Health Insurance for Retirees Abroad

What Is International Health Insurance for Retirees?

International health insurance for retirees is long-term medical coverage for people living abroad during retirement. It can provide access to private hospitals, doctors, and specialists in your country of residence and, depending on the plan, other countries within your coverage area.

Plans can cover routine and unexpected healthcare, including hospital treatment, doctor visits, diagnostic testing, prescriptions, and emergency care. Coverage varies by plan, with additional benefits available on some policies.

Unlike domestic health insurance, international plans are designed to provide medical coverage across borders, giving retirees greater flexibility over where they receive care.

Do You Need International Health Insurance When Retiring Overseas?

Whether you need international health insurance when retiring overseas depends on your destination, existing health coverage, and how much time you plan to spend abroad. You may need a plan if your existing health insurance doesn’t cover you overseas or if you aren’t eligible for public healthcare in your new country. Some destinations also require private health insurance to obtain a retirement visa or residence permit.

Global medical coverage can be particularly valuable if you want access to private healthcare, need ongoing treatment or specialist care, divide your retirement between countries, or want the flexibility to receive treatment outside your country of residence. Knowing you can access medical care when you need it can provide peace of mind for you and your family while overseas.

If you live abroad for most of the year, a global health plan is generally more suitable for your long-term healthcare needs. Unlike travel medical insurance, which covers unexpected illnesses and injuries on short trips overseas lasting less than one year, international health insurance can cover routine and planned healthcare for longer periods, with many plans renewable annually for long-term coverage.

That said, a travel medical plan may be more suitable if you’re taking shorter trips, spending only part of the year abroad, or plan to use your domestic health insurance for routine care at home and mainly need medical coverage while traveling.

Learn more about the difference between international health insurance and travel insurance to decide which is right for you. If travel medical insurance better fits your situation, our guide to choosing a travel medical plan explains what to compare.

Other Insurance to Consider When Retiring Abroad

Health insurance is only one part of planning your retirement abroad. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to review your life insurance to make sure your existing coverage still meets your needs after an international move. If you expect to travel frequently during retirement, it’s also worth considering senior travel insurance to protect against travel-related risks that may fall outside your global health plan.

What Does International Health Insurance for Retirees Cover?

International health insurance plans vary, but depending on the policy, coverage may include:

• Hospital stays and surgery
• Doctors and specialist consultations
• Diagnostic tests and imaging
• Cancer treatment
• Prescription medications
• Rehabilitation
• Mental healthcare
• Preventive care and health screenings
• Treatment for eligible chronic conditions
• Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation

Some plans also offer additional or optional benefits, such as dental and vision care.

Not every benefit is included automatically. Outpatient treatment, dental and vision care, preventive benefits, and medical evacuation may be optional or have separate limits, depending on the plan.

What Isn’t Covered?

International health insurance does not cover every treatment or expense. Exclusions vary by plan but may apply to pre-existing conditions, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, certain elective treatments, or services that are not medically necessary. Some benefits may also have waiting periods, coverage limits, or require prior authorization.

Some insurers offer optional benefits or additional coverage for services that would otherwise be excluded or limited.

Before choosing a policy, consider the healthcare and benefits you may need and carefully review the policy wording. A licensed insurance broker can help you compare plans from different insurers and review their benefits, limits, and exclusions to find one that meets your needs.

Where Will Your International Health Insurance Cover You?

Your retirement destination can affect both your healthcare needs and the coverage available to you. Your plan’s coverage area determines where you can actually receive treatment. International policies may cover you in your country of residence and other countries, but you shouldn’t assume that every destination is included.

This is especially important if you divide your retirement between countries, regularly return home, or want the option of receiving planned treatment elsewhere. Before choosing a plan, check:

• Which countries are included in your coverage area
• Whether you’re covered when visiting your home country
• Whether there are limits on how long you can receive care there
• Whether planned treatment outside your country of residence is covered

Worldwide Coverage or Worldwide Excluding the USA?

Many international health plans offer a choice between worldwide coverage and worldwide coverage excluding the U.S. If you don’t expect to receive treatment in the U.S., excluding it may reduce the cost of some policies. If you expect to spend significant time there or want the option of planned treatment in the U.S., broader coverage may be more appropriate.

Think about where you expect to receive healthcare, not just where you plan to live.

Best International Health Insurance Plan for Retirees

Cigna Global

The Cigna Global Medical Plan is an excellent option for retirees for several reasons. First, there are no age limitations. You can apply at any age and retain the policy for the rest of your life.

Other plans will cancel your policy once you reach a certain age or restrict benefits after age 75. With Cigna Global, you can maintain the same level of coverage for your life or until you cancel the plan. Additionally, Cigna’s Global Medical Plan is modular, allowing you to select benefits and coverage areas, which helps keep costs down. Use the links below to review coverage and request a custom quote.

