April International Care MyHealth France
MyHealth France is an iPMI policy for expats living in France. It is designed to meet their needs, both pre and post Brexit. April says France is currently home to 1.3m expatriates of all nationalities, a figure expected to rise to 1.5m within the next two years. UK nationals make up 150,000 of this total, making them the largest single foreign nationality resident in the country.
The policy tops up what the French State will pay towards healthcare. That can include items such as the cost of a private room in hospitals and optical and dental services.
The policy offers a modular structure with five levels of cover, no age limit applies and no restrictions apply for pre-existing conditions. Level 1, the base cover level, is the only plan that does not meet the criteria for State-approved plans. Level 1 plans just cover hospitalisation, with benefits progressively increasing through the levels up to Level 5, which plans also cover outpatient care (including GP consultations) and dental and optical benefits.
Additional benefits include devices, orthopaedics and hearing aids, plus unforeseen medical expenses incurred abroad and reimbursed by the statutory scheme.
Policy administration is in English and there is a direct settlement network for medical expenses comprising 156,000 healthcare professionals within France when treatment is required. Customers receive a direct billing card, which is accepted by more than 150,000 healthcare professionals.
Policies are individual, and premiums are based on age. The amount of medical costs reimbursed depends upon the level of cover taken and is paid after any French social security contribution.
The policy also offers up to 90 days’ temporary cover if the customer travels outside France.
Comment: April pulled out of the UK PMI market recently but this plan is from a different part of the April group and so not affected by that (although some brokers may want to satisfy themselves that the same is not likely to happen to the iPMI business). The plan is designed to complement the State system for expats in France and, importantly, is designed to work both pre and post-Brexit.
A lot of Brits live and work in France, so this plan is well worth them checking out.
Plus points: Meets the needs of expats in France; Designed to work pre and post-Brexit; Choice of cover options; No medical questions and pre-existing conditions are covered.
Not so plus points: April recently pulled out of the UK PMI market (although that has no effect on its iPMI products); The policy ceases if the customer is no longer an expat in France; Designed mainly just for France (plus 90 days a year outside France too); Tops up what the state will pay; The policy can only be cancelled at each annual renewal date, with two months’ notice.
Website: https://uk.april-international.com/en.
Rating (max 10): Overall: 8. Gold
Tags: iPMI; April
Innovation: No