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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

You came to the right place for Belize Resources and Information.

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Belize Expat Health Insurance Advice

by tacogirl 08/12/2018
written by tacogirl 08/12/2018
Expat Bar Ambergris Caye Belize

Expat health insurance is a common thing that people who are looking to move to Belize do research on. It can be a confusing topic and easy to fall down a deep internet rabbit hole looking for answers. I decided to reach out to a well-qualified source to help take the guesswork out of Expat health insurance options. She also covers the two main types of policies and what to look for when you are comparing companies or in the fine print. Deanna Marie works at Global International Insurance Advisor for Pacific Prime Insurance Brokers and provided a thorough impartial view on expat insurance.

Belize Expat Health Insurance Advice

Belize Expat Health Insurance Advice

When looking for travel health insurance advice, sometimes the professionals can really help you navigate the complicated landscape. While reading the terms and conditions of the aspects of your travel policy may be the least fun part of your journey, it is a must in the exciting world of Expats. Learning which airlines have strict baggage policies is just as important as knowing about the type of travel insurance you need.

Do I even need insurance?

For some expats, insurance isn’t a focal point on their journey as they may have had insurance from a job or nationalized healthcare.

Knowing how long you will be away, where you are traveling and if your current coverage will provide protection are the first steps to being well insured. Most regions have specific regional coverage options, and there are also larger companies that offer more broad options.

A Google search for travel insurance will display some of the top-ranking insurance providers. Depending on your ISP, you may face ads from BUPA, Allianz, insuremytrip or others. But what makes these plans so different from each other?

Costs of Expat Medical Insurance

For a contract that can facilitate traveling after an illness, or requires the journey to end prematurely, understanding the in’s and outs of the contract is critical. Primarily, expats focus on the price of insurance and assume that insurance companies will hold up their end of the contract. What constitutes the prices that they are reflecting?

The factors for the cost of expat insurance are:

  • Age.
  • Duration of coverage.
  • Benefit limits.
  • Area of coverage.
  • Servicing quality of the Insurance Company.

For example, if you are a 25-year-old looking for travel health coverage in Belize, then your prices would be dramatically less than a 65-year-old looking for 6 months with the same expat insurance.

Reducing the Cost of the Insurance

Some plans also offer deductibles to reduce the cost of the coverage. This can also be called excess. The deductible (or excess) is the amount that the insured will pay towards treatment. Typically the deductible is met over the time of the insurance coverage and not per treatment. If you choose a deductible of $1000, then at the time of using the insurance, your contribution to the care costs would be $1000 and the remaining costs would be covered by the insurance company.

Primary vs. Secondary Travel Health Insurance

Another critical focal point when determining which travel plan would be best for you is not related to the benefits of the plan, but how it is classified. To be more clear, not every travel insurance is suited for all scenarios as an expat or nomad and this directly impacts the cost of the insurance.

In the “fine print” of the travel insurance plan, the insurance company will say whether the plan is qualified as a primary or secondary travel medical insurance.

  • A Primary Insurance Plan is a stand-alone travel medical insurance. It does not require you to have insurance in your home country.
  • A Secondary Insurance Plan is a travel medical insurance that can be purchased in addition to your insurance in your home country.

What is the best way to determine if travel insurance is primary or secondary? CTRL+F on the policy wording and search for “secondary”- every insurance company will place it somewhere in the document by law. It will likely not be written on the benefits page or the purchase page of the website. If you are not sure, call the information line of the insurance company and ask.

Scenarios for Primary and Secondary Insurance

For example, if you are an EU citizen and travel from Canada to Belize, it can be supposed that your primary insurance is your nationalized health care. Therefore, you are eligible for secondary travel insurance.

If you are from the US and purchase secondary insurance only if you make a large claim it is presupposed that you have insurance in the US and would be eligible to return to the US for treatment. This means that that insurance company is not required to make a payment towards your care in a foreign country. If you do not have primary insurance in your home country and purchase secondary travel insurance, it is possible and likely that your claim could be denied.

When should you Buy Long-Term Renewable Coverage?

If you are planning to remain outside of your home country for longer than one year, or do not have insurance in your home country while you are traveling, then primary insurance is the best travel insurance for you. Also, there are private international long-term expat plans that provide the best protection for you when your plans take you past a year.

Long-term renewable plans include benefits that can’t be purchased in travel medical plans. For example:

  • Dental and vision.
  • Maternity.
  • Preventative health exams, such as colonoscopies and mammograms.
  • Coverage in your Home Country.
  • Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions.

Should I choose an international plan with a high deductible or a local plan that offers full coverage?

