International Health Insurance Cost in 2026: An Expat Guide

AXA Global Healthcare reports an average of £3,072 and a median of £2,010 for its new individual customers in 2026. These figures describe AXA's sales population. A personal quote requires the applicant's details and selected benefits. Read AXA's pricing basis.

William Russell puts its 2026 average at US$2,517 a year for an individual. The profile behind that figure is a 41-year-old moving from the USA to Malaysia, on the Silver plan with a US$250 excess, Zone 2 area of cover, paying annually. The same insurer says plans start from US$76 a month and that plans including US treatment reach US$28,000 a year and more. See William Russell’s cost page.

Keep the applicant profile beside each published price. The table below shows the plan and destination used for each example.

The excess, called a deductible on US-style plans, is the amount you pay towards treatment before the insurer pays. A higher excess buys a lower premium. William Russell states that most of its members choose a US$250 per annum excess, that excesses up to US$10,000 a year are available to new members, and that its standard premiums are calculated on a US$50 per-claim excess, so the saving against a nil excess is larger still. Read how William Russell’s excesses work.

Check whether the excess applies per claim or per policy year. Ask which benefits use it and how claims count towards it. Policy limits and exclusions still apply after you pay the excess. Record any separate cost share and costs for treatment outside the policy benefits.

The right excess is the amount you could pay from savings without delaying treatment. A US$1,000 excess that you cannot afford in the month you fall ill is a false economy. Use the international health insurance decision matrix to record the excess beside each quote.

1. Age. Give the insurer the correct age of each applicant. Ask how it uses age at the next renewal.
2. Area of cover. Compare prices for the treatment area you need. Ask how a regional option changes the benefits and geographical limits.
3. Plan level. Request the price for each benefit option you need. Check the limits beside the premium.
4. Excess and cost share. Compare the quoted premium at each available excess. Record the amount you would pay towards eligible claims.
5. Medical history and underwriting method. Ask for the terms that apply to existing conditions. Read the insurer’s definition of any moratorium and its review period.
6. Household. Include every person who needs cover. Ask whether a family discount applies to the quoted plan.
7. Payment frequency and currency. Compare the total yearly cost for each payment schedule. Check the currency used for premiums and claims.

The expat health insurance comparison guide explains how to hold these seven variables constant when you compare plans.

Prepare an employee census and ask each insurer to state its underwriting terms. Compare the annual cost per employee using the same benefits and dependant cover. Ask about minimum group size and the treatment of existing conditions. The international group medical insurance pricing guide gives a quote checklist. See the group medical insurance hub for help with eligible enquiries in the listed countries.

Request a breakdown of the renewal premium. Ask about the effect of age, medical cost trends, benefit changes and any other pricing factors the insurer applies. Keep the current policy schedule beside the new offer.

The international health insurance renewal checklist sets out the terms to compare. Confirm the acceptance terms and start date of replacement cover before you end an existing policy.

• Ask for prices for the treatment area you need, including the terms for visits to the USA.
• Compare available excess amounts against the savings you can use for a claim.
• Review each optional benefit and the cost of treatment you would pay yourself.
• Check the total annual cost of each payment schedule.
• Use a policy review to compare renewal terms with other eligible offers.

Check how each change affects cover for hospital care, existing conditions and medical evacuation. Make the decision with the policy terms and your expected care needs in front of you.