Marie-Rose
Senior Nomad
Posts: 894
Registered: 10-2-2003
Location: Victoria, B.C. and Todos Santos
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Mood: Worried...
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Medical Insurance for Canadians in Baja
2007 finds us in the enviable situation of spending more than 4 months (not necessarily consecutive days in a row ...and my stay will probably more
like 5 or 6 months) in Baja. Just wondering if there are any Canadains in the same position... what do you do for medical insurance? We are finding
our old policy quite expensive. Any suggestions?
Remember, when in Mexico, yes may be no and no may be
maybe!
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BigWooo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 579
Registered: 1-2-2007
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I don't know if any of these links will help, as I don't know how the Canadian insurance system works, but my wife and I have been researching
international insurance for after we retire. Below are links to some international insurance agencies we've been looking at. Maybe there is a policy
somewhere in this list that will be useful to you.
http://www.specialtyrisk.com/worldwide_health.htm
http://www.internationalcitizens.com/international_health_pl...
http://www.hthworldwide.com/
http://www.mnui.com/index.asp
http://www.allnation.com/products/goldandsilver.htm
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baja829
Nomad
Posts: 167
Registered: 2-24-2006
Location: South Campos, San Felipe, BN
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Mood: BAJA HAPPY
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I don't know about any Canadian medical insurance, but for a little over $200 per year, you can have full Mexican Social Security coverage. You need
to apply in Mexicali or TJ, or other large city. They will provide you with a medical book and you can get your medicines free and all Dr. and
emergency visits. It is socialized medicine and it does work.
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Riom
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Posts: 492
Registered: 12-17-2004
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Does anybody (ideally non-American) currently use any of these expat policies? I've been looking into them also, for when I move more full-time to
San Felipe (or maybe eslewhere in MX) in the next few years. It would need to cover lengthy trips to the US/Canada (so the Mexican state system is not
suitable, by itself).
One key problem I noticed with some of the expat policies was that the ones I looked at could be cancelled by the company at any renewal, for any
reason (or no reason). So if something happens that might become long term, they can just drop you.
To get back to Marie-Rose's problem at the beginning of this (which is much shorter term), have you had quotes for single trip travel insurance from
more companies? They do vary widely, as do the maximum trip lengths. For those under 60, worldnomads.com has some flexible deals for example.
There is of course a big difference between international medical insurance and travel insurance - the latter will try to send you "home" to be
treated, when it saves them money, rather than letting you sort things out locally and continue your trip/stay.
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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| Quote: | Originally posted by baja829
I don't know about any Canadian medical insurance, but for a little over $200 per year, you can have full Mexican Social Security coverage. You need
to apply in Mexicali or TJ, or other large city. They will provide you with a medical book and you can get your medicines free and all Dr. and
emergency visits. It is socialized medicine and it does work. |
I think this is their web site, but it's all in Spanish.
http://www.imss.gob.mx/imss
Bob H
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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Marie-Rose
Senior Nomad
Posts: 894
Registered: 10-2-2003
Location: Victoria, B.C. and Todos Santos
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Mood: Worried...
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Thanks everyone. After doing my research I ended up going with the same company (Blue Cross) that holds our company extended health policy.
Apparently there is "small print" on all insurance policies that say that if you hold an extended health they will use that before paying out
anything!! Cost us just over $500 for a years policy, multiple trips under 30 days allowed and then we paid extra for the days over 30 for this long
spell.
It woiuldl be interesting to explore the Mexican health policy if one was staying over 6 mts. I know that we actually visited a very good physician in
TS and the cost was so minimal we never claimed for it on our extended health.
Remember, when in Mexico, yes may be no and no may be
maybe!
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