Dan when I click the link for Alex's ebook I get an email for your book instead. I already have your ebook. All I need is Alex's whatsapp or email. How can can get it?
As a former insurance agent in the USA, I can say that your interview here prove something that has always been true. Buying insurance is not something that an individual should do without professional guidance The trick is to find a good professional, which you have apparently done here. There are tens or hundreds of thousands of insurance salesman in the world but only a select number come up to the ethical and service standards of this broker/agent. We all need to buy insurance from a human being who cares about getting us the right coverage for our needs. You will never accomplish that by buying insurance online and seldom will accomplish it by buying insurance from a company agent. Always buy from a broker who represents several companies and follow their advice. It can save you a nightmare down the road. Not everyone deserves your trust but, in my estimation, this guy does.
I had a business and didn't have the best insurance options; however, I bought a policy from a company that had a sketchy history, but appeared well meaning. I took out a policy and as years went buy I once fell from a ladder and broke my ulna - the insurance company paid off and between a few sources I was able to get the medical costs paid for.
I know this and most insurance is only interested in protecting or enriching the companies, but there are a few good agents even today, but it's very, very difficult to find them. I had one that did a great job of covering one home with an older roof where companies demanded a new roof, but I refused knowing the roof was still serving it's purpose well. One agent covered me and also did a great job on insuring a large home for a fair price where a few tricks were employed to get the coverage at a price that's affordable. It's getting harder and harder to find protection at a fair price when everyone is so GREEDY.
Health insurance is one of the most complex subjects for expat retirement and carries financially devastating and life threatening consequences if things go wrong. Great interview Dan!
Thanks for bringing forth clarity on the crazy making in this sideways broken industry. I am so grateful as a retired nurse to see you showing what in going on in this industry .
This is invaluable info for any expat who truly makes their health a priority and wants a reputable, quality insurer. I can't thank you enough for creating this well made video. Thanks again Dan !!!!
By far the most valuable video you’ve created. (Not that your other videos aren’t good.) Dan asked insightful probing questions and the agent is obviously very authoritative and knowledgeable about his products and the insurance business. Two thumbs up.
Excellent and critical interview this time Dan!!! It is so critical that xpat's understand the limitations of medicare, overseas policy limitations, and exclusions!! Although I already have a worldwide policy through the federal government retirees system, I will be looking at supplemental interational insurance instead of overpriced and underperforming medicare, imo.
Typical INFORMATIVE & TIMELY video by you Dan. THX! As an American "pre-expat" (moving to Thailand next summer), I have been working my way through the quite complicated topic of making the best of blending my USA MEDICARE insurance vs. what insurance I need to get for my THAI NON-IMMIGRANT O-A RETIREMENT VISA in 2024 vs. having the most cost-effective health/medical/accident local or international coverage policy as the 3rd leg of the proverbial 2024 stool, etc, etc, for my continued travels in/around SE Asia. Which is NOT an easy thing to do for me versus an obvious expert like Alex (and " the process" is NOT my definition of FUN either!!).
Great and timely topic for me Dan, so thanks for putting this up. Once you get into antique status, travel insurance is not available with many companies, or extremely expensive. Especially if like me you like to travel for months not weeks.
I do have a travel policy that will cover you to age 74 that you can buy for a month minumum at a time, gives you up to $1 million cover and you can buy it from anywhere and extend it as much as you like. It's easy to buy on-line and ha excellt policy wording .
Dan, what made you change your mind now, going from self insured to buying insurance? Except the US, most countries around the world you should be able to self insure as even the hospitalization costs are low - unless there is a major issue. Even that part once you reach age 65, you should be able to use medicare as a backup and have an expat evacuation coverage to the US which is much cheaper. Thanks.
Yep...I agree. As an American, I'm doing those assessments right now to reach a "best-for-me" decision right now. Part of what's urgent in driving my decision-making process is the need to elect a new Medicare program & insurer for 2024 given the December 7th deadline to do so. Everyone's risk tolerance is specific to them and their situation of course.
