Hello Olivier, could you introduce yourself?
I’m 43, married to Hélène and we have a 9-year-old daughter, Clémentine. We’ve been living in the UK for 15 years, and both of our careers have been international: I worked in Germany, and Hélène in China and Germany, before we met in London. We’re finance executives and digital marketing managers respectively. I’m Franco-Greek, and Hélène is Franco-Italian: we’re used to traveling a lot, whether on vacation or for our respective jobs, particularly in Europe and the USA.
What issues do you face in terms of health cover in the UK?
We’ve been living in the UK for a long time: we both have dual nationality and see ourselves as internationals. This last point is important, as health cover in the UK is often limited to that offered by the employer. Unfortunately, this poses a number of problems: between two jobs, there’s often a transition period during which you’re not covered. You then have to set up a bridge contract, which isn’t very practical. What’s more, Hélène works a lot in start-ups, so the social security cover she gets is often minimal. So, historically, we’ve got into the habit of putting the whole family on my cover because I work in finance…
What convinced you to change insurance?
Employers tend to provide minimal cover, so you have to take out additional insurance if you want to travel, and you’re never safe from unpleasant surprises. Hélène had appendicitis: she spent a whole night in observation before her operation, and a second night afterwards. It took us months to get reimbursed, and even then, the insurer was reluctant to include the first night because it felt it wasn’t justified in the case of appendicitis! The surgeon had to intervene to provide an attestation justifying the night of observation. It’s a bit systematic in the UK: you often have to provide supporting documents and go through processes that require you to make a lot of appointments… all for the sake of not being well covered in the end. What’s more, cover in the UK is rarely holistic: dental and ophthalmology are not always covered, and you have to have another policy to be covered, etc. In short, all this complexity made us decide: we needed a simpler solution, even if it meant paying the price!
How did you come across Santexpat.fr?
I know one of the members of the Santexpat.fr Board, who told me about the company when I changed jobs last October. He referred me to one of their sales representatives, with whom I discussed what I was looking for: the guarantee of knowing that the whole family would be covered, of having a contract that could be easily activated, and above all that in the event of a major problem we wouldn’t have to ask ourselves the question of public or private.
What did you like about Santexpat.fr?
My wife and I aren’t experts in the market, and we don’t have the time to do comparative studies: so it was important to be guided by professionals. The choice of insurance and the signature were done extremely quickly, in just two weeks! After that, the fact of having a follow-up, of being in a relationship mode that isn’t just that of a broker who makes you sign a contract and then disappears… I find that really nice. Raphaël was there for the first repayments, the first maneuvers. Since signing our contract, we’ve used the insurance: it’s easy, everything is done online, and the digital interface is practical. What’s more, you can get treatment wherever you want in Europe, especially in France, which is no mean feat in the event of a serious illness.
And what about your wallet?
From a financial point of view, it’s true that we pay more than before, but with levels of cover that have nothing to do with it: if we had tried to top up, it would have been more expensive and without guarantees, because we’re not experts. The Santexpat.fr contract is ultra simple to activate and use, we know what we’re covered for and, above all, we chose it. Experience proves that there are no surprises! If I have a question, I can check on my app or call Raphaël.
Expatriate health insurance in England, optimizing your choices for you and your family
Olivier’s interview helped us understand the challenges expatriates face when it comes to expatriate health cover in the UK. As an international family who have lived in the UK for many years, they shared their experiences of minimal employer-provided expatriate health insurance in the UK, long reimbursement times and the complexity of the local health systems(nhs England). Their decision to switch to health insurance for their expatriate family via Santexpat.fr proved to be a simpler and more comprehensive solution, matching their needs as an active and mobile family. The speed with which the contract was set up, the personalized support and the ease of use of the digital interface were all strong points for them. What’s more, the possibility of receiving quality care throughout Europe, including France, added a reassuring dimension to their health cover. Olivier and his family’s story is a concrete illustration of how health insurance tailored to the needs of expatriates can offer peace of mind and ease of use. Their story reminds us that expatriate health insurance is a crucial part of life, and it’s important to choose solutions that meet the specific requirements of each situation. We thank them for sharing their experience with us. Interview conducted April 2021
