Reassessing medical coverage in the light of uncertain times

If you’re reassessing your medical coverage in the light of uncertain times – particularly how your insurance works globally, from Hong Kong to your home country – an independent brokerage company can help.

Hyphen Mobility is one such company. It launched in Paris in 2014 to help individuals and companies with their health insurance whether they’re planning to live abroad, or they’re already doing so. We find out more from the company’s CEO, FRANCK PAJOT.

What’s your aim at Hyphen Mobility?

Our mission is to protect individuals and their families in their relocation projects by thoroughly searching and selecting the best solutions available in the market. To do this, we consider your specific requirements, destination, new surroundings and budget.

For companies, we want to protect your business’s human resources abroad and offer the most suitable solution for your employees’ requirements and their families while also keeping to the company budget.

At Hyphen, we find it particularly important to have a great relationship with our customers. So, for the whole life of a contract, we’ll continue to answer their questions and assist them with their particular insurance company.

Tell us a bit about your team.

Our multicultural team is made up of advisors working from different offices around the world, from Montréal, and Miami to Paris. Each advisor specialises in their own specific area of expertise. We’re used to working remotely, too, and we are particularly aware of expatriation challenges – including for expats in Hong Kong.

How is international medical insurance different from travel insurance?

Travel insurance is typically used for short periods of time abroad (less than one year). In general, travel insurance policies tend to cover emergency medical treatment and a package for evacuation and repatriation, liability insurance, lost baggage and cancellations, among other optional extras.

International private medical insurance (IPMI) is a more comfortable solution that offers a comprehensive level of coverage. These are long-term policies (more than a year), with coverage not only for emergencies but for routine health care too. They also offer the option to add on non-medical coverage such as liability insurance, transportation, repatriation and more.

IPMI offers the benefits and comprehensive medical protection you are familiar with from your health insurance in your home country, and the international medical network guarantees the best possible care even in countries with lower medical standards than where you’re from.

What are some key features of the international private medical insurance products you provide?

The products we offer are locally adapted so that wherever you are in the world, our local partners can help you avoid upfront costs, and our products can be packaged with a range of different benefits – we select the solution that’s best suited to the area.

How has the pandemic affected or changed your offerings, and the needs of your customers?

We’ve redefined our customer relations on account of COVID. We’re now using video calls and WhatsApp to be close to our customers and offer them support and direct contact.

We also select health insurance plans with benefits adapted to the pandemic, including COVID-related health care expenses and video consultation.

How can EL readers get started with arranging insurance through Hyphen Mobility?

Very easy – just contact us. Note, too, that working through Hyphen Mobility doesn’t represent any additional cost to you as the customer; insurance premiums aren’t affected as we are compensated directly by the individual insurance company.

Find out more by calling 800 906 360 or emailing contact@hyphen-mobility.com, or visit the website at hyphen-mobility.com.