It was just math for me. PLus, I am not 65 yet. $2500 per year and $2500 deductible. I will re-evaluate this when I I am about to turn 65. But I think the math will still make sense. Plus, I have had medical care outside the USA and I am not a fan of medical care inside the USA. Plus, if I went back to the USA to treat cancer, I would have to rent an apartment there and pay expenses there. That would be way more than finding a great doctor in Malaysia, Thailand, or other retire cheap countries (where the care can be better if you find the right doctor).
@@VagabondAwakeDan, that's an excellent assessment. I'm over 65, and even though Medicare covers about 80% the added costs in North America are likely to exceed anything major treatment would cost outside of North America. This itself would be a great subject for a video. But the issue of availability of required pharmaceutical medication is also an important subject. For cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, etc. Which countries don't have easy availability of meds, although it's more than possible that these conditions would improve outside of North America (!)
Zen.. you are SPOT ON! Overseas policies/Companies are famous for NON payment. The human body, our systems are all inter-connected.. so they are clever and can EASILY connect dots to decline coverage, claiming pre-existing. SO MUCH money wasted on these policies, with no recourse, none. Having money set aside to fly back to your home country asap, is far far more important. One man's opinion. THEY MAKE MONEY NOT PAYING.
@@ckSport3000 yes I've heard lots of really sad and tragic stories of denied coverage after years of good faith premium payments on the part of expats. Ultimately everyone has to do what they feel is right for themselves given their own unique circumstances. I'm with you though, self-insure with maybe a modest local policy to help get you patched up and held together long enough to board a plane and get back to your home country for any serious procedures or longterm care.
Yes, he's a salesman.. "Explaining". Google any company or policy he's SELLING for overseas use. Dig further with BBB or consumer report complaints and law suits. You mention CANCER, get on a plane to the US. Do research.. don't just accept these words. Home country plans, military or VA coverage yes. Overseas plans.. garbage. @@VagabondAwake
Thank you Dan and Alex. This is exactly what I needed. I’m retiring at the end of the year and will become a nomad. I was having trouble finding a policy that was right for me.
Well said. That is why I never bought until now. I was always afraid of who is watching the insurance company if they act bad. Now I know the answer to that question. :-)
Great stuff to know Dan!! Keep those great videos coming! Now this leads me to a question: As we get older, we will all have health conditions. So what do we do when we have a pre-existing condition like high blood pressure?
@@VagabondAwake Thank you for the quick response! Well, first off, I think I would quickly contact Alex directly and discuss with him! I'm still going through the video as this is an EXTREMELY important topic for any future expat as we need to be able to manage our health while abroad. Like you Dan, I am very skeptical of US Insurance companies as they are designed to NOT pay claims that cost them a lot of money. What is interesting is how affordable healthcare appears to be in countries outside of the USA.
I have to offer a friendly, yet contrary view regarding your comments about the "typical USA insurance designed not to pay, etc." Other countries and insurers likewise have risk-management departments for a reason...to obviously mitigate their risk by making sure they are paying for a covered charge, etc. Understood, as there as few "free lunches" in life. The goal is to find providers, as Alex states, that are fair & honest to us as the ultimate consumers who typically knows very little about this stuff. Like many things in life, it pays to do ample research and then make an informed decision....even if it's just to pick the best advisor/agent, etc. Reviews from other people are often a first step for me. Personally, and with only minor irritation & hassle at times, I have been fortunate to have had excellent experiences (including a couple of fairly minor procedures and surgeries) with my USA (mainly North Carolina and then Utah) doctors, clinics & insurers. At least w/r to the NORMAL expectations of medical/healthcare provided in the USA. Having said that, and as good as the services were in the USA for me in my view, I was still blown-away by the quality, professionalism, knowledge, attention, and certainly the MUCH LOWER COST when I went through an elective overall whole body assessment/health evaluation process offered by the Bangkok Hospital system in Thailand last year (2022). Getting this assessment was one of the big goals I wanted to achieve during my time in Thailand. RESULT: Simply amazing! Fast, low-hassle service including everything from checking-in to lab work, to doctor/surgeon immediate availability & expertise, to