowhere else? (if this brings to mind some Japanese conglomerates, you’re not alone). By basing their study on a Spanish multinational banking institution (we guess it may be the bank Santander, but they do not reveal this), they’re able to give practical insight to how a large MNC relies heavily on the employment of expatriates for ‘knowledge transfer’.

For firms, the key justifications for forking out the dough to send one of their employees to another country included, in order of importance: lack of availability of management and technical skills in the subsidiary country; better control of local operations and greater trust, especially when an overseas acquisition had been made; for representation, and for management training and development. Knowledge transfer from the home country to the subsidiary country was of course one of the overriding characteristics in all expatriate assignments. For many Western firms entering developing markets, particularly in Asia, the Middle East and South America, the researchers found that although particular knowledge may not be necessarily superior in the home country, it may turn into an advantage relative to local competition in a foreign country. For the Spanish bank which was the subject of the study, transferring knowledge from Spain to less developed countries in Latin America made for notable competitive advantages, helping to increase market share and profitability. On the other hand, they noted that the bank’s private banking subsidiaries in Miami and Switzerland have generated more knowledge than they received.

How much does a bank value its ‘corporate culture’? The research points out that one of the key advantages the bank recognised in sending employees overseas was in transmitting the bank’s own internal culture. Expatriate employees were usually placed in positions of seniority, allowing them to pass on the bank’s values down through the hierarchy of the subsidiary company. Such knowledge and values transfer were all about ‘tacit’ information which cannot be documented or codified, rather than explicit information which is better communicated through written means.

Regarding repatriation, this is where the biggest surprises were found. Contrary to the popular notion (maybe now becoming a myth?) that the failure rate of firms who sent employees overseas was disproportionately high, this particular bank had a failure rate of less than 3% – defined as the percentage of expatriates returning home prior to planned end date of their assignment, other than for health reasons. Perhaps in a more globalised, expat-friendly world, international assignments are becoming far easier and much more common. Advances in products including international health insurance and financial planning have certainly helped, with individuals now able to move more freely around the world without the significant disruption to their finances compared to, say, 20 years ago.

Everyone wants to be an Expatriate

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Expat suitcase

More people are spending more of their lives overseas.

 

 

Certainly one of the hallmarks of the 21st century has been the rise of the international class – internationally mobile citizens who have moved abroad to start a new life. These expatriates are now greater in number than ever before. The motivations behind these moves overseas are many and varied – many expatriates state lighter tax regimes as a motivator for moving. Many also seek a different lifestyle to what they are used to – people moving from cold countries to warm countries, from newly developing countries to centuries-old countries, from Western countries to Eastern countries, and vice versa. Unarguably, international experience, no matter where you’re from and where you’re going, always looks good on your resume – indeed the reason why many expats make the move overseas. But improved employment prospects aside, many expats simply enjoy ‘being expats’, above any other reason. Perhaps the independence that is associated with living away from your family and traditional friend networks, forging a new life in a new land, creates a set of challenges which many people aspire to overcome – from which they derive a great sense of satisfaction.

One of the challenges expatriates face when they move abroad is obtaining health insurance – essentially some form of protection for their health. In their home countries, citizens will usually be covered by some form of social healthcare – such as the National Health Scheme in the United Kingdom, or Medicare in Australia. Canada, France, Germany and Japan also have similar national health systems. The United States’ health insurance system is private, however private health insurance there also varies significantly from health insurance bought elsewhere in the world, therefore also presenting a challenge for American expats. For expatriates, regardless of what country they come from, there’s usually only one option when it comes to health cover overseas: international private health insurance.

International private health insurance is usually a more flexible type of insurance, offering typically worldwide cover (usually excluding US cover, unless specifically required). It allows expatriates to move freely from country to country and still retain their policies with full effect, thereby not inhibiting expatriates who move frequently. This overcomes the boundaries of national health insurance schemes which are typically invalid once outside of the related country. One of the problems, however, can be where expatriates are required by national laws to enrol in the local national health insurance schemes. This is the case in Japan for expatriates in employment (usually most), and can be the case in South Korea as well. China’s employment laws regarding expatriates are also undergoing some changes, with forced enrolment on the national health insurance system gradually becoming law in many provinces. The issue this presents to expats is that it means doubling up on cover – paying for private and social health insurance. While some can afford this, most probably cannot. The only way around this is to seek legal advice from a lawyer experienced in local laws and regulations who is able to assist in finding a way out of the national system (there often are ways). In any case, for the vast majority of expatriates, an international private health insurance would be far more beneficial, and often more cost-effective too.

Health Insurance Vietnam

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Vietnam is a booming economy located in East Asia, to the south of China and the east of Thailand. It has an interesting varied geography, including low-lying areas near the coast and high mountain plateaus covered in dense foliage. Vietnam is known for its fine light and healthy cuisine rich in vegetables and nutrients, as well as its friendly people and fascinating culture. It is of course also known for all the wars that have been fought in the country over hundreds of years, but the country has arguably recovered from these and is now prospering more than ever before.

