The Health Funds Association of New Zealand (HFANZ) has reported a significant decline in the numbers of individuals covered by private health insurance within the country. Approximately 10,000 policyholders have discontinued their health insurance policies during 2010. Given a number of financial pressures resulting…

In December, Bupa International joined the ranks of international private medical insurers that offer insurance policies with full medical underwriting (FMU) options that cover individuals for pre-existing conditions. Until recently, it has been very difficult for expatriates to obtain coverage of pre-existing conditions on individual insurance policies, as few insurers would cover them. Many…

Australia's public health system, Medicare, provides a substantial cover of healthcare treatment. However the public health system is currently under threat. There is a shortage of medical staff, hospital beds, and medical facilities such as brain scans. Patients under the public health system are therefore having to endure considerably long waiting lists. Medicare was introduced in 1983, allowing…

Aviva has instituted a handful of changes to their international private medical insurance products, ranging from adjustments in applications and claims handling processes to minor changes to group policies. Aviva said it has introduced the adjustments, which are part of a larger package of improvements, to their offerings in order to make it easier for intermediaries to do business with them. One…

Chartis is now offering two new cancer care insurance products in the UK Private Medical Insurance (PMI) market through their voluntary benefits website; the WellWoman and CancerCare plans do not cover the medical expenses associated with cancer, but provide…

InterGlobal Ltd. has entered into a partnership arrangement with Pakistani insurer Alfalah Insurance Company, to offer InterGlobal's UltraCare product line of international private medical insurance (PMI) throughout Pakistan.

The new partnership agreement sees Alfalah taking charge of underwriting…

CIGNA is on the lookout for a head of Global Marketing to spearhead the initiative undertaken by CIGNA International Expatriate Benefits (CIEB) announced 3 months ago to offer individual Private Medical Insurance (PMI) to customers around the globe.

The much-anticipated public consultation on "Healthcare Finance Reform" to be launched on the second half of this year is starting to generate attention towards some of the main issues to be addressed, among which is the possibility of the Hong Kong Government implementing a company to provide medical insurance for cases where private insurers may not be able to provide a "reasonable cover" to policyholders.

The federal government is trying to rally support behind a bill in the Australian Senate which would impact private medical insurance rebates for some Australians. The proposal seeks to rule out a 30% rebate on private medical insurance policies for any individuals earning over AUD$75,000 and families earning over AUD$150,000 annually. The Treasurer for the Labor government is saying this measure…

CIGNA International has announced an initiative to develop and distribute individual private medical insurance on the international stage. Currently, CIGNA only offers international private medical insurance to corporations and group customers. The new business plan will open up new markets of potential clients as they aim to sell private medical insurance to…