prescriptions, to follow-ups, etc. Bottom-line: A-Z EXCELLENCE IMHO. For example and to the contrary, a routine ANNUAL CHECKUP with most all of the USA doctors and hospitals I experienced, it was (1) make an appointment and feel lucky to get one within 6-8 weeks, (2) I was required to go in or 3 weeks ahead of the actual appointment time to get blood drawn (or whatever lab work), (3) ultimately go to the exam appointment and wait in the (aptly called) "waiting room"...probably sitting around a bunch of coughing/sneezing and obviously sick people for an hour or two LATER than the appointment time, (4) have a nurse/NP eventually come get me, measure my weight, take my BP, pulse, etc, and then (5) put me in a usually nice, yet cold, exam room for another long wait before (6) the PA shows-up for more "whatever"...and maybe (7) then the actual doc shoots in who does his/her review of the lab work and then (8) pokes around a bit and (9) suggests cutting-down on the standard "bad things" we all should do or change (limit fast-food, eat more organic veggies, don't drink more than a couple of beers per week, stop smoking (I don't), get more sleep, reduce stress, get more exercise, etc. etc.). Not always super worth the time investment. God help you if you need more lab work, a fast follow-up appointment , etc. Seems like the norm...unless you have experienced something different as I fortunately eventually did while in Thailand last year (2022). Conversely, my experience with my Thai hospital eval process was totally the opposite! Any wait times were minimal, lab work was done SAME-DAY (both the blood draw AND the results!), the hospital & clinic were equally...even better honestly...super clean, the nurses/ docs/technicians/checkout admins...basically everybody....were friendly, informative and super on top of what they needed to be (excellent staff training was very evident!). Plus, they were very respectful and EVEN appeared to truly CARE. Unbelievably, a staffer would WALK me from one place to the other if needing to be seen by another department. They all took time to carefully explain what needed explaining;. I never felt rushed-around, taken for granted, or that they were annoyed I was even there! A follow-up exam a few weeks later to assess a prescribed med's effect was also same-day blood work, etc. Plus, I was able to immediately see THREE docs that day for ortho, cardio, and even a new (to them) hernia assessment bby the surgeon who have done the surgery. Everything was all same-day and highly professional. Rightfully so they did POLITELY request that I give them a heads-up before future appointments for anything not relevant to the follow-up scope (like the hernia thing). My bad...I agree. But they STILL fit me in with minimal waiting and with the same awesome service! Finally, even though I had purchased decent travel insurance though an excellent broker that covered most everything (BTW: my policy cost was around $450 USD for 5 months coverage), the total cost...not just my cost for excluded work or deductibles....was probably 20% or less of what it would have cost me & my Medicare insurer & healthcare provider in the USA. If you need a common, relatively low-risk med like a statin or BP med....it's easy. Either get the med the same-day via the hospital's in-house pharmacy or leave and shop it around via the numerous pharmacies in the city to get the best product at the best price. Buying meds via the hospital is fine, but definitely more expensive I eventually concluded than buying through the many private local pharmacies. Plus, I could simply walk into a local pharmacy, show them the box or photo of the med I needed showing the relevant dosage info and they would provide or happily order the med needed. I could even show them the hospital/clinic checkout statement of care & charges. No typical USA procedure like "the doctor's office calling-in the med to my selected pharmacy" or even seemingly a written prescription needed..at least for what I needed then! This was my experience in both Thailand and Vietnam. I cannot say it would be the same in Cambodia, Indonesia, etc. And certainly not for every med I would assume. But do your own homework obviously!
Did you buy your travel insurance from USA, is it around Asia only, DID you lived in Thailand or Vietnam and use the Travel Insurance?? Or did you buy local Health Insurance in Thailand and Vietnam?? Thank you.
Thank you both. What a treasure of information. I am a Nomad traveler age 79 going on 80 and still actively going places. I use my CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE card for my travels when less than 90 days, but now I am planning on slower paced trips and spending longer times abroad. My base is in Mexico. I am insured through Medicare Advantage for major stuff. For longer trips I am quite aware I need global health insurance to be covered year-round everywhere but in the US. I would like to learn of your recommendation for active seniors. The travel agencies only offer one option for the new Schengen rules for Europe (MAPFRE), thank you in advance for your comments.
