General insurance for Europeans while living in China

[Skunq]

Hey there

 

I am in a situation where, apparently, my insurance company back home in Denmark is not able to cover me any longer, I have simply been abroad for too long now. 

 

So how do you people go about getting covered while living in China? I am looking for some names on insurance companies that would be able to cover me while studying in China long-term.

[Lu]

When I was looking for health insurance abroad, several people recommended OOM. (In the end my job changed and the insurance thing was solved differently, so I never actually used it.) I have no idea whether they also work for Danish people.

[Skunq]

Had a look at it, that one is only for Dutch people.

[Lu]

Do you know any fellow Danes abroad, even if it isn't in China? They might have some ideas. If you're working, you should also be covered by Chinese health insurance, but I imagine that's not really ideal.

[Skunq]

I do, but no one are or have stayed longer than those 18 months which apparently is the maximum Danish insurance companies can cover Danes who go abroad.

I'm a student, so an insurance through a work is not possible.

[knickherboots]

We've had a good experience with Aetna (based in Hong Kong) and are now covered by Aetna Huatai, a joint venture based in Shanghai. The latter is only in-patient and we have not yet had to use it, but coverage looks good.

[Skunq]

I tried getting a online quote on their website but it tells me that there is no coverage in mainland China.

[knickherboots]

If you're referring to Aetna--I don't know because our policy lapsed this past summer. If the latter, we purchased through a broker:

www.pacificprime.com

[xuefang]

For students I recommend AON, I used to have their insurance for about a year before and I'm planning to buy it again if I can start my master's next year. Sometimes they were a bit slow to reply on emails, but I did get reimbursed from my medical bills just fine. All the documents can be send via email which is great. Find out more on their website: https://www.aonstudentinsurance.com/

[Skunq]

Thanks a lot xuefang, that is just what I was looking for. Their prices are very reasonable. Cheers!

[lanzhoumian]

Most insurances have quite affordable packages if you take the "emergency only" option, which means if you are in serious trouble they cover you, but for seeing a doctor and "normal" stuff you have to pay yourself. As long as you are reasonably healthy this works out pretty well financially I think. Check the maximum cover though. A standard surgery at United Family Hospital in Beijing can easily put you back a few hundred thousand RMB.....these people are thieves!

[Lu]

 

A standard surgery at United Family Hospital in Beijing can easily put you back a few hundred thousand RMB.....these people are thieves!

If you get surgery at an international hospital that caters mainly to expats and other well-insured well-to-do people, yes that's going to be expensive. What a surprise. It's hardly theft if you yourself go over there and invite them to take your money. And I say this as someone who has gone to this and another expensive hospital and paid a lot of money for very simple care.

Options for cheaper care are either getting decent insurance that actually covers things (as the OP is wisely doing), or going to a regular Chinese hospital. But then of course you don't get foreign, English-speaking doctors, because such doctors are not going to work for a Chinese salary if they can get ten times that back home.