Health Insurance for Retirees Abroad

What Is International Health Insurance for Retirees?

International health insurance for retirees is designed to provide ongoing medical coverage while living overseas. Depending on the policy, it can provide access to private hospitals, doctors, and specialists in your country of residence and other countries within your coverage area.

Plans can cover routine and unexpected healthcare, including hospital treatment, doctor visits, diagnostic testing, prescriptions, and emergency care. Benefits vary by plan, with additional options 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 Health Insurance When Retiring Abroad?

International health insurance for retirees may be necessary if your existing health plan doesn’t cover you overseas, you aren’t eligible for public healthcare in your destination, or you require private health coverage for your visa or residence permit.

Even where it isn’t required, a global medical plan 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.

If you live abroad for most of the year, a global health plan is generally more suitable. Unlike travel medical insurance, which is designed primarily for unexpected illnesses and injuries during temporary trips, international health insurance can cover routine and planned healthcare, with many policies renewable annually.

That said, a travel medical plan may be more suitable if you’re taking shorter trips, spending only part of the year abroad, or intend to use your domestic health plan 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 look for.

What Do Global Health Plans Cover for Retirees?

Coverage varies by plan but may include:

• Hospital stays and surgery
• Doctors and specialist consultations
• Diagnostic tests and imaging
• Cancer treatment
• Prescription medications
• Rehabilitation
• Mental healthcare
• Preventive care, health checks, and eligible age-related screenings
• Treatment and monitoring 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 policy.

What Isn’t Covered?

Your policy may 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 care you may need and carefully review the policy wording, including its benefits, limits, and exclusions.

How Will You Access Healthcare Abroad?

Benefits are only part of the picture. Consider how you’ll access care when you need it. Check the insurer’s provider network, whether hospitals can bill the insurer directly, when pre-authorization is required, and whether you may need to pay for treatment upfront and submit a claim for reimbursement.

Look for services that may be useful while living abroad, such as 24/7 assistance, telehealth, second medical opinions, and help finding doctors or specialists abroad.

Where Does Your Health Coverage Apply?

Your plan’s coverage area determines where you can receive treatment. Your retirement destination can also affect your healthcare needs, so consider the quality and availability of care where you intend to live, whether you’ll want access to private hospitals or specialists, and whether you may need to travel elsewhere for certain 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 U.S.?

Many global health plans offer a choice between worldwide 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.

Recommended Global Health Plans for Retirees

The best international health insurance plan for a retiree depends on age, citizenship, country of residence, medical history, coverage needs, and budget.

Cigna Global and IMG Global Prima accept applications at any age, subject to medical underwriting and eligibility requirements. William Russell accepts new applicants under age 76, while BCBS Global Solutions accepts eligible applicants under age 75.

Each plan has different renewal rules, so consider how long you can keep coverage and whether you can apply now.

Plan benefits, eligibility requirements, and renewal rules were reviewed in August 2026. Benefits vary by plan level, coverage option, country, and policy terms. Review the current policy documents before applying.

Age eligibility does not guarantee acceptance. Each insurer may consider your health history, country of residence, and other eligibility factors during underwriting. Plan availability and terms can also vary by location.

Cigna Global Health Insurance

Cigna Global may suit retirees seeking customizable coverage they can retain for life. Its core benefits include home nursing, palliative care, rehabilitation, cancer treatment, kidney dialysis, and transplant services, subject to the selected plan’s limits.

The optional International Health and Wellbeing module can include screenings that are particularly relevant as you get older, including cancer and diabetes screenings and bone-density testing.

BCBS Global Solutions Worldwide Premier and Outside U.S.

BCBS Global Solutions Worldwide Premier and Outside U.S. may suit retirees who prioritize high medical limits and access to ongoing care. The plan has an unlimited lifetime medical maximum and includes adult preventive care, an annual physical or health-screening benefit, and up to 30 home health visits per calendar year. Eligibility, U.S. benefits, deductibles, coinsurance, and other limits depend on the coverage selected.

IMG Global Prima Medical Insurance

IMG Global Prima Medical Insurance offers five benefit levels, allowing retirees to choose coverage based on their healthcare needs and budget. Home nursing is available across all plan levels, while higher-tier plans provide benefits for the routine management of chronic conditions, palliative care, and routine dialysis. Limits vary considerably by tier.

William Russell Health Insurance

William Russell Health Insurance may appeal to retirees who prioritize cancer care and emergency transportation. Every plan level includes full coverage for eligible cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, cancer drugs, and cancer genome testing. Emergency medical evacuation is also included as standard on every health plan.

How Does Age Affect Your Coverage Options?

Age can affect your options for international health insurance for retirees, including which 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 policies, but being over 65 or 70 doesn’t automatically prevent you from applying. Age limits vary considerably between insurers.

Eligibility and renewal rules vary by plan. Some policies may also change benefits or policy limits as you get older.

Age can also affect your eligibility for a new policy. 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 before or early in retirement, while you’re healthy and may have a wider choice of plans.

