Cigna Review: Is It a Good International Health Insurance?
Would you leave the house without your pants? Exactly. So, don’t leave your home country without international health coverage either.
I learned this the hard way during a solo trip to Bali—terrifying food poisoning, sky-high bills, and no insurance. Don’t make my mistake. Get insured before disaster strikes so you can travel with peace of mind.
In this article, we’ll explore Cigna Global’s international health insurance plans, designed for remote workers and digital nomads. Are they worth it? Let’s find out.
What We Like About Cigna Global International Health Insurance
When it comes to coverage for international travelers and digital nomads, Cigna Global is right up there with the best of them. Don’t believe it? Read on to find out what we like about Cigna Global.
Heavy Duty Plan Coverage
Everyone has differing needs when it comes to their international insurance plans. If you’re looking for a plan with some heavy-duty coverage, Cigna Global medical insurance is it!
Cigna Global offers two plans – let’s take a quick glance at them both:
Cigna Global Health Options Overview
Cigna Global Health options come in three tiers: Silver ($1M annual max), Gold ($2M annual max), and Platinum (no annual max).
All plans include benefits like:
- Private room fees
- Medical imaging and scans
- Full cancer care
- Rehab care
- Emergency room treatments
Cigna Close Care Overview
Cigna Close Care comes in two tiers – Close Care and Silver.
The basic Close Care plan has a $500,000 benefit limit and provides:
- Inpatient and day-patient coverage
- Hospital stays and treatments
- Cancer care
- Medical imaging
- And more
The Silver plan has a $1M annual benefit limit. It includes everything in the Close Care plan with higher payout limits and extras like A&E and transplant coverage. The silver plan is a true worldwide plan.
Though each plan has specific nuances, all plans except the basic Close Care Plan offer a healthy coverage mix, hefty benefit limits, and serious peace of mind for policyholders.
Extreme Plan Customization Options
You may be wondering what makes Cigna Global special compared to other insurance providers. It’s the customization options. During the quoting process, you can tailor your plan to your needs in several ways.
You can select your start date, update the currency, choose your payment period (monthly, annual, or quarterly), select a deductible (from $0 to $10,000), and even choose your out-of-pocket max and cost share.
This level of control is almost unheard of.
Extensive Global Network
Your insurance plan is pointless if it has a non-existent provider network. I know firsthand how frustrating it is to find care on a plan with a weak network – searching for a good healthcare professional is nothing short of a nightmare. That won’t be an issue with Cigna – they are contracted with over 1.5 M hospitals and healthcare professionals.
Coverage in Multiple Countries
I don’t know about you, but when I go country hopping, I absolutely must have a policy that applies wherever I go. Cigna Global travels with you to most countries, depending on the plan you choose. For instance, if you go with the Cigna Global Health plan and choose the worldwide coverage option, you can travel literally anywhere, and your benefits will apply. If you want this flexibility, opt for one of the Global Health plans or the Silver Close Care plan.
Direct Billing
When you’re reeling from a medical issue while traveling abroad, the last thing you want to do is navigate a foreign healthcare system. With Cigna Global, you won’t have to do so in most cases. They bill providers directly, so you’ll spend less time on redundant forms and focus more on making the most of your trip.
24/7 Support
I am a serial telehealth user - it’s super convenient and incredibly helpful for urgent issues, mental health care, follow-up care, chronic conditions management, and more. Cigna Global offers 24/7 unlimited global telehealth to help you get the care you need, no matter what time it is.
Fast Quotes with Transparent Pricing
Nothing frustrates me more than having to go on a scavenger hunt to find pricing for a policy. I’ll bet you can relate. Well, it takes just 2 minutes to get a quote through Cigna Global, and all the prices are front and center. You don’t have to search for them. As you build your plan using the customization options, the prices update right then and there.
Some Things to Keep in Mind About Cigna
By no means is Cigna perfect – no insurance company is. Here are a few things you should remember as you’re deciding whether Cigna is the right insurance for you.
The Basic Close Care Plan is Very Limited
As I was exploring Cigna’s insurance options, I was surprised by how little the basic Close Care plan covers. First, there’s no A&E coverage (emergencies are an extreme risk with any kind of travel). There’s also no transplant coverage. It’s also not a worldwide plan; it applies only to your home country and one host country. So, if you’re an expat or digital nomad looking for a plan with heavy-duty benefits, you may want to pass on this specific plan from Cigna.
Waiting Periods May Apply
It’s not particularly clear at first, but many Cigna Global medical insurance benefits come with waiting periods. The Cigna Global Health Platinum plan has waiting periods for the following:
- Pre-natal and post-natal care – 12 months
- Infertility investigations and treatments – 24 months
- Genetic cancer test – 12 months
- Dental treatments – 3-18 months, depending on the services
- Routine maternity care, maternity complications, homebirths, newborn care – 12 months
*This isn’t a full list of benefits with waiting periods.
Pre-Existing Conditions Aren’t Always Covered
Many of us – me included – have pre-existing conditions we’re managing. Just because we go abroad doesn’t mean that we can forget about them. Yes, some Cigna Global plans cover pre-existing conditions (especially for those who are over 60 years old). However, this isn’t guaranteed and will depend on the results of your medical history review.
Interestingly enough, I had a hard time finding information about pre-existing conditions in the benefit documents. However, the topic is addressed on a few of the website’s pages, like this page on expat insurance and this page on international insurance for people working abroad. If you decide to pursue Cigna Global and want coverage for pre-existing conditions, double-check your coverage with one of their insurance professionals before you sign on the dotted line.
