There is a wide range of health insurance plans available in Vietnam, with premiums varying from a few million VND ($250 USD) to several hundred million VND ($10,000 USD) per year. Not surprisingly the benefits and levels of coverage vary enormously. Trying to choose the right policy can be confusing and frustrating, so we would like to show you some tips that you might consider before making your insurance decision.

Local, Regional or International Cover

Basically there are two types of health insurance in Vietnam: a local treatment plan (Coverage and Treatment in Vietnam ONLY) and a worldwide treatment plan (Coverage and Treatment WORLDWIDE). On the face of things worldwide treatment plans tend to be much more expensive than local treatment plans, this is because the cost of treatment outside of Vietnam is much higher than inside Vietnam. You can find plans that exclude very expensive places like the USA and this can reduce your cost while also giving you access to treatment outside of Vietnam. To exclude cover and treatment in the USA you can save up to 25% of your insurance costs.

When you are overseas, especially in developing countries, you should make sure that you are able to pay for any medical treatment that is needed in an emergency, whether it is from an accident or sudden illness. At international standard clinics and hospitals in Vietnam if you cannot prove payment in advance you will not receive any medical treatment – EVEN IN AN EMERGENCY.

Insure for things that are out of your control

The main purpose of having insurance is to protect yourself from financial problems you cannot control. It’s easy to overlook this when you look at medical costs at local hospitals and clinics for routine out-patient services, dental and maternity, which can be very affordable out of pocket expenses in Vietnam. However these same treatments at international providers in Vietnam can be equal in price to the most expensive provider internationally. The choice is yours with both medical services providers and insurance providers – what sort of treatment do you prefer? In a life threatening situation where do you want to be treated?

Emergency medical expenses can quickly add up to tens of thousands of USD. If you do not have adequate savings to cover these expenses then medical providers will not treat you in Vietnam. Insuring for Emergencies only is an affordable method to remove this risk.

What kind of major coverage should we have? The below table illustrates the actual costs paid by our insurance provider in Vietnam in 2014. They are not exaggerated; in fact they are far from being the highest claims paid in this year.

How to find Affordable

International Health Insurance

in Vietnam

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There are a variety of policies available from local insurance companies, who offer an attractive plan with affordable premium, the old maxim applies – you get what you pay for. Many health insurance policies sold in Vietnam do not have benefits large enough to cover treatment costs for a serious accident or major illness at the international hospital in Vietnam. Many do not provide adequate cover to pay for the cost of a medical evacuation to Thailand or Singapore ($15,000 - $30,000 USD minimum just for the emergency flight).

Have good In-patient Benefits

Your main priority should be with the In-patient benefits (hospitalization, accidents and emergency evacuation) and that they are high enough to cover the expenses of a major accident or sudden illness including an emergency evacuation flight. After covering this contingency, depending on your budget, you can choose other optional benefits: Out-patient, Medical Check-up, Personal Accident, Dental, Lifestyle Upgrades etc.

Out-patient benefits (clinic visits), can always be excluded in order to lower the costs of your insurance. The difference in costs is usually between 20 % and 30%.

Take a choice for a deductible or excess

Most of the international standard plans offer discounts when you choose a deductible or excess option. These can be applied per claim or per annum. With the premium discount of taking the deductible or excess, you can save up to 25% of the cost, depending on the amounts of deductible or excess you select.

Choosing a deductible or excess to reduce the premiums is a better choice than choosing a cheaper plan with less coverage. Actually it will be easier to borrow from US$ 1,000 to US$5,000 from friends and family to pay for the bills which is limited by the deductible or excess than pay a large hospital bill because your insurance plan is too small to cover the costs of major treatment at an international hospital.

If you need consulting regarding your medical insurance or want a comparison of your existing plan, don’t hesitate to contact our team - Blue Cross Vietnam. We are the strength behind your insurance in Vietnam.

Claim Paid (USD)

Osteoarthritis

Retinal Detachment

Fracture Navicular Wrist Closed

Coronary Artery

$14,699

$11,988

$9,712

$9,025

Medical Evacuation - VN to Thailand $28,299

Motorbike Accident (knee surgery) $15,695

Illness

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Address: 8th Floor, River View Tower | 7A Thai Van Lung street | District 1 | HCMC | Vietnam Tel: (+84 8) 3821 9908 | Fax: (+84 8) 3821 9847 | Website: www.bluecross.com.vn

BLUE CROSS VIETNAM is a Medical Insurance Administrator, licensed in Vietnam and is part of the international Pacific Cross group of companies, with over 60 years’ experience managing and designing travel and medical insurance benefits for people living and working in Asia. Blue Cross Vietnam is a professional Third Party Administrator (TPA) and is the strength behind your insurance.

Toll free: 1800 577 770

inquiry@bluecross.com.vn