Hello @carlcamp4299, All of our videos have a webpage that has the information discussed in that video so you don't have to take notes. The link to that web page for this video is the first link in the description below this video. In case you don't know how to find the link, here is a RU-vid video teaching how: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p4bP4xd7J4s.html Most of our videos have multiple links to important information that will help you save time and money. It is our way of thanking you for watching our videos. So, ... thank you, Dan
Thank you for providing international health insurance in depth information. Others on RU-vid have tried but this is exactly what every expat and world traveler has been searching RU-vid for. Alex is the answer to our prayers, sincere appreciation for your services and expertise 🙏
Good advice. You can have a stroke, heart attacks, kidney failure, brain aneurysm and many more that would make flying to America risky at best on 20 hour flight not to mention layover needed from some countries. A wise man plans for emergencies a fool gets his life participation trophy when things go south and eventually things always go south with age
You can't plan for everything, you'll go mad trying to. You can always stay home with your comfortable health insurance, or you can accept some risks in life. expat travel is not really the best for 85 year olds.
@@JayandSarah or you can earn enough money to live anywhere and get medical insurance to cover you anywhere. Life’s only guarantee is we will all die one day. Die happy is my plan
Another interesting topic is the impact of new tax initiatives on Asian travel. Your strategy of not buying into a single country is looking even better.
Please tell us if someone with previously treated cancer, in remission over 10 years with ongoing surveillance tests consistently negative would be denied insurance coverage for a recurrence??
Thank you Dan, exceptional good interview with the broker. Alex named it: local health insurance is alway the best deal if you stay in one single country only as a retiree, no matter whether it`s gonna be in S.E.A., Latin America or Africa.
In Kenya Uganda medical care is hospital based. Visits are less than $2. My 3 BP & diabetic meds cost less than $18 monthly. My mom-in-law paid $2,158 full price for hospitalization for a hysterectomy. You pay half the cost up front. 😂Then they HOLD YOU HOSTAGE until you pay the balance.
Dan, great topic. I have worldwide coverage now. But this video could potentially save me thousands of dollars every year.. This is a big piece of the expat puzzle that should get more attention. Living on $1000, 1500 ,2000 ect per month. But Health insurance needs to be calculated into those budgets for older folks. Glad you got coverage now. I’m excited too see your Vietnam reports, I’m heading there soon. I’m covered at Vinmec Hospitals in all major metro areas in Vietnam. I’m in good health . But I study my hospital coverage list before I travel in my worldwide plan. Sometimes decision’s are made where I go or stay based on if I’m covered there. Maybe a bit to cautious for some , I’ve had enough adventure in my lifetime I play it safer these days. My Asian wife thinks insurance is a crazy waste of money. It sure seems that way, when I’ve never once had to use it. I will shop the rates some more for a possible better deal. This video was one of your best.
I have to call Blue Cross of Michigan and see if they cover any medical expenses when traveling overseas. And if they do, what specifically do they. Thanks for bringing this topic up!
As someone who’s been living in the uk and had first hand experience in the discussed topics I can say that the regulator here has no powers whatsoever. Financial services and insurance companies are running the show….
Are you saying the regulator talked about in the video has no power to order payment of the medical expense when initially refused by the insurance company? If so, please provide a link to a source confirming your contrary position. Thank you, Dan
UK government don't protect the consumer. One time my connection to France in London was cancelled without any indenization. Other time it was easyjet from Madrid to Lisbon in June 2019.
We are expats in Latin America and we have decided, like many, to self insure. We have savings and put away more every month, rather than pay a deductible. We also live a healthy lifestyle through a plant based diet and lots of exercise. Our savings account never denies our claims. 😜
@vagabondawake You shoukd do a video on Medicare Part A and how if you dont declare it at age 65, you'll pay a penalty if you select it after the deadline
@@VagabondAwakeNot really, only through what financial advisors have said that have had clients experience it. There's a penalty if you delay selection that's pretty egregious.