Maximum Entry Age and Maximum Renewal Age

When reviewing your options, 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. Being accepted at 69 may not be particularly helpful if the policy stops being renewable at 75, while other plans may offer continued or lifetime renewability, subject to their terms.

Before choosing a policy, ask two questions:

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

How Much Does International Health Coverage Cost for Retirees?

International health insurance premiums for retirees vary based on age, country of residence, coverage area, benefits, and deductible. The examples below compare monthly premiums for a U.S. citizen living in Portugal or Costa Rica at ages 65, 70, and 75.

Each quote includes inpatient and outpatient coverage and excludes routine coverage in the U.S. Because the plans have different deductibles and benefits, the rates should be used as general cost examples rather than direct price comparisons.

Sample Quote Profile

The following examples are based on:

• One male U.S. citizen
• Ages 65, 70, and 75
• Living in Portugal or Costa Rica
• Worldwide coverage excluding the U.S.
• Inpatient and outpatient coverage
• Deductibles vary by plan; see the rate assumptions below
• No dental or vision coverage
• Monthly payment
• Coverage beginning September 1, 2026

Actual premiums depend on the applicant’s circumstances, medical history, underwriting, and the coverage selected.

Sample Monthly Costs for Retirees in Portugal

Sample Monthly Costs for Retirees in Costa Rica

What Do These Cost Examples Show?

Across the available examples, monthly premiums range from $669.35 to $2,824. Age has a significant effect on cost. Between ages 65 and 75, sample premiums for Cigna Global, IMG Global Prima, and William Russell increase by approximately 71% to 77%.

The country of residence also affects rates, but not in the same way for every insurer:

• In Portugal, Cigna Global Silver has the lowest sample premium at all three ages, ranging from $669.35 per month at age 65 to $1,175.52 per month at age 75.
• In Costa Rica, William Russell Silver has the lowest sample premium at all three ages, ranging from $684.21 per month at age 65 to $1,171.19 per month at age 75.
• Cigna Global costs approximately 68% to 69% more in Costa Rica than in Portugal in these examples.
• IMG Global Prima costs approximately 7% less in Costa Rica, while William Russell costs approximately 20% less.
• BCBS Global Solutions has the same sample rates for both destinations: $1,958 per month at age 65 and $2,824 per month at age 70.
• BCBS Global Solutions is not available to new applicants aged 75, as applicants must be under 75.

These examples also demonstrate why retirees should not choose a plan based only on its monthly premium.

BCBS Global Solutions has the highest sample rates and the highest deductible, but it also provides an unlimited lifetime medical maximum.

Other differences, including chronic-condition benefits, outpatient limits, preventive care, home nursing, medical evacuation, and long-term renewability, can affect a plan’s overall value.

What Affects the Cost of Retiree Health Insurance?

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 costs, consider what you could pay when receiving treatment, including deductibles, coinsurance, and other out-of-pocket costs, as well as copays and benefit limits.

Do Premiums Increase as You Age?

Generally, yes. Premiums typically increase as you get older, although the amount of the increase varies by insurer, destination, and coverage.

Don’t choose a plan based only on today’s premium. Consider how premiums may change as you age and whether you can keep the policy throughout retirement.

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 worldwide coverage excluding the U.S.
• Choosing the level of outpatient coverage you need
• Only adding optional benefits that provide value for you
• Comparing plans from multiple insurers
• Paying annually when a discount is available

The cheapest plan is not necessarily the best value. Compare the premium with the policy’s medical maximum, outpatient benefits, cost sharing, exclusions, and long-term renewability.

Can You Get Coverage With a Pre-Existing Condition?

Potentially. Having a pre-existing condition does not necessarily prevent you from getting coverage. Most insurers assess applications individually through medical underwriting, and some may cover certain manageable conditions. Underwriting methods vary by insurer, so ask whether your application will be fully medically underwritten and how the insurer determines coverage for existing 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 policy would cover the care you may need, including:

• Specialist appointments
• Prescription medications, including whether your current medications are covered or available in your destination
• 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 Choose a Health Plan for Retirement Abroad

Choosing the right international health insurance for retirees depends on your healthcare needs, where you plan to live, and how you expect to spend your retirement. When reviewing policies, look beyond the benefits list and current premium.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy

Before choosing a policy, get clear answers to questions that could affect your coverage now and later in retirement:

• Will this policy remain renewable as I get older?
• How will my pre-existing conditions be covered?
• Will I be covered when I visit my home country?
• What happens to my coverage and premium if I move to another country?
• Can hospitals bill the insurer directly, or might I need to pay upfront and submit a claim for reimbursement?
• When is prior authorization required for treatment?
• Can I receive planned treatment in another country if the care I need isn’t available locally?
• How could my premiums, benefits, or policy limits change as I get older?

Don’t choose based on the lowest premium or longest list of benefits alone. Focus on the coverage you’ll actually use and whether the policy is likely to remain suitable as you get older.

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

International Health Insurance for Retirees FAQs