Normally, choosing a plan from an experienced, financially secure international plan is a better long-term solution for most expats. The quality of the service is better, the guarantee of payments get to the hospital faster, claims are paid, and annual increases are less. Additionally, you know that your claims aren’t going to influence your increases the following year. For most plans, your coverage is active from day 1 and there are no waiting periods. Inpatient claims are always paid from the insurance company to the treating hospital directly.

Choosing a local plan might save you a little money in the short term, but the solvency of the insurance company should always be further scrutinized. Most local plans aren’t set up for high claim years and might go bankrupt before you need the policy to payout. Additionally, they have long waiting periods for pre-existing conditions coverage or even coverage of high-cost procedures in the first 2 years. They also have a restricted number of hospitals they may allow you to seek care. Make sure that your plan fully covers all costs of being hospitalized and doesn’t use a small per diem to cover costs while receiving inpatient treatment.

Insurance Frequently used terms:

– Inpatient: treatment that is received while in the hospital for overnight care
– Day patient: treatment that occurs in a hospital but you are released the same day
– Outpatient: treatment that is received in a doctors office
– Pre-existing condition: Any condition, symptom or awareness of a condition for which you had prior to the start date of the insurance
– Guarantee of Payment: A legally binding letter between an insurance company and a hospital in which the insurance company alerts the hospital that the client is not responsible for the payment
– Deductible: is the total sum the insured will pay towards medical treatment in an insurance year

Ultimately, choosing the best plan by reputation is best and also making sure that you have the best coverage for your situation is paramount. Knowing what questions to ask is just as important and doing your research. As an expat, you need to be thinking long term about your insurance needs- because you are moving to your new forever home in your new forever country.

Finally- always make sure that you have your health insurance card on your person. If someone can’t find it while you are incapacitated, you may not receive the life-saving care that you need. Most hospitals won’t start treating you unless you can show proof that you are insured or can pay the bill in advance.

There are no rules about the distance traveled in expat life. Where ever your route takes you, educating yourself on insurance is important.

Global International Insurance Advisor for Pacific Prime Insurance Brokers

Pacific Prime  Insurance Brokerage works with over 40 partners globally, providing options for any nationality in any country. We can offer travel and long-term health, life and accident, income protection, property, and casualty. We can tailor to individuals and employee benefit packages. Our services are 100% free to our customers. If you would like to know more on expat health Insurance please contact Deanna Marie Email: deanna@pacificprime.com

A Moment of Cats and Dawgs – Ambergris Caye Weather

Gorgeous morning yesterday, then we were left with a couple of short heavy sessions of “cats and dawgs” (Kriol a for dog) – one around dinnertime and one mid-evening.  The current was temperature is a balmy 26°C or 79°F – “absolutely” perfect said the girl who flew the coop on winter forever.

I will leave you with a few recent pictures and an important reminder.

Simplicity can still be found in everyday life on this island as you see in the first picture of Belize kids enjoying a sack race in front of Mayan Princess. Picture number two is the reminder to head to the annual San Pedro Lighted Boat Parade tomorrow night for the 6 pm start. The Palapa Bar is an excellent spot to watch from and right across the road is the after-party at San Bar. So is Crazy Canucks south of town if you want a less crowded option. That is the turn around point, so you get a good view of the boats. All three places also give you the option to “adopt a bear” and buy Christmas for a child who needs it. Be sure and go to the event waterproofed just in case as it has been raining today. The last picture is from a joyride errand run yesterday morning that took us near the fitness club. 

San Pedro BelizeExpat Bar Ambergris Caye BelizeAmbergris Caye

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tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Darrell Moore
Darrell Moore
13:15 18 Apr 22
Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
B W
B W
18:01 08 Feb 22
Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
Kristi Palm
Kristi Palm
20:40 12 Oct 21
We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
D Zep
D Zep
12:39 01 Oct 21
Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
Kelley Adams
Kelley Adams
20:19 21 Sep 21
We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
Pamela Nixon
Pamela Nixon
18:36 20 Sep 21
I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
Chris S
Chris S
17:12 17 Sep 21
Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
Ty Willingham
Ty Willingham
01:47 20 Aug 21
I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
Greg Cox
Greg Cox
18:58 04 Aug 21
I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones
18:41 02 Aug 21
I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
Greg R
Greg R
02:12 29 Jun 21
tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
Katherine Carlson
Katherine Carlson
18:46 02 Jun 21
As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
Kathleen Ward
Kathleen Ward
18:29 02 Jun 21
We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
ksniegoc1
ksniegoc1
17:45 02 Jun 21
It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
Myra F
Myra F
01:30 25 Mar 21
I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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