HONG KONG — A global study of 100 countries conducted by insurance brokerage Pacific Prime found that 97 countries witnessed increases in average international health insurance premiums for both individuals and families.
Of the 100 countries, the average international health insurance premiums for individuals ranged from USD $8,887 in the US to USD $2,728 in Thailand. Meanwhile, the average international health insurance premiums for families ranged from USD $26,883 in the US to USD $10,842 in Thailand.
The following are the key findings of Pacific Prime’s Cost of International Health Insurance for individuals and families – 2019 report:
Top of the list: The US remains the country with the most expensive health insurance premiums. This is largely a result of the country’s notoriously high cost of healthcare.
Region with the most expensive premiums: The Americas remain the most dominant region in the top 20 most expensive countries list. The region was able to pack up to 15 countries into the list, which includes 29 countries due to many having the same average premium.
Region with the highest premium inflation rate: African countries saw some of the highest inflation rates in the world. As many as 21 countries in Africa witnessed inflation rates that are 15 percent or higher, resulting from various macro trends such as the rise of the middle-class and technological advancements.
China’s overall premiums are getting cheaper: China’s premiums are going through a correction phase after years of increase. In 2019, several prominent insurers in China did not increase their premiums, with some even lowering them, making it one of the few countries experiencing a year-on-year decrease in average health insurance premiums.
Big jumps in premium rankings: Canada saw average health insurance premiums inflate by seven percent for individuals and five percent for families, surpassing Hong Kong as the country with the second most costly country for international health plans. Singapore has also jumped from 9th to 4th position with an inflation rate of nine percent for both individuals and families.
Download a complimentary copy of Pacific Prime’s Cost of International Health Insurance for Individuals and Families – 2019 for further details of the survey findings, as well as in-depth regional premium analyses.
