Embarking on the journey to a new life abroad is an adventure often woven with captivating tales. This is the experience that Emmanuel, his wife and their young son chose to live when they settled in Costa Rica. Their expatriation journey, punctuated by challenges and discoveries, was made much easier when they discovered Santexpat.fr for their family expatriation health insurance. From the uncertain first steps to taking a family abroad, to the important role played by our platform specialized in managing expatriate insurance, Emmanuel agreed to share more about this unique experience!
Could you give us a little background on your expatriation?
I’m 44, my wife is 40 and we have a 3-year-old son. We’d been wanting to move abroad for a long time. Having already been to Costa Rica 10 years ago, we decided to move there.
How did you come to meet Santexpat.fr?
Originally, I was going to leave 15 days before the rest of my family, to prepare the ground. That’s when I found Santexpat.fr on the Internet. They were one of the first people I contacted, and I was able to talk to Ludivine. I needed travel insurance with COVID cover, which was absolutely necessary to enter Costa Rica! I should have left in June 2021, but I had to cancel because our project was delayed. The cancellation I made with Ludivine went very smoothly.
What happened next in the relationship?
I had a great rapport with Ludivine, she’s lovely and professional. I don’t usually understand anything about insurance: Ludivine gave me a clear explanation, even though it’s not always easy to find your way around! I felt confident. What’s more, I’d since come across articles about Santexpat.fr on blogs and in the media, and that reinforced my choice. Finally, Santexpat.fr is referenced by embassies, which is always reassuring.
So when we decided to leave for good, I contacted her again, as she’s my regular advisor for expatriate insurance. The offer we received was competitive and tailored to our needs. We can’t take it out yet, however, as we’re in a special situation: we don’t yet have all the papers we need to become residents, and are obliged to leave the country every 3 months and submit a COVID certificate of insurance. In this context too, we were looked after by Ludivine, who explained to us how to proceed in the meantime. Nevertheless, we’ve been living in Costa Rica since August, and we’ll be switching to long-term insurance next year as a matter of course.
What is your feedback on the insurance you took out?
I haven’t really had to use it yet. I do find, however, that there’s still too much paperwork to be completed by medical professionals for reimbursements, but that’s also because I don’t like red tape. Nevertheless, the application works well and everyone in the family has used it!
Health insurance in Costa Rica: what you need to know
Costa Rica’s healthcare system is renowned throughout Latin America, combining an efficient public network with high-quality private services. Residents have access to the public health system known as “Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social” (CCSS), often referred to as “Caja”. This system offers universal coverage, but waiting times for certain treatments can be long. For expatriates and non-residents, private health insurance is strongly recommended. This gives access to private hospitals, renowned for their speed and medical excellence, and also covers the high costs associated with specialized care or emergencies. Appropriate international health insurance also guarantees coverage when traveling outside Costa Rica, an essential asset for expatriate families or regular travelers.
A successful move to Costa Rica thanks to Santexpat.fr
The chance encounter with our international health insurance comparator during the preparatory phase greatly facilitated their choice of health insurance for the family’s expatriation, as well as the administrative formalities.
This interview highlights the administrative complexities that can confront a French person wishing to settle abroad, as well as the challenges associated with health insurance. Asuccessful move to Costa Rica in August 2023 suggests a smooth transition to long-term international health insurance, after having experimented with short-term health insurance. Good family expatriation insurance seems to be an essential element in tackling a new life abroad with peace of mind.
Interview conducted in February 2022
