Cigna Global vs Allianz Care vs Bupa Global (2026): Plans, Limits and Who Each Suits

Cigna Global Health Options is a core plan, International Medical Insurance, sold in three tiers with four optional modules: International Outpatient, International Medical Evacuation, International Health and Wellbeing, and International Vision and Dental. Silver carries a US$1,000,000 annual maximum, Gold US$2,000,000 and Platinum is paid in full. All three give a private room, cover cancer care in full up to the annual maximum, and include an out-of-area emergency hospitalisation benefit of US$100,000, US$250,000 or paid in full for members who chose Worldwide excluding USA. Inpatient mental health is where the tiers separate sharply: US$5,000 for up to 30 days on Silver, US$10,000 for 60 days on Gold, paid in full for 90 days on Platinum.

Maternity is a tier decision. Silver has none. Gold pays US$7,000 for routine maternity and US$14,000 for complications; Platinum pays US$14,000 and US$28,000, with newborn care of US$75,000 and US$156,000 respectively. The waiting period is 12 months, or 24 months for treatment in Hong Kong or Singapore. The outpatient module adds US$15,000, US$35,000 or paid in full a year, and includes a 60+ Care allowance of US$500, US$1,000 or US$2,000 for members aged 60 and over with declared ongoing conditions.

Two features are distinctive. The deductible ladder runs from US$0 to US$10,000 in seven steps, combined with a cost share of 0%, 10%, 20% or 30% and an out-of-pocket maximum of US$2,000 or US$5,000, which gives the most ways to shape the premium of the three. And Cigna Global publishes no upper age limit for new applicants, with guaranteed renewability and premiums that are not based on claims history; the guide to expat health insurance over 60 sets that beside other insurers’ entry ages. Close Care, a separate plan limited to the country of residence and country of nationality, carries a US$500,000 maximum and a semi-private room.

Bupa Global’s plans for UK residents are Major Medical, Select, Premier and Elite. The annual limits do not rise in name order: Select carries £1,000,000, Premier £1,500,000, Major Medical £2,000,000 and Elite £3,000,000. Major Medical is the inpatient-led plan with the higher catastrophic limit; Select, Premier and Elite add outpatient consultations without referral, health checks (£750, £1,250 and £1,500), vaccinations (£200, £500 and £1,000) and, on Elite, assisted fertility treatment of up to £6,000 a policy year. All four include private hospital rooms, cancer planning and treatment, inpatient and day-patient mental health (with limitations on Select and Premier), 30 days of home nursing, rehabilitation of 45, 30, 30 and 60 days respectively, and evacuation and repatriation.

Two points separate Bupa Global from the other two. Pregnancy and childbirth, including complications and Caesarean sections, are covered after the mother has been on the plan for 18 months, the longest wait of the three, with limitations noted on Elite; check the brochure for which tiers include it. And Select, Premier and Elite offer a Europe-only area of cover alongside worldwide and worldwide without the US, which suits people who will not leave the continent.

Bupa Global states that pre-existing conditions “could be covered, subject to underwriting” and offers “a variety of deductibles”, but the comparison page does not publish the deductible amounts or an entry age; the brochure for your country of residence carries them. Its network exceeds 2 million practitioners with direct settlement inside the network, and the MembersWorld app handles pre-authorisation and claims. Because Bupa Global sells country-specific plan sets, the limits above apply to UK residents; residents of other countries see different plan names and limits.

Cigna vs Allianz Care: the key differences

Cigna Global gives you more ways to shape the premium; Allianz Care gives higher annual limits per tier and builds evacuation into every core plan. Cigna Global caps Silver at US$1,000,000 and Gold at US$2,000,000 and pays Platinum in full. Allianz Care Base, Care Enhanced and Care Signature carry US$1,350,000, US$2,700,000 and US$5,000,000. Cigna sells outpatient and medical evacuation as optional modules. Allianz includes evacuation in each core plan and sells outpatient separately. Cigna publishes seven deductible steps from US$0 to US$10,000, a cost share of 0% to 30%, an out-of-pocket maximum of US$2,000 or US$5,000, and no upper age limit for new applicants. Allianz offers full medical underwriting or a 24-month moratorium with no health questionnaire. Maternity sits on Cigna Gold and Platinum after a 12-month wait, and on Allianz Care Enhanced and Care Signature; read the Allianz waiting period on the Table of Benefits for your quote.