Cigna Global Insurance Plan

• Flexible plans tailored to your needs and budget
• 1.5M+ providers in 200+ countries
• 24/7 multilingual customer support

Get a Quote Plan Details

How Does Age Affect Your International Health Insurance Options?

Age can affect which international health plans you can apply for and how long you can keep your coverage. As you get older, you may age out of eligibility for some plans, but being over 65 or 70 doesn’t automatically mean you can’t get coverage. Age limits vary considerably between insurers.

For some plans, eligibility ends completely at 65. Other plans offer senior coverage if you’ve held their policy for a specified period, usually 10 years of continuous coverage. Some plans that provide senior coverage may also have limited benefits or reduced maximum policy limits.

Age can also affect your eligibility for a new plan. If you develop a medical condition before applying or need to switch insurers later, your age and medical history may affect whether you’re accepted and how pre-existing conditions are covered.

For this reason, it’s wise to arrange suitable coverage early in retirement, while you’re healthy and may have a wider choice of plans.

Maximum Entry Age and Maximum Renewal Age

When comparing plans, there are two age limits you should understand:

• Maximum Entry Age: The oldest age at which you can first apply for a policy. Some plans stop accepting new applicants at a certain age, while others are available to people in their 70s or beyond.
• Maximum Renewal Age: How long you can keep your policy once you’re enrolled. For retirees, this can be even more important than the entry age.

Before enrolling, check whether your policy could end when you reach a certain age. For example, being accepted at age 69 may not be particularly helpful if the policy stops being renewable at 75. Other plans may offer continued or lifetime renewability once you’re enrolled, subject to the policy terms.

When comparing plans, ask two questions:

• Can I get this plan at my current age?
• How long can I keep it?

How Much Does International Health Insurance for Retirees Cost?

There is no single standard price for international health insurance for retirees. Premiums depend on your circumstances and the coverage you choose. Factors that can affect what you pay include:

• Your age
• Country of residence
• Coverage area
• Inpatient and outpatient benefits
• Deductible
• Optional benefits, such as dental and vision
• Medical history, depending on the insurer and underwriting

When comparing plans, don’t look at the premium alone. Consider what you could pay when you receive treatment, including deductibles, coinsurance, copays, and benefit limits.

Does International Health Insurance Get More Expensive as You Age?

Generally, yes. Premiums typically increase as you get older, although the amount you pay will also depend on the other pricing factors above.

Don’t compare plans based only on today’s premium. Consider how premiums may change as you age and whether the plan will remain suitable for your needs and budget over the long term.

How Can You Reduce Your Premium?

Depending on the insurer and your healthcare needs, you may be able to reduce your premium by:

• Choosing a higher deductible
• Selecting a more limited coverage area
• Choosing the level of outpatient coverage you need
• Only adding optional benefits that provide value for you
• Comparing plans from multiple insurers

The cheapest plan isn’t necessarily the best value. A lower premium may come with higher out-of-pocket costs, lower benefit limits, or fewer benefits, so compare what you’re getting as well as what you’re paying.

Can Retirees With Pre-Existing Conditions Get International Health Insurance?

Potentially. Having a pre-existing condition does not necessarily prevent you from getting international health insurance. Most insurers assess applications individually through medical underwriting, and some may cover certain manageable conditions.

Depending on your medical history, the insurer, and the plan, you may be accepted with full coverage, a higher premium, specific exclusions or waiting periods, or your application may be declined. A condition being covered does not necessarily mean all related treatments will be covered without restrictions, so review any exclusions, limits, or special terms carefully.

If you have an ongoing medical condition, don’t look only at whether an insurer will accept you. Check how the plan would cover the care you may need, including:

• Specialist appointments
• Prescription medications
• Routine tests and monitoring
• Treatment related to your condition
• Treatment in other countries within your coverage area

Be complete and accurate when providing your medical history. If possible, complete medical underwriting before you move abroad, so you know whether you’ve been accepted and understand any exclusions, waiting periods, or other terms that apply before relocating.

Read our guide to pre-existing medical conditions in international health insurance for more information about underwriting, exclusions, waiting periods, and how insurers may handle existing conditions.

How to Compare International Health Insurance Plans for Retirement

The best international health plan depends on your healthcare needs, where you plan to live, and how you expect to spend your retirement. When comparing plans, look beyond the benefits list and current premium and consider whether the coverage can meet your needs over the long term.

The best plan isn’t necessarily the one with the longest list of benefits or the lowest premium. Focus on the benefits you’ll actually use and whether the policy is likely to remain suitable as you get older.

Once you know what matters most to you, compare several plans rather than choosing based on price or benefits alone.

You can compare global health insurance plans side by side or speak with a licensed international insurance broker for help comparing your options.