International Healthcare from The Broking Group.
Worldwide cover for expats, multinational SMEs and frequent business travellers. One adviser, every market.
- Personal & family: same day or next
- SME up to 9 lives: 48 hours
- Larger SME schemes: 72 to 96 hours (up to 5 working days where an insurer needs manual underwriting)
What is International Healthcare?
International Healthcare from The Broking Group is private medical cover that works across borders, designed for individuals and employees who live, work or travel outside their home country. Cover typically operates worldwide or worldwide excluding the United States, with direct billing in major medical hubs. It is different to travel insurance. Travel cover is built for short trips and emergencies, not for ongoing treatment, chronic conditions or long-term residency overseas. SMEs with internationally mobile staff benefit from a structured iPMI plan rather than patching together travel policies trip by trip.
How a quote works
- 1
You tell us what you need
- 2
We search the whole market
- 3
You get a named recommendation
- 4
We stay with you at renewal
Who it's for
UK expats
British nationals living and working overseas, or international staff posted to the UK.
Multinational SMEs
Small and mid-sized businesses with staff across multiple jurisdictions.
Frequent business travellers
Senior teams whose role takes them across borders multiple times a year.
High-net-worth individuals
Clients with second homes or international lifestyles needing year-round private cover.
What it covers
Worldwide inpatient and outpatient
Treatment access wherever the policyholder lives or travels within the chosen area.
Direct billing networks
Hospitals in major hubs bill the insurer directly so you don't pay upfront.
Emergency evacuation & repatriation
Critical in regions with limited private infrastructure.
Maternity
Typically available with a waiting period; matters for younger expat populations.
Mental health & wellbeing
Increasingly comprehensive across the better international plans.
Optional add-ons
Dental, optical and routine check-ups where it earns its place.
What drives the cost
Six factors do most of the work on international premiums.
Area of cover
Worldwide excluding USA is materially cheaper than full Worldwide including USA.
Age
Premium rises with age band, particularly above 50.
Cover level
Basic, comprehensive or premium. Each tier expands limits and add-ons.
Voluntary excess
Higher excess reduces the monthly cost. Useful when used deliberately.
Underwriting method
Moratorium or full medical underwriting affects both pricing and exclusions.
Number of people covered
Single, couple, family. Most insurers tier pricing with a modest reduction per added life on family plans.
How to compare quotes properly
Plain English: look at hospital network depth in the geographies that actually matter to you, direct billing arrangements, evacuation capability, English-language claims support, and how the insurer handles pre-existing conditions across borders.
We map the insurer network against your actual travel and residence pattern before recommending a plan.
Key terms, in plain English
The jargon on this page, defined in our glossary.
Direct relationships across this market.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs International Healthcare cover?
International Healthcare is designed for anyone living, working or spending substantial time outside their home country, including UK expats, multinational SME employees, frequent business travellers, and high-net-worth individuals with international lifestyles. Travel insurance is not a substitute for ongoing medical cover.
What is the difference between travel insurance and International Healthcare?
Travel insurance covers short trips, typically up to 30-60 days, with limited medical cover for emergencies. International Healthcare is annual, full private medical cover that works wherever the policyholder lives or travels, including planned treatment, ongoing conditions, and preventative care.
Does International Healthcare cover the United States?
Yes, but at a premium. Most insurers offer two area-of-cover options: worldwide excluding USA (significantly cheaper) and full worldwide including USA. We advise on which to choose based on actual time spent in the US.
How does direct billing work overseas?
Most international insurers maintain a network of hospitals and clinics in major medical hubs that bill the insurer directly, so the policyholder does not pay upfront. Outside the network, the policyholder pays and reclaims with receipts. We map the insurer network against the client's geography before recommending a plan.
Two of our employees are being posted overseas. Does our UK PMI cover them?
UK private medical insurance is generally designed for treatment in the UK, so it is unlikely to cover employees properly once they are posted overseas. Some UK policies include limited emergency cover abroad, but that is not the same as ongoing local treatment, and terms vary by insurer. For a sustained posting, The Broking Group usually looks at international private medical insurance for the employees concerned. HMRC guidance says employer-paid medical treatment or insurance for an employee working overseas who needs treatment can be exempt from reporting, subject to its conditions.
Can UK residents buy international private medical insurance?
International private medical insurance is mainly designed for people who live, or spend long periods, outside their home country, so most people living in the UK are better matched to a UK policy. Eligibility depends on the insurer and on where the person is resident. The Broking Group checks residence, travel pattern and the area of cover needed before recommending UK or international cover.
Ready to start the conversation?
Talk to a named adviser. No phone trees. No pressure. Just plain-English advice on the cover that fits your life or your business.
- Personal & family: same day or next
- SME up to 9 lives: 48 hours
- Larger SME schemes: 72 to 96 hours (up to 5 working days where an insurer needs manual underwriting)