When you move to another EU country, you can keep your Expat health coverage in one of two ways. You can transfer your existing policy, which keeps your coverage history continuous so ongoing and newly developed conditions stay covered and your original 5-year coverage period keeps running. Or you can start a new policy, which begins a fresh 5-year period but treats anything from your previous policy as pre-existing and not covered. There is no waiting period either way, as long as you sign up within 31 days of arriving or leave no gap in coverage. When you transfer, you receive a policy linking number that you must save and quote on all future claims. After 5 years of total Expat health coverage, you transition to a local public or private health plan.
Can I keep my Expat health insurance if I move to another EU country?
Yes, you can keep your Expat health insurance when you move to another country within the European Union. In both cases you sign up for a policy in your new country, and you have two ways to do it: transfer your existing policy, or start a new policy. The right choice depends on your health situation and how long you have already been covered.
Should I transfer my policy or start a new one when I move?
Both options require signing up for a policy in your new country. The difference is whether your coverage history carries over:
Transfer your policy if you have ongoing treatments or conditions covered under your current policy that you want to keep covered. Your coverage history stays continuous, so conditions that developed under your current policy remain covered, and your 5-year eligibility period does not reset — it continues from your original arrival date.
Start a new policy if no new health conditions have developed under your current coverage and you want a full new 5-year coverage period in your new country. Any conditions that developed under your previous policy are treated as pre-existing and are not covered.
You can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.
How does the 5-year coverage limit on Expat health insurance work?
Expat health insurance is designed for people living abroad temporarily and covers you for up to 5 years from your original arrival date in your first country. If you transfer your policy when you move, the 5-year period continues from your original arrival date. If you start a new policy in your new country, the 5-year period resets from your new arrival date. Once the 5 years are up, you transition to a local public or private health plan in your country of residence, which can take time to arrange.
Is there a waiting period when I move to a new country?
There is no waiting period in either option, as long as certain conditions are met. If you start a new policy, no waiting period applies provided you sign up within 31 days of arriving in your new country, or there is no gap in coverage between your old and new policies. If you transfer your policy, coverage is treated as continuous, so no waiting period applies.
How do I transfer my existing Expat health policy to my new country?
To transfer your policy, contact our support team and let us know that you want to transfer your existing policy to continue your current coverage. We will give you instructions on how to sign up for your policy in the new country and when to cancel your original policy, so there is no gap or overlap in coverage. Once the transfer is completed on our end, we send you a policy linking number, which you need to save and reference on all future claims (see below).
What is the policy linking number and how do I use it?
When you transfer your policy, both your old and new policies are recorded as a single continuous coverage history. A few days after your new policy is approved, we send you a policy linking number that identifies this connected history. Save this number, because you must include it whenever you submit a claim on your new policy so the claim is processed against your full coverage history. This number applies only when you transfer your policy; it is not issued when you start a new policy.
How do I start a new Expat health policy in my new country?
To start a new policy, sign up for a new Expat health policy in your new country and select your arrival date in the new country as your start date. As with a transfer, we encourage you to contact our support team so we can advise you on the correct time to cancel your original policy and avoid any gap or overlap in coverage.