Medicare Part A is automatic. You pay no additional fee for that. I think what you are referring to is Medicare Part B which you do have to pay for on a prorated income based approach. Medicare Part B premiums can be viewed by asking for "what are Medicare Part B premiums". And since medicare part B does not cover overseas expenses(that I am aware of) this discussion is very important! I recommend getting the e book to look at options
@@poopingwhilestanding5801 Part A is no extra cost. It is inpatient US hospitals only. So, you don't need to make any decision about it since you neither pay, nor can use it. Part B, which is outpatient is opt out. Unless you file to be excluded, you get it deducted. It can't be used outside the US as well. And, given the monthly premium and deductible, if you are a permanent expat, those funds are better used to purchase overseas inpatient. You can get outpatient included at extra cost, but that generally is so much lower outside the US many pay out of pocket for that portion.
👏great video. Was not aware of all the options discussed here. Thanks. Insurance is so expensive in the US. I sometimes think I should move overseas until I qualify for Medicare.
I know. ACA in the USA would be about $600 USD per month with $10k deductible for me. The USA is not even rated the best doctors in the world. Since I can go to whatever doctor in the world is best for whatever disease now, I can get covered for $2500 per year with $2500 deductible instead of $7200 per year with $10,000 deductible and see the best doctor in the world instead of just the best doctor that mu USA insurance will cover. Let that sink in.
If you're in California, try getting a quote from the Covered CA website for ACA insurance. Depending on your age you might find insurance far less than you expected. My partner and I just signed up for less than $150 a month for both of us. And that's for good, comprehensive coverage, a silver plan.
Good timing for me on this topic. I have a Pacific Cross USD plan and it's coming up for renewal. I'm considering the alternatives again. If you don't mind me asking, what policy / what insurance company did you buy?
Hello @dancronin6436, All of our videos have a webpage that has the information discussed in that video so you don't have to take notes. The link to that web page for this video is the first link in the description below this video. That lin is also the first comment in the notes. Alex's contact infromation is there. :-) In case you don't know how to find the link, here is a RU-vid video teaching how: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p4bP4xd7J4s.html Most of our videos have multiple links to important information that will help you save time and money. It is our way of thanking you for watching our videos. So, ... thank you, Dan
It was enlightening to hear the terms used in the contract; pre-auth vs. pre-cert, and the exclusion statements for pre-existing conditions. How did you find this fellow?
Scary for how expensive insurance is in Thailand for those over sixty five. My biggest fear all that money spent your in the hospital and bad news. You are screwed! So what is the best overall insurance company for expats in Thailand?
Hello @fionabatt5704, All of our videos have a webpage that has the information discussed in that video so you don't have to take notes. The link to that web page for this video is the first link in the description below this video. In case you don't know how to find the link, here is a RU-vid video teaching how: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p4bP4xd7J4s.html Most of our videos have multiple links to important information that will help you save time and money. It is our way of thanking you for watching our videos. So, ... thank you, Dan
Great video and explanations. Let's say you get international health insurance, would most people go with a catastrophic type policy to cover them when making visits back home in the USA?
What is Alex email? Sorry but I cannot find it and I am not a technical person.. what town and country does Alex live because I would like to talk to him in person? I think you should do an interview with Michael Onstad of Pacific Cross insurance.. he lives in the Philippines and has done interviews with other RU-vidrs.. he is a great guy and will quote you a price in a New York second.. he will do email or FaceTime or you can meet him in person.. I am a, "just the facts ma'am" Jack Friday dragnet kind of guy.. I do not really understand insurance jargan talk.. I always find an insurance agent that I can trust because I am an excellent judge character.. I would trust Alex and Michael Onstad and you.. thank you and and your girl and all of the great information you give us on your channel..👍👍🤗😎👙😁🏖️🍺🍻
I am curious - how does one become an agent selling these policies. I am an agent in the US, but would be interested in learning how to expand to an international portfolio
Crazy. That is why I never bought before. But this guy quoted me $2400 per year for $1 million dollar coverage per year with only $2500 deductible. Plus, he explained why his was better insurance than the expensive quotes I was getting because it has consumer protections instead of insurance company protections.
@@VagabondAwake These two are from an international health ins agent in California. For Portugal quotes: Cigna Global Silver Plan: $893.24 per month. estimated cost for the IMG Global Prima Gold Plan: $2,081.10 per month. $542.66 from a Cigna agent. And, responses from other companies and agents with a request to call them. NO!
Just for yourself Cassie? I'm in my 50's and my quote from Cigna for their silver plan was much lower than this. I'm surprised. Do you have pre-existing condition(s) if I may ask?
I would call medicare advantage carrier directly. As someone who worked for a major medical carrier, I am dubious the carrier would provide the out of Network benefit for anything other than emergent events. The expectation usually, to come back in Network- this is true within the 50 as well. Medevac may or not be covered, the carrier will always state their coverage. I will defer to this broker. As for medicare, currently, i could be wrong but theres no out of Network coverage. Good luck
We will start traveling to Asia for months, possibly a few years. We are in our late 60’s, we have full medical insurance coverage in the U.S., do we need health insurance overseas? Does it cover travel in China?
Great question @kysam3108, I have one report where I explain what I do about health care and another where I show you how I search for health insurance, and a third report sharing which one I decided to finally buy. What I do about health care: vagabondbuddha.com/two-biggest-risks-of-retiring-early-overseas/ Report where I search for health insurance: vagabondbuddha.com/best-health-insurance-for-ex-pats-in-philippines/ Here is the Health Insurance I bought (and scams to avoid): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0leF_BCLVKw.html By the way, once you search for health care you will start seeing more offers for health insurance and travelers insurance when you are online. Health insurance is one of the most dynamic or changing industries in the travel world because so many people around the world are deciding to live or retire outside their home country. So do a search every year before you renew to make sure you have the best available for your personal circumstances because new ones come out every few months. Thanks for asking so I could answer this for many people! Dan
Hello @Jeff-cz3pj, All of our videos have a webpage that has the information discussed in that video so you don't have to take notes. The link to that web page for this video is the first link in the description below this video. In case you don't know how to find the link, here is a RU-vid video teaching how: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p4bP4xd7J4s.html Most of our videos have multiple links to important information that will help you save time and money. It is our way of thanking you for watching our videos. So, ... thank you, Dan
Any thoughts on Asian countries to get tech such as replacement phones and notebooks at prices similar to US prices? As Asian airfares can be quite inexpensive I was thinking flying into another country with lower import taxes might be a good option. Thanks.
Honestly it is hard to beat US prices on electronics. Buy before you fly. But once in Asia, I would recommend KL or Bangkok. maps.app.goo.gl/amEgS3KDuPpEWEbM9
Definitely agree. Before I first came here in 2019, I thought phones and computer equipment would be cheaper in Asia than the USA. I mean, afterall isn't this where everything is manufactured...Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, China, and so on? And then why are the Asian light switches usually ON/OFFs reversed (ON being down and OFF being UP)? After 60+ years of ON being UP, now I have to actually think when I turn on or off lights here in SE Asia. That's also "expensive" in terms of brain cells wasted! :)
Yes its cheaper to buy gadgets in the US,but for repair,its cheaper in Asia.Actually,im taking an all in one PC for repair to the Philippines,as here ,it may cost me possibly more than the value of this unit.Just to diagnose the problem will cost me almost a $100.
@@VagabondAwake Gotcha. I recall watching a Wired UK video from about 7 years ago "Shenzhen: The Silicon Valley of Hardware (Full Documentary) | Future Cities". I think it goes into how you can buy phones that appear to be iPhones for around $100 US. Keep in mind this was 7 years back but it was intriguing to think I could fly from Bangkok to Shenzhen for $175 US non-stop and maybe get more than enough savings on tech to cover the the cost of travel.
Hello @mdo5121, All of our videos have a webpage that has the information discussed in that video so you don't have to take notes. The link to that web page for this video is the first link in the description below this video. In case you don't know how to find the link, here is a RU-vid video teaching how: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p4bP4xd7J4s.html Most of our videos have multiple links to important information that will help you save time and money. It is our way of thanking you for watching our videos. So, ... thank you, Dan
