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No, the insurance premiums are identical or lower (for certain contracts Santexpat.fr has negotiated preferential rates for its policyholders thanks to the volume and trust built with the insurer), but never higher. In addition, Santexpat enables you to check your health top-up at any time so that you benefit from the best mutual insurance according to your profile, household composition and country of expatriation.
Depending on the insurer and the medical situation, the insurance contract may take effect immediately after validation or within 24 working hours if the medical questionnaire is clear: if the questionnaire contains medical history, the insurer’s medical officer may take up to 5 working days to validate your contract and may ask you further questions to better understand your history and adjust your premium.
All health insurance policies selected by Santexpat.fr include a teleconsultation service with French-speaking doctors available 24/7, accessible via your smartphone app so you can obtain medical advice, recommendations or prescriptions abroad.
Yes, my expatriate health insurance covers me in all countries included in the pricing zone of my country of expatriation, and only for accidents and illnesses requiring emergency treatment in other zones abroad.
After 90 days, a French person abroad loses or no longer has Social Security rights, except in the case of employees posted abroad by their French company, who retain their Social Security rights for the full duration of their assignment abroad.
The insurers’ medical experts analyse your file (illness, treatments, care, etc.) and may recommend accepting the contract, excluding the declared condition, increasing the health insurance premium or, in rare cases, refusing membership.
Yes, your contract includes waiting periods for certain benefits such as maternity (10-month waiting period), dental cover (3-month waiting period for care and 6 months for prostheses), optical cover (6-month waiting period) and psychiatry (12-month waiting period).
Never in the event of hospitalisation abroad (you must request direct settlement from the claims service via the app, online or by phone. This request must be made before the hospitalisation if it is scheduled, or immediately if it is an emergency). For routine care (GP consultations, pharmacy, etc.), you will have to pay the costs up front and submit the invoices via the app for reimbursement within a maximum of 5 days (in the USA, some insurers have care networks that exempt you from paying health costs up front).
Yes, you have priority access to doctors via 24/7 French-language teleconsultation; consultations and hospital care in the event of symptoms linked to coronavirus are covered by your insurance contract. PCR tests are covered or reimbursed by most health insurers only in the event of symptoms related to Covid-19.
The main difference between travel health insurance and expatriate health insurance lies in the length of your stay abroad. Travel insurance covers you in the country for stays of less than 12 months in the form of a package of benefits (health, repatriation, civil liability, luggage, etc.), whereas expatriate insurance covers you for periods of more than 12 months with modular benefits that can be adapted to your needs (accident, repatriation, illness, assistance, etc.).
There is a tolerance from the French Social Security for care provided abroad during stays of less than 90 days. However, reimbursements are very long and limited to the French Social Security reimbursement basis. The mutual insurance only intervenes as a top-up if Social Security agrees to reimburse the care provided abroad and within the limits of the benefits table, which does not always allow you to obtain reimbursement of the actual expenses incurred.
The CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Étranger) is the French Social Security fund for French nationals living abroad. It provides basic Social Security cover anywhere in the world, regardless of age or status, with no medical questionnaire, and allows you, when you return to France, to re-join the general French Social Security scheme under simplified conditions. See details. It is strongly recommended that you take out complementary insurance in addition to the CFE so that you are covered for the actual costs incurred abroad, which are almost always higher than healthcare costs in France.
Yes. Santexpat.fr is one of the main distributors of complementary health insurance to the CFE for French nationals living abroad. We offer a wide range of top-up plans for expatriates in Europe and around the world, including destinations such as the United States, Luxembourg, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan, Liechtenstein, Cuba and many other countries. We help you choose the solution that best complements your CFE cover according to your profile, family situation and country of expatriation.
You can indeed choose to take out international health insurance that covers you abroad, including in the United States. These contracts are designed to offer levels of cover that are at least equivalent to, and often more comprehensive than, many local plans, while taking into account the very high cost of healthcare in the USA. Depending on your situation, you may be able to combine this with local arrangements or choose a plan that complies with the main obligations of the local system. Santexpat.fr can help you compare the different solutions so that you keep good protection while controlling your budget. here.
You can cancel your current health insurance contract on its main renewal date, subject to respecting the notice period stated in the general terms and conditions. In France, after the first year of membership, many contracts can also be cancelled at any time, with one month’s notice, thanks to the rules on infra-annual cancellation. Before cancelling, it is important to make sure that a new contract has been accepted so that you avoid any interruption in cover.
Most bank cards (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) include insurance and assistance guarantees that can help you in the event of a problem while travelling. However, these covers are limited in terms of duration (usually trips of less than 90 days), amounts reimbursed and the types of expenses covered. They are designed for occasional travel and do not replace real international or expatriate health insurance. For longer stays, expatriation or destinations where healthcare is very expensive, relying solely on your bank card is clearly not enough.
Going abroad can be a fantastic experience, but it also involves risks, particularly in terms of health. Medical costs can be very high in many countries and your usual national cover is often limited or non-existent once you leave your home system. Expatriate health insurance protects you against unexpected healthcare costs (consultations, hospitalisation, medication, emergency care, etc.) and offers assistance and repatriation services if necessary. Taking out suitable cover is one of the most important steps to travel, work or live abroad with peace of mind.
Yes. Santexpat.fr is aimed at all French nationals living abroad who hold a French passport, whatever their status (expatriate, seconded employee, student, retiree, self-employed, etc.) and even if they have dual nationality. Whether or not you have local insurance in your country of expatriation, we enable you to compare international health insurance and CFE top-up solutions so that you benefit from cover that truly matches your needs.
Moving to the United States from another country can be both exciting and challenging. One of the main challenges is finding health insurance that really protects you in a country where medical costs are among the highest in the world. You can take out international health insurance policies distributed from France that cover you in the USA, with high reimbursement ceilings, access to recognised networks of healthcare providers and assistance and repatriation services. These policies are designed to protect you and your family in the event of illness or an accident, while helping you control your healthcare budget.
Unlike many local insurance contracts, expatriate insurance is designed to follow you as your situation changes: it can continue to cover you if you change country, and often during temporary returns to your home country. It generally offers consistent levels of protection in several zones of the world and a single point of contact for all your procedures. This avoids having to change insurer every time you move and gives you a coherent level of cover for all your international travel.