Vietnam has been a draw card for many Western expatriates, with noticeable increases over the past 10 years since travel restrictions have been eased by the ruling Communist government. The importance of the travel industry to Vietnam’s domestic economy has been realised, and now the doors have been opened up. By some estimates, Vietnam is home to more than 100,000 foreign expatriates, with large numbers of French, British, Americans and Australians. The Vietnamese economy continues to benefit from this burgeoning community, which is bringing knowledge and skills from more developed parts of the world.

One of the aspects to Vietnam expat life which new expatriates to the country discover is the necessity of health insurance. While Vietnam is not a dangerous country in terms of crime rate, its traffic conditions, combined with a still nascent and developing healthcare industry, do mean that for expatriates living in Vietnam a good health insurance is absolutely vital. When looking for health insurance, most expats will ensure that they are covered for: a) evacuation, in case of serious accident or illness, which requires medical attention outside Vietnam; and b) full hospital cover, which includes covering the costs of medical treatment, accidents and emergency treatment, and the cost of surgeons’ fees plus drugs and dressings. These two are the most vital elements of health insurance – and it’s important to make sure that the cover limits are high enough to provide a meaningful level of cover. As a rule of thumb, cover limits in excess of the $250,000 are usually quite adequate, however, it’s always important to consult with an industry professional before making a decision on which cover to purchase – the level of cover required depends on the circumstances of the individual, and so varies from person to person.

One important note is that those living in more remote areas, such as some of the countryside of Vietnam (or even remoter areas, such as those rural areas in Myanmar, Cambodia or Laos), will find there is a need for a greater level of cover for emergency evacuation. Rural areas very rarely have adequate medical facilities, judged by Western standards, meaning that for Westerners living in these areas it is absolutely essential to have a good level of cover. Evacuations for serious injuries from these areas to the nearest centre of medical excellence, usually Hong Kong or Bangkok, can cost upwards of $100,000 – well beyond the ready cash reserves of most people.

In short, health insurance in Vietnam, and neighbouring countries, is essential for anyone planning to settle upwards of one year. For those looking for a more short-term solution, such as for travellers, health insurance may not be as suitable as travel insurance. Either way, it’s important to have cover, to give you peace-of-mind, and to avoid the crippling financial consequences of any serious accidents, emergencies or illnesses.

Expats buying medical insurance online

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For many people travelling or moving overseas, whether for short periods or long periods of time, one issue always sticks out – what to do about health insurance.  Many popular destinations, including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and Japan, will provide little to no cover for foreigners travelling or residing in their country, should medical attention be required. Medical bills, in these instances, would need to be paid for out-of-pocket.

A common problem is that many people who are otherwise healthy can get stuck in situations where they’re facing large medical bills due to accidents while overseas, and the absence of forward planning for any trip overseas contributes to this. Part of any prospective traveller’s plans should be researching and purchasing appropriate medical cover, which is suitable for the destination they will be travelling to. The same principle applies for those moving longer term. Essential long-term residents or short-term residents will face the same problems while overseas – the need for health cover – although different products may suit these two different kinds of buyers. No matter whether you’re moving overseas for a long period, or just doing a bit of travel, the best way to stay protected is to do some research on the internet to look into what options are available.

Most medical insurance providers do have websites with very concise information on what kind of plans they provide and the areas of cover which they offer. Some providers also go a step further by allowing consumers to actually purchase policies online – this can be a huge time-saver, which is especially useful for those who want to just be able to manage all their policy details online in one place and not have to deal with any paper. However, there can also be a drawback to purchasing medical insurance online, and that is the lack of underwriting choices made available by medical insurers who offer their products to consumers over the internet. Quite simply, only one type of underwriting choice is usually made available online, and that’s moratorium underwriting – moratorium meaning that it comes with a waiting period for pre-existing medical conditions. This kind of underwriting would usually be fine for those not seeking to cover any pre-existing medical conditions, but for people who do want cover for pre-existing conditions, other alternatives may be more desirable. In these instances, the internet may not be the most suitable route for choosing expat medical insurance, as insurers may not make other types of insurance available online.

In addition to provider’s websites, there are also a myriad of comparison websites and discussion forums, particularly aimed at expatriates, which attempt to give potential buyers of health insurance a good way of conducting research before making their buying decision. These websites are often commented on, moderated by and managed by expatriates themselves, so in terms of getting information which is relevant, prospective ‘expats’ could visit these websites to collect more information. Several suggestions are below:

Singapore: http://www.korea4expats.com/

Most Asian countries: http://www.chinaexpat.com/

Worldwide: http://www.expatica.com/

If you have some sites which you’d like to recommend and which you feel are particularly relevant or useful, then feel free to let us know and we may post the link here. Hopefully this blog can also become a good reference point for those expats or to-be-expats who are seeking more information in regards to how to buy medical insurance, finding our more about healthcare overseas, and other general expat-orient issues. So feel free to participate!