Insurance requirements 101
According to a recent survey by international healthcare provider Expacare, under eight per cent of UK business owners are aware of the insurance requirements for employees working overseas. In the survey, 1,000 UK business owners were asked whether they are aware of the insurance that is required for staff members working abroad. Only 7.8 per cent said they know the requirements, while 67.3 per cent said they do not know the requirements and 24.9 per cent said they are not entirely sure of the requirements. Expacare’s advice to employers sending employees abroad for work is to know that a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) may not be sufficient, as this will only provide travellers with emergency treatment. Additional advice is that for staff visiting conferences or making other short trips for work, business travel insurance is usually sufficient, but for staff who are working away on a project or making a longer trip, an international healthcare insurance policy may be more suitable. According to Expacare, few Employers’ Liability policies will cover staff who work overseas for any extended periods. “Speak to your Employer’s Liability insurer to find out whether your policy includes this or if you will need to take out an additional country-specific policy for liability insurance to cover employees who sustain injuries or work-related illnesses while working away,” the company advised. Expacare recommends employers take out an international health insurance plan for staff who will be working overseas for a significant time, choose the right policy and check local requirements. “When planning a relocation for your staff, do your research and check whether health insurance is mandatory in the country they will be working in. In non-European countries where documents such as visas or work permits are required, certain levels of health insurance may be required for them to be issued,” it said.
According to a recent survey by international healthcare provider Expacare, under eight per cent of UK business owners are aware of the insurance requirements for employees working overseas. In the survey, 1,000 UK business owners were asked whether they are aware of the insurance that is required for staff members working abroad. Only 7.8 per cent said they know the requirements, while 67.3 per cent said they do not know the requirements and 24.9 per cent said they are not entirely sure of the requirements.
Expacare’s advice to employers sending employees abroad for work is to know that a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) may not be sufficient, as this will only provide travellers with emergency treatment. Additional advice is that for staff visiting conferences or making other short trips for work, business travel insurance is usually sufficient, but for staff who are working away on a project or making a longer trip, an international healthcare insurance policy may be more suitable.
According to Expacare, few Employers’ Liability policies will cover staff who work overseas for any extended periods. “Speak to your Employer’s Liability insurer to find out whether your policy includes this or if you will need to take out an additional country-specific policy for liability insurance to cover employees who sustain injuries or work-related illnesses while working away,” the company advised.
Expacare recommends employers take out an international health insurance plan for staff who will be working overseas for a significant time, choose the right policy and check local requirements. “When planning a relocation for your staff, do your research and check whether health insurance is mandatory in the country they will be working in. In non-European countries where documents such as visas or work permits are required, certain levels of health insurance may be required for them to be issued,” it said.