Generali Global Health Global Choice plan for Hong Kong
Generali Global Health has launched its Global Choice plan for Hong Kong, in partnership with Generali Hong Kong.
Global Choice is the provider’s flagship international health insurance (iPMI) plan and is designed to cater for the needs of globally mobile employees as well as being an enhanced health insurance solution for local nationals who would prefer to travel overseas for treatment.
The plan uses a flexible modular design, which allows employers to mix n match benefits and choose the level of cover they want and can afford. Three versions are available – Select, Classic and Premier, with annual limits of $1m, £3m and $4.5m respectively. Additional benefits available include high annual limits, a direct billing facility in an international network and a range of specialist cover options. Modular benefits to cover wellness, fertility, vision, maternity and dental can be added.
Employers can also segment their workforce (as long as there are at least three employees in each group) to offer different cover levels to different employee levels.
The plan provides access to over 600,000 medical facilities worldwide, plus the freedom to use a hospital or medical facility of choice.
Members can access their policy from anywhere in the world and there is a member portal that enables them to carry out tasks such as changing policy details and making claims. There is a 24/7 multilingual contact system with medical coordinators who are supported by a team of doctors and specialists.
Generali has also launched a concierge service in Hong Kong, which provides a dedicated team to help members find a specialist, and then book appointments on their behalf. The service is provided through partner The Specialist Consortium, which provides access to an independent group of 60 internationally-trained specialist doctors, across 23 clinical sub-specialties, located in over 25 Hong Kong locations. The service aims to provide appointments within three days of the member’s initial call and all eligible appointments are settled directly in liaison with Generali Global Health’s claims team.
The partnership has also secured preferential specialist fees, supporting GGH’s ongoing efforts to manage medical cost inflation and keep premiums stable for its customers. The service is available to all members in Hong Kong.
Comment: Many iPMI plans are now tweaked to meet local needs and/or to comply with local regulatory requirements or markets. Generali is a global player and its Hong Kong plan achieves that, in partnership with Generali Hong Kong.
The plan itself is available in three basic configurations, with options to tailor the cover further in a way that should meet most needs. Each version has an annual maximum but these are quite generous, while making benefits such as maternity optional means those not planning to have children are not effectively subsiding those who are.
The new concierge service, announced on 26 July, is also noteworthy. We have long argued that insurers should use their expertise to help customers to secure non-insured treatment (e.g. cosmetic treatments or excluded treatments) on the best terms so it is good to see Generali offering that.
Hong Kong has a population of just over seven million, of which 4.6% are expats (source: http://www.go-globe.hk/blog/hong-kong-expats/) so this is a fairly big market to target, despite its small geographical base – less than 79 square kilometres.
Plus points: Existing plan but targeted at and tailored for the Hong Kong geography; Run in partnership with Generali’s HK arm; Three basic versions, each with optional add-ons; Usual high iPMI benefits; Concierge service could be very valuable to some.
Not so plus points: Some policy limits; Some may prefer add-ons built in; Relatively small market for this particular plan.
Website: www.generali.co.uk.
Rating (max 10): Innovation: 8. Overall: 8. Gold