70 per cent of respondents in its recent survey said that international health insurance offered value for money, while approximately 95 per cent claimed it was vital for their peace of mind.

Chronic care came top on the list of essential cover options, and senior executive director, David Pryor, explains why.

“Many international healthcare policies will only cover costs while the client is hospitalised; as soon as the patient is released and the initial illness treated, cover against the cost of ongoing medication can cease. That’s why cover for chronic costs has always been high on our list of priorities,” he says.

The second most sought-after criterion was a full refund of medical costs with no excesses, and this was followed by a guaranteed renewal of policy.

Clients indicated that well-being checks remain the biggest single omission from options available on policies. Furthermore, nearly a third of respondents said they would decline any policy that did not offer some level of war cover.

The survey revealed that both clients and brokers rated back-office administration, with 65 per cent of brokers seeing it as a more important factor than price alone. Both groups also said they were looking for flexible cover offering both bespoke and personalised options.

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