Individual Health Insurance Scheme

Nobody likes to dwell on the prospect of ill health. But, if you live or work abroad for more than six months a year, it's vital that you're prepared for this possibility, especially as the health care or health insurance in your location may be expensive or not to the standard which you're used to. Our Lifeline scheme provides comprehensive health insurance cover for people of all ages worldwide.

No matter where you live or work, where you're from or how old you are. BUPA International can provide exactly the health insurance cover you need as an individual.

What's covered by the Lifeline scheme?
What's not covered?
Tell me more about my membership benefits
Pre-departure check-up
How to contact us

What's covered by the Lifeline scheme?

There are three levels of health insurance cover to choose from :

Gold

The most comprehensive medical health insurance scheme which offers full health insurance cover for in-patient and out-patient treatment, as well as cover for family doctor, home nursing and emergency dentistry.

Classic

A good choice if you require full health insurance cover for in-patient and out-patient treatment.

Essential

The essentials of private medical care, providing full cover for in-patient and day-case treatment.

Every level of international health insurance provides you with:

full cover for hospital accommodation
full cover for specialists' fees
cover for emergency road ambulance
cover for sports injury Back to Top

Additional Assistance cover

You can also opt to take out Assistance Cover which is a range of additional options designed to give you access to any extra assistance you may need, wherever you are in the world. Back to Top

Healthline

This will give you telephone access to a team of dedicated health professionals. You are only one call away from informed advice and support on medical matters, emergency procedures and details relevant to wherever you are in the world. Back to Top

Evaluation Cover

Evacuation cover is for those who are concerned about the quality of local medical care. When necessary, we will provide emergency evacuation to the nearest medical centre of excellence that is properly equipped to deal with your condition, no matter where you are in the world. Back to Top

Repatriation (includes Healthline and Evacuation)

Repatriation is the highest level of assistance cover that gives you the additional choice of returning home for treatment in your national country of origin, if for medical reasons, the treatment is not available locally. This is ideal for people who prefer to return home to be treated in a familiar environment. Back to Top

What's not covered by our health insurance sheme?

To help keep subscription costs down, there are some conditions and circumstances which the international health insurance does not cover.

These include:
pre-existing conditions on joining
convalescence and rehabilitation
routine dental cover
treatment for AIDS or HIV-related conditions which originated in the first five years of membership
elective cosmetic surgery/treatment
war risks
mental health conditions that arise within the first two years of membership
health hydros/nature cure clinics Back to Top

Tell me more about my health insurance membership benefits

As a member of the BUPA International Lifeline scheme, reassurance comes in many forms. You will have access to a 24 hour helpline - our multi-lingual team will be pleased to answer your questions, 365 days a year.

You, and anyone else in your family who is covered will receive a personalised membership card which features all of your membership details and emergency phone numbers.

BUPA International has direct settlement agreements for in-patient treatment with a network of over 200 hospitals and clinics worldwide. We can only guarantee payment of eligible claims with these participating hospitals. If you choose a hospital or clinic outside this network, we will still be pleased to pay eligible claims provided they agree. Back to Top

Pre-departure check-up

It's always a good precaution to have a full check-up prior to departure, including a dental check, a visit to the optician for an eye test or a change of glasses. You must, of course, be up to date with all injections and vaccinations required for the country to which you are going. If not, do not leave them too late. (Vaccination programmes should usually be started at least six weeks prior to departure.)

If your family is travelling with you, don't forget to make sure the children have been vaccinated against the usual infections and illnesses - rubella, measles, diphtheria and tetanus, for example. Ask your doctor about suitable anti-malaria pills, and consider taking a kit of sterile 'sharp' supplies to developing countries too. Always bear in mind the risks of AIDS/SIDA. Falling ill is especially worrying when you're in a foreign country.

This worry can be worsened by language barriers and the quality of the medical services on offer. There can be wide variations in the type of health care available to you - not just country by country, but sometimes even town by town. Back to Top

Free health insurance quote - please complete:

Contact and Other Information (Please note: you only need to supply us with the information you feel comfortable with. We will NOT use this information for any other purpose but to be more prepared and thorough with the information we supply you.)