How Much Does Cigna Global Health Insurance Cost?
Cigna Global Health insurance premiums run the gamut from super affordable to crazy expensive. Your plan premium will depend on several factors, including:
- Age – The younger you are, the lower your plan premiums may be.
- Location – If you’re living in a country with high medical costs in general, your Cigna premiums may reflect that.
- Coverage level – The Cigna Global coverage options that offer the most benefits will cost the most.
- Deductible – Your deductible is the amount you’ll have to pay out of pocket before Cigna pays anything. The lower your deductible is, the higher your monthly premiums will be.
- Add-ons – The more add-ons you choose, the more your plan will ultimately cost.
- And more
But on the whole, Cigna Global Health insurance plans tend to be affordable on most budgets.
Below, you’ll see a mockup of a quote for a 32-year-old American who needs a plan for a long-term stay in Japan:
Here are the worldwide coverage options and monthly prices:
Here are the Japan-only coverage options and monthly prices:
Add-ons will increase your premium price:
Remember that you can make changes to keep your budget under control, some of which include:
- Increase your deductible (all the way up to $10,000).
- Increase your cost share and out-of-pocket max (up to 30% with a $5,000 OOP max).
- Skip the add-ons.
- Choose a lower-tier plan.
How Does Cigna Insurance Work? Getting an Insurance Quote with Cigna
You could get a quote from Cigna in your sleep – well, not really, but you get the point. Here are some quick steps to follow:
- Go to the Cigna Global quote page.
- Enter the country you’ll be living in for the duration of the policy and click “Get a free quote.”
- Fill out this form and then click the “See my price” button.
- You’ll then be able to see the prices and benefits of all the plans. Set the terms you want and then click “Select” next to your desired plan.
- Add your add-ons if desired by clicking “ADD.” Then click “Continue” on the bottom right.
- View your final price. In some cases, you’ll be able to pay for your policy right then and there. And in other cases, you’ll be instructed to reach out to Cigna to complete the process.
How is the Claim Process?
Submitting a claim to Cigna doesn’t require rocket science knowledge, but there are a few things you should know.
- Call customer care whenever you need treatment. Cigna reps will help you find the right healthcare professionals and facilities. They will also set up direct billing if possible.
- Send in a claim to Cigna if needed.
- If Cigna billed the provider directly, you don’t have to send an invoice or claim form to Cigna.
- If you paid for your treatment and need reimbursement, you’ll send 1) the invoice from the provider and 2) a claim form to Cigna. Email them to cghoclaims@cigna.com, fax them to +44 (0) 1475 492113, or mail them to Cigna Global Health Options, Customer Service, 1 Knowe Road, Greenock, Scotland, PA15 4RJ. You can also send in claims using your online portal account, which you’ll gain access to after buying a policy.
- For medical and vision claims, use this claim form.
- For dental claims, use this claim form.
- Wait for a payment, denial, or documentation request. Claims are typically processed within five working days.
Here’s a handy graphic to make the claims process easier to visualize:
Are There Any Global Health Insurance Alternatives to Cigna?
Cigna isn’t the only option you have when shopping for international health insurance. There are several other options, and we’ll touch on three of them below:
Genki Native
Genki Native is one of the most popular insurance options for digital nomads. They are known for their comprehensive medical benefits, super-fast signup, and quick reimbursement timeframes. Both plans are excellent options for the average digital nomad, but Cigna beats out Genki when it comes to customization options.
Safetywing Nomad Insurance Complete
Nomads everywhere love Safety Wing's Nomad Insurance Complete, mainly because of their perfect mix of travel and health benefits at budget-friendly prices—especially for younger travelers. There’s also 24/7 support and a highly efficient claims process. Though all of these things are great, Nomad Insurance Complete doesn’t give you as much coverage for routine care – it’s more for unexpected events, injuries, etc. Cigna’s best plans give you much more in terms of routine care than SafetyWing.
GeoBlue
GeoBlue is an international insurance provider with a mega-network of providers in over 190 countries, plus telehealth capabilities. And their plans come in at very affordable prices. When it comes to plan choices, GeoBlue and Cigna are neck and neck but in different ways. GeoBlue has loads of plan options with moderate customization, whereas Cigna has fewer plans but more customization options.
Either company is great and likely to provide the options you’re looking for, but Cigna has an edge when it comes to health and wellness. Those who value that may find Cigna a better fit.
Is Cigna Insurance Good for International Travelers?
Damn right! Cigna Global medical insurance is an outstanding option for international travelers, specifically those who want to build their plans brick by brick. But even if we didn’t consider the customization options, it’s impossible to ignore the other benefits, like the quick signup and quote times, pre-existing condition coverage, benefit mix, telehealth options, and more.
However, the company isn’t perfect, especially when I consider things like the weak Close Care plan benefits and the excessive waiting periods for some services. I would have given the insurance company a full 5 out of 5 stars, but I had to take away a star for those things.
All in all, exploring Cigna insurance for travelers is a no-brainer, especially if you’re a digital nomad or remote worker and want to build your own plan according to your needs and budget. If that’s not your jam, there are other options out there.
To see how much a Cigna plan would be for you, I recommend getting a quote. Seeing the numbers for yourself makes it so much easier to make an informed decision.
10% OFF your International Health Plan FOR LIFE!
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