Another 'for missionaries only'

Thats a little worse than what I pay, but in the same ballpark. I could get better coverage for 1/2 that here

 

We only pay $386/month, but then there is only the wife and me. I believe that is cheaper than the Japanese national health insurance, but not by much. But then it is more stable than the Japanese insurance, because the society here is rapidly aging, with only 1.3 children per family (all right, who will jump on that one with a crack?) and they are cutting back coverage because of all the old folk needing treatment.

 

Hey, Roger, so they won't let us get our own coverage? I didn't remember the "Principles and Policies" on that. Hmm. But then you'd have a rough time on furlough if you only had coverage over there, wouldn't you?

 

Nope the policy here covers trip to the US

 

More than I would like to pay, but then again I am thankful for the coverage. Every missionary with our board John needs to be covered by the same company I believe so we can´t opt out of it.

 

Well, gentlemen, I love our board, but some leeway would be nice here. However, I suppose that about every missionary being covered by the same company is a company policy, not a board one. Is that the case?

 

Sorry, Mexdeaf, I wasn't clear here. What I meant was, does the company that provides our international insurance require that all the missionaries with a particular board be under the same group insurance policy?

That brings me to wonder about the differences between a typical group policy in the States and an international one like a mission board has to have.

 

I believe that is the case John. The company gives the "low" rates they do because every missionary are under the same group policy. I love our board too, but the reality is that there is no perfect solucion to the problem of medical assurance. It is a nessesity for some missionaries, but for others the coverage they could get in their field of service would be better. But if the board allowed each missionary to purchase their own policy, the rates would be higher. So we find ourselves as we say in Castellano: "entre una espalda y una pared" (between a sword and the wall).

 

Thanks for the info. As we say in Japanese, Shikata ga nai, "No other way to do it." :type:

 

We pay right at $450.00 a month for five people, with a $500.00 deductible. This is an international insurance package. Every major hospital in Sri Lanka is covered uner this plan. But, medical here is so cheap, that we usually just pay our of pocket.

 

Ah my wife reminded me the proper spelling for sword in Castellano: its espada not espalda, so the saying is "entre la espada y la pared". I don´t spell very well in English let alone in Spanish... Trying though!
Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion.

 

Must be nice! Everything is covered here, but we pay first and then the US company decides if we were worth it.

Still, medical services are cheaper here than in America. However, they are about ten years behind American technology.

 

Health and life insurance.

G'day from the land down under,
We pay for a family of 6, $320.00 a month with a $1500, Deductible. We are covered anywhere in the world including, emergency medical evacuation.

Couple of thoughts:
(1). Group insurance will cost you a whole lot more.
(2). Find a mission board that does not require group health. It is a lot cheaper for personal coverage. I know for the same policy I have you will pay over double if it were a group policy, with a big name board.
(3). Do not put you Life insurance policy with your health policy, If you cancel your health you will mess up your life insurance. So I am told.
(1) I also through the same agent have a life insurance policy for me and my wife $500,000 on each with a child rider for my 4 children. 10 year term, for $1400 a year.

I pay a total $ 5300.00 a year for health and life. I am 41 my wife 36.

Hope this helps, Cheers - Ehud.

 

This is not always true. I paid a ridiculous ammount of money in the US for a private policy that only covered me in the States. You have a crazy high deductible that you are paying. I only have a $500 deductible, and pay around that same amount per month for a family of 5. IMO this is better.

Did you purchase your insurance stateside or in Austrailia? The private international policies I have seen are terribly expensive.

Again this is not always true. My coverage covers me back in the US as well, plus my deductible is lower than yours. The problem of an missions agency allowing a missionary to get whatever they wanted is that you would have many who would not purchase sufficient coverage because they "have more faith" than the rest of us. In my opinion it is wise to require missionaries to be complelty covered by medical insurance before they leave for the field.

What is the name of your insurance company by the way?

 

4 His_ Glory Reply

It is with mission boards. It will always be higher. Call around the boards and ask. BIMI for my family would be about 780.00 a month

I had an HMO fully covered in the states for 180.00 a month Blue cross Blue shield. But that was different circumstances.

I guess it would seem like a high deductible. I have never used it, so I never had to pay the $1500.00

I purchased mine while living in the states. It was not that expensive.

So does mine.

This is true, But I guess the faith issue is between them and God I do not judge a motive.
As far as I know all international Insurance is covered by Lords of London and all international insurance is picked up by them.
I have a furlough on my policy. Every 3 months in the country I get a free month in the states without the premium going up. So 4 years on the field I get 12 month in the states without the premium going up. So I am covered in the states for 320.00 a month. All international health plans have a premium that goes up when you go back to the states. I think mine would go up to 800.00 a month after the furlough period.

4 His_Glory,
(1). What do you have and what do you pay for life insurance?

(2). What do you pay a month for health? You never said.

Ehud.

 

I do not remember all of the life policies I have, but I know that they are very good. My wife and I both have a couple of policies out on ourselves, one a universal the other a term. Our three kids have a 10 pay out on them. These are really cool- you pay for ten years and after that your kids keep the policy without paying and it is a good poicy too, not just a little $10,000 thing. I believe we pay about $150 a month to State Farm, but not all of this is life insurance either. We have a policy out on my wife´s diamond etc.

I pay around $500 dollars a month for my health insurance.

 

Mine is cheaper by far.

I pay 320.00; you pay around $200.00 more.

Hopefully, my math here is ok.
It is $1500.00 if I use it. I have not used it since I got it, 2 years.
I have paid about $8,400.00 in two years.
You have paid about $12,000 in two years
I have saved $4000.00 so if I have to spend 1500.00 on a deductible I still come out cheaper. :thumbs:

Ehud