Cigna Global may suit applicants who want to trade a higher deductible for a lower premium, or who are over 60. Allianz Care may suit buyers who want evacuation built in and a moratorium instead of a medical questionnaire.

Bupa Global vs Cigna Global

Bupa Global’s limits are set per country of residence and topped by Elite at £3,000,000, while Cigna Global’s Platinum is paid in full. Cigna Global publishes its full benefit table, deductible ladder and age policy on its global site; Bupa Global’s UK comparison publishes tier limits and a handful of sub-limits but leaves deductibles and entry ages to the brochure. Maternity waits are 12 months against 18. Bupa Global’s Europe-only area has no Cigna Global equivalent except the residence-country Close Care plan. For someone who wants published numbers before speaking to anyone, Cigna Global is the easier read; for a European resident who values a large direct-settlement network and a Europe-only price, Bupa Global belongs on the shortlist.

Bupa vs Allianz Care: the key differences

Bupa Global builds outpatient care and health checks into most of its plans; Allianz Care sells outpatient separately and offers higher top-tier limits. For UK residents, Bupa Global’s limits run from £1,000,000 on Select to £3,000,000 on Elite, with Major Medical at £2,000,000 as inpatient-led cover. Allianz Care’s three core plans carry US$1,350,000, US$2,700,000 and US$5,000,000, about £830,000, £1,660,000 and £3,100,000. Select, Premier and Elite include outpatient consultations, health checks of £750 to £1,500 and vaccinations of £200 to £1,000. Both insurers include medical evacuation on every core plan. Bupa covers maternity once the mother has been on the plan for 18 months. Allianz includes maternity on Care Enhanced and Care Signature, with the wait set out in its Table of Benefits. Allianz offers a 24-month moratorium as an alternative to full medical underwriting; Bupa says pre-existing conditions could be covered, subject to underwriting.

Comparing Bupa in Hong Kong or another country with Allianz? Bupa sells different local products by market, so ask for the plan offered where you live before comparing limits.

• Families planning a pregnancy: obtain the maternity waiting period and newborn enrolment conditions for the exact plan offered. Read the international family health insurance guide before preparing the quote request.
• Anyone who needs US treatment: all three sell a worldwide area that includes the USA at a much higher premium; the expat health insurance cost guide records the published multiples. Cigna Global’s out-of-area emergency benefit and the 180-day home-country allowance a distributor reports matter to Americans who choose Worldwide excluding USA; see health insurance for Americans living abroad.
• Country eligibility: confirm the insurer and product available for your residence. The Elev8 country list shows where its brokerage handles enquiries. The GCC guide is an educational reference for rules that local providers must confirm.
• Budget-led buyers: Cigna Global Silver with a high deductible and cost share, Allianz Care Care Base with a core deductible, or Bupa Global Major Medical as inpatient-led cover are the entry points. Do not cut the annual limit or evacuation to save money; cut outpatient extras first.
• Applicants over 60: Cigna Global publishes no upper age limit and a 60+ Care allowance; Allianz Care’s distributor-stated ceiling is 69; Bupa Global does not publish one. The over-60 guide sets these beside William Russell, APRIL International and Now Health.
• Europe-only residents: Allianz Care and Bupa Global both sell a Europe area of cover; Cigna Global does not, other than through the residence-country Close Care plan.

We took the same benefit heads for each insurer, read the figure from the insurer’s own document, recorded the tier and currency it applies to, and wrote “not published” where the document was silent rather than filling the gap from a third party. Where only a distributor publishes a figure, such as Allianz Care’s entry age or Cigna Global’s home-country days, the table says so. We did not rank the insurers or award scores; the right plan depends on your residence, your area of cover, your health history and the options you need.

Elev8 Insurance is an independent brokerage. The insurers available to you depend on your country of residence, and we confirm current terms with the insurer before any recommendation. When you request quotes, ask each insurer for the same tier equivalence, the same area of cover, the same deductible and the same modules, then record the answers in the international health insurance decision matrix. The expat health insurance comparison guide explains the method in full, and existing policyholders can have their current plan checked against these three through a policy review.