Health insurance premiums for expats could see a rise of between 12 and 15 per this year, say insurance industry chiefs.
Most health insurers, including Bupa International and Axa PPP, adjust their rates in April or later. Bupa have stated that the 12 to 15 per cent figure is the range they are expecting.
However in a rare move, InterGlobal has just increased premiums by 10 per cent, but this is expected to be lower than average. Stephen Walker, of Medical Insurance Services in Brighton, said that InterGlobal’s 10 per cent increase was in line with the current UK domestic market.
Andrews Apps, director of Sussex-based insurer ALC Healthcare, said: “People are expecting value for money; that’s going to be the issue through 2011. There’s greater use of plans. Instead of saying, ‘I can’t be bothered to make a claim,’ they are saying ‘I’ve got the insurance, I might as well use it.’”