SNM084: Getting Insurance Abroad
With two kids and a wedding coming up, I’m thinking more and more about protecting my family.
Recently someone in our lives found out there child was very sick.
Part of taking care of your family is preparing for the worst.
You have to balance what you can afford with the best ways to protect your family.
Keep Your Eyes Open
After recording this episode, I realized that the company was trying to pull a fast one.
They knew I was only in Thailand for a week and they changed the medical requirements.
They also raised the rate by twenty-five percent.
In addition, they added some language that stated my doctor had to be “western trained.”
This is vague language, and the insurance company placed it there specifically to give them an out.
So if I die from some disease, they can ignore that I paid them for ten years and say that my original doctor wasn’t “western” enough.
And refuse to take care of my family.
Every time I asked for a specific answer, the lady was intentionally vague.
Be Ready to Walk Away
I have a business rule:
[easy-tweet tweet=”If I get a bad feeling, then I walk away.” user=”servenojonathan” hashtags=”servenomaster”]
The initial broker promised to handle my process personally, but the second I filled out my form he passed me on to someone else.
I was asking for their maximum level of coverage, which means I would be in the highest-paying tier customer.
I even let him talk me into the medical insurance upsell.
But I got a bad feeling dealing with the woman.
They kept asking for more paperwork and then when I asked for clarification would be intentionally vague.
It took me three emails to find out that adding a “25% loading” actually means raising the rate 25%.
When I asked her “What does 25% BMI loading mean?”
She responded in a way that was clearly meant to confuse me.
“Your BMI is about 34 so the underwriters impose a 25% loading on the life premium.”
I don’t like when people are intentionally vague, and it’s clear that she didn’t answer my question on purpose.
I don’t trust someone using a word in the definition of that word.
When someone starts playing language games, it’s a sign that the other person is planning to stick the knife in.
I have been around lawyers my entire life, and for this reason, I pulled out of my dealing with this company.
I’m not going to leave you guessing.
The company is called William Russel and when I asked them to be honest, they wouldn’t.
You might be able to get a fair shake with them, but pay attention to who you’re dealing with.
Anyone who changes the deal after an agreement doesn’t get to work with me.
Never Give Up
The good news about insurance is that there are hundreds of great companies desperate to do business with you.
Do your research and find a great one that meets your needs.
I’m working with a new broker based in Hong Kong, and so far things are looking good!
Show Notes:
Key Points:
- You can find solid insurance outside the United States
- You can get Tier 1 care around the world
- Look at multiple companies and find the right one for your needs
Resources Mentioned:
Most other links can be found in my TOOLBOX
Send in your questions to podcast [at] servenomaster [dot] com