When you compare health insurance worldwide, what you don’t know can hurt your clients. This becomes painfully clear when your client calls you, panicking from a hospital in Singapore because their “comprehensive” policy won’t cover their treatment.
Are you still comparing international health insurance policies based primarily on price?
If so, you’re playing a dangerous game that could cost your clients thousands—and cost you your reputation.
As a broker or advisor in the IPMI space, you know the stakes are high. But do you have the right tools to truly compare what matters?
Why Most Attempts to Compare Health Insurance Worldwide Fail Your Clients
Let’s be honest.
Most brokers are still using spreadsheets or basic comparison tools that focus almost exclusively on price.
This approach is killing your value proposition and setting your clients up for disappointment.
When your client moves to Hong Kong and discovers their “worldwide” coverage excludes the very hospital their doctor referred them to—that’s when they’ll question your expertise.
The reality is that many brokers struggle to properly compare health insurance worldwide because they lack the right tools.
The truth is that comparing international health insurance requires much more than looking at premium differences.
Five Critical Elements to Compare Health Insurance Worldwide (Beyond Price)
When comparing international health insurance for your clients, price should be the LAST factor you consider—not the first.
Here’s what you should prioritize:
1. Hospital Networks
Not all “worldwide” coverage is created equal. Some policies exclude entire hospital groups or limit coverage at premium facilities. Understanding if a network is applicable is key.
Ask yourself: Does this policy give my client true access to quality care where they’ll actually live?
2. Pre-existing Condition Terms
The difference between “fully covered,” “covered after waiting period,” and “excluded” can mean everything to your client.
One policy might exclude all related conditions while another might only exclude direct treatments.
Some insurances offer the possibility for non group applications to join without the need of a medical questionnaire: it is called Moratorium. It may sound practical, but its mechanism could prove complex and should be carefully explained to customers.
3. Chronic Condition Management
Some policies cover the diagnosis but limit ongoing treatment. Others offer comprehensive care but cap annual limits.
Chronic conditions are a major concern for clients living abroad.
Will your recommended policy abandon them mid-treatment?
4. Regional Restrictions and Sub-limits
That “worldwide” policy might have regional pricing adjustments that double out-of-pocket costs in places like Hong Kong or Dubai.
5. Direct Billing Networks
Your client doesn’t want to pay £20,000 upfront and wait months for reimbursement.
Direct billing arrangements can be the difference between smooth treatment and financial distress.
Three Questions to Ask When You Compare Health Insurance Worldwide
Rather than jumping straight to quotes, start with these questions:
1. “Where will you need healthcare access, and what type of facilities would you expect to use?”
This reveals whether they need coverage for premier hospitals or if standard facilities are acceptable.
2. “Do you have any existing health concerns that you’re worried about maintaining coverage for?”
This opens the door to honest discussion about pre-existing conditions.
3. “How would you manage if you needed to pay $15,000 upfront for emergency treatment?”
This highlights the importance of direct billing and claims processes.
By asking these questions BEFORE comparing policies, you position yourself as a consultant rather than a price-shopper.
How Top Brokers Compare Health Insurance Worldwide
The most successful IPMI brokers have abandoned the “lowest price wins” mentality.
They’ve realized that comparing policies based on quality and suitability:
- Significantly increases client retention
- Leads to more referrals from satisfied clients
- Allows for higher commissions without price objections
Quality-based approaches to compare health insurance worldwide can transform your business.
How? By showing clients the real value difference between seemingly similar policies.
The Technology Gap That’s Costing You Clients
If you’re still relying on provider-supplied spreadsheets or simplistic comparison tools, you’re working with one hand tied behind your back.
Modern comparison tools should:
- Allow side-by-side benefit analysis across multiple providers
- Highlight exclusions and limitations automatically
- Flag potential coverage gaps based on client location
Without these capabilities, you’re essentially guessing which policy will best serve your client.
Clients value advisors who can clearly explain the differences when they compare health insurance worldwide.
Are you giving them a reason to stay?
Meet the Experts at the Health Compass Roadshow
Want to learn more about transforming how you compare and sell international health insurance?
The Health Compass Roadshow is coming to key IPMI markets in April 2025:
- Kuala Lumpur – April 3, 2025
- Bangkok – April 7, 2025
- Hong Kong – April 11, 2025
- Singapore – April 15, 2025
- Dubai – April 22, 2025
Join industry pioneer David Eline as he shares insights from over 10 years in the IPMI space and demonstrates how technology is changing the way top brokers compare policies.
At each location, you’ll also hear regional market analysis from the respected McGrigorgroup with a video recording from James McGrigor himself and David Axtell speaking in Dubai.
This isn’t just another product pitch—it’s a complete rethinking of how IPMI should be sold.
Register for the roadshow here
Or schedule a personal call with David before the events.
Your Action Plan: Upgrading Your Comparison Process
While you wait for the roadshow, here are three things you can do today:
1. Audit Your Current Tools
Take a hard look at how you’re currently comparing policies. Are you capturing all the elements that matter to your clients?
2. Review Recent Client Feedback
Have any clients reported surprises or disappointments with their coverage? These are red flags that your comparison process might be lacking.
3. Prepare Regional Questions
Different regions have different healthcare challenges. Develop a set of region-specific questions to better understand your clients’ needs.
FAQs About How to Compare Health Insurance Worldwide
Q: What’s the biggest mistake brokers make when comparing international health insurance?
A: Focusing primarily on price rather than coverage quality and suitability for the client’s specific location. This often leads to significant gaps in coverage that only become apparent when claims are filed.
Q: How can I compare hospital networks effectively across different countries?
A: The best approach is to use tools that map provider networks against major expatriate hubs. You should know which major private hospitals in cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai are covered under each policy you recommend.
Q: How important are direct billing arrangements when comparing policies?
A: Critical. Particularly in high-cost treatment areas, clients may need to pay tens of thousands of dollars upfront without direct billing arrangements. This can cause serious financial strain even for wealthy clients.
Q: How often should I review policies for existing IPMI clients?
A: At minimum annually, but also whenever there’s a significant life change (relocation, family additions) or policy change from the insurer. Benefits and exclusions can change at renewal, sometimes dramatically.
Q: What metrics beyond price should I focus on when comparing policies?
A: Focus on coverage limits for common treatments in your client’s region, exclusion policies, hospital networks, chronic condition coverage, and claim approval rates.
Compare Health Insurance Worldwide Effectively. Your Clients Deserve Better.
“The bitterness of poor coverage lasts far longer than the sweetness of a low premium.”
As IPMI markets grow more complex and healthcare costs continue to rise, your role as an advisor becomes more crucial than ever.
Your clients aren’t just buying a policy—they’re buying peace of mind across borders.
When you truly understand how to compare health insurance worldwide beyond price, you transform from a policy peddler into an invaluable advisor.
The tools and knowledge exist to do this right. The question is: will you use them?
Join us at the Health Compass Roadshow this April to discover how leading brokers are revolutionizing their approach to IPMI sales through better comparison methodologies.