Worldwide cover for UK expats and globally mobile employees, compared across Bupa Global, AXA Global Healthcare, Cigna Global, Allianz Care and William Russell.
International Health Insurance UK — Compare iPMI Providers
Whole-of-market international private medical insurance for UK-based expatriates, globally mobile employees and long-stay travellers. PremierPMI compares Bupa Global, AXA Global Healthcare, Cigna Global, Allianz Care and William Russell.
How international PMI differs from a UK-only policy
International private medical insurance (iPMI) is written on an area-of-cover basis rather than a UK hospital list: you choose a geographical zone (worldwide excluding USA, worldwide including USA, or a regional zone), and the policy then covers eligible treatment anywhere inside it. Cover is typically annual-limit based, includes medical evacuation and repatriation, and settles directly with hospitals abroad rather than reimbursing you afterwards.
That structure matters for three groups in particular: UK expatriates who no longer qualify for NHS treatment, globally mobile employees whose employer needs one consistent policy across countries, and long-stay travellers whose travel insurance would only cover emergencies rather than planned treatment.
- Area of cover drives most of the premium — adding the USA typically increases cost substantially.
- Annual benefit maximums replace the UK-style hospital list as the main cover lever.
- Evacuation and repatriation are core iPMI benefits, not optional extras.
- Direct settlement means the insurer pays the overseas hospital, so you avoid large upfront bills.
- Underwriting is usually full medical underwriting or moratorium, exactly as UK PMI.
iPMI insurers PremierPMI places
| Insurer | Best suited to | Indicative from | Broker verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bupa Global | Globally-mobile executives and their families; HNW / UHNW individuals wanting best-in-class hospital access; British expatriates in EMEA, Asia-Pacific and the Americas (ex-USA on most plans) | £180/mo | Best for globally-mobile UK executives and HNW individuals wanting premium hospital access. |
| AXA — Global Healthcare | Globally-mobile professionals wanting Bupa Global-tier network at a slightly sharper price; European-based expats and dual-residency HNW clients; Corporate schemes moving from AXA UK domestic PMI internationally | £165/mo | Best for value-conscious global executives and European-based expats. |
| Cigna Global | Digital-first expats wanting to self-configure cover online; Lean-cover buyers who want hospital-only or hospital + limited outpatient; Globally-mobile professionals in Asia, GCC and Latin America wanting non-UK-underwriter alternative | $155/mo | Best for modular, digital-first expats and Asia-Pacific placements. |
| Allianz Care | European-based expats and dual-residency clients; Corporate schemes wanting Allianz group brand