Health insurance for expat families in Mexico is a must.
Doctor visits and medications are a fact of life – no matter where you live or how old you are.
That’s why it is vital to protect yourself and your kiddos with medical insurance.
Keep reading to learn more about the different types of health insurance for expat families in Mexico.
Why Health Insurance Is Essential for Expat Families in Mexico
Medical costs are rising…especially in Mexico.
Why? Because more expats and medical specialists are moving here.
Should you have a medical emergency without international health insurance, you’ll have to pay for your treatment entirely on your own.
If you have an emergency without health insurance and you want to go to a private hospital, expect to pay a deposit of at least 20,000 – 30,000 pesos before you even start being treated.
Most of the time, you also pay the entire bill before being sent home.
Now, imagine if multiple family members needed medical care.
Instead of covering the costs of one individual’s medical care, you must cover the costs for your spouse and dependents.
This is why health insurance for expat families in Mexico is critical.
Types of Health Insurance Options Available for Expat Families
Regarding health insurance for expat families in Mexico, you have options.
Public Health Insurance (IMSS & INSABI)
If you work as a foreigner for a Mexican company, the company should cover you.
However, if you or a family member is not working for a Mexican company, you can enroll and pay out of pocket monthly for insurance coverage.
In order to be eligible, foreigners must have residence status.
The main benefit of public health insurance is the low cost.
But the cons may outweigh the benefits.
For example, public health insurance has several limitations, such as aging out. Once the policyholder reaches 65 or 67 years of age, he will be aged out.
Additionally, those covered by public health insurance do not have access to private doctors or facilities.
They can only be treated at public facilities, which often means high wait times.
Mexican Private Health Insurance
Instead of international or public health insurance, expats can choose a Mexican private health insurance plan.
These are insurance plans designed specifically for Mexico, just as we have health insurance in the United States for the US only.
These private health insurance plans tend to have residency limitations, and the coverage isn’t as comprehensive.
For instance, the plans tend to offer minimal coverage, incredibly low maximum benefit numbers, and multiple-event deductibles.
The key benefit is that, unlike public health insurance, Mexican private health insurance plans offer access to a wider network and shorter wait times.
Mexican private health insurance is a newer option, and it is not recommended until things have improved.
International Health Insurance
International health insurance is designed for expats and foreigners living outside their passport country.
Many international insurance policies are global and include coverage for the United States.
Compared to other insurance plans, long-term international health insurance offers much more comprehensive coverage, such as covering immunizations.
Plus, in addition to protecting your own health while you are abroad, international health insurance covers all family members, including newborns, which is why it is a common health insurance for expats.
[Read more: Finding the Right Expat Health Insurance in Mexico]
Factors to Consider When Choosing an International Health Insurance Plan
Shopping for health insurance for expat families in Mexico is similar to looking for an individual policy.
Here are some things to consider.
Coverage Needs
- Start by assessing your family’s needs. Do you need coverage for pre-existing conditions, chronic illnesses, or possible maternity care?
- Understand that while the policyholder and spouse are covered under wellness benefits (such as mammograms and routine blood work), dependents are typically not covered.
- In contrast, vaccinations are NOT covered for adults, but routine immunizations are typically covered for minors.
- While insurance may provide maternity coverage for the policyholder and the spouse, they do not provide maternity coverage for any dependents on the policy.
Cost and Budget
- Compare costs between local and international plans, review deductible options, and ensure they fit your budget.
- Essentially, the cost of health insurance for expat families in Mexico is determined the same way it is for an individual.
- This means that the cost of your family’s policy depends on several factors, including age and pre-existing conditions.
- As you add more dependents, the cost of premiums will increase.
- However, with a family plan, you will only be responsible for two deductibles rather than deductibles for each family member. For example, you will only be expected to cover two $5,000 deductibles at $10,000 rather than $20,000 for a family of four.
Network of Providers
- When shopping for international health insurance, it is important to know if there are any doctors or hospitals in your area that already have contracts with certain insurance companies.
- Expats can take advantage of the free network, which means you can seek medical care anywhere.
- While you can utilize the free network, there are advantages to knowing which providers have a relationship with which insurance companies, as it speeds up pre-certification and treatment.
- For this reason, it is important to research insurance company contracts where you live.
US Coverage
- Most international health insurance policies include US coverage.
- However, some international insurance companies only offer coverage for Latin American countries.
- If US coverage is excluded, the policy tends to be less expensive but provides fewer benefits.
Maternity Coverage
- If you hope to have a baby while living in Mexico, you should ask your broker detailed questions about the policy’s maternity coverage.
- Does the policy cover pregnancy, birth, and complications? What is the waiting period?
- Know upfront that most international health insurance policies do not cover IVF treatment or reproductive medical events.
Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions
Pre-existing conditions may affect health insurance eligibility and coverage for families, just as they will for individual health insurance coverage.
[Read more: Can I Get Health Insurance in Mexico If I Have a Pre-Existing Condition?]
Renewability of Policy
All adults are on the policy for life, but dependents may not be renewed once they reach 18 years of age. But they will be eligible for their own policy and not have to go through underwriting if the deductible stays the same.
How Long Are Expat Dependents Covered?
Think long term (big picture) when researching health insurance for expat families in Mexico.
For instance, while adults are covered for life by an insurance policy, young dependents are not.
And there are parameters for how long dependents have coverage based on age.
Typically, dependents are only covered by the policy until they are 18.
Once they reach 18, they become ineligible by the end of the policy year.
But they will be eligible for their own policy and not have to go through underwriting if the deductible stays the same.
However, some policies have extended coverage if the dependents are students attending college in other countries.
Keep in mind that the 180-day outside of your passport country policy is waived for minors if they are attending school in their passport country (such as if the child chooses to go to college in the US but the family remains in Mexico).
This is the type of issue to discuss with brokers when choosing a health insurance policy, as it is generally written in the basic policy.
How to Find the Best Health Insurance in Mexico for Your Family
Here are some suggestions for finding health insurance for expat families in Mexico.
- Research online. Start by researching online blogs, reviewing sites, and expat social media groups.
- Determine what type of coverage you need. Do you need coverage for any pre-existing conditions, chronic illnesses, or possible maternity care? Will children need immunizations?
- Talk to other families in your expat community. Ask other expats what type of health insurance they have for their families and why they chose it.
- Look at online reviews. Read reviews of the various agencies, brokers, and insurance companies.
- Interview brokers. Ask the broker to explain the policy in detail so you are not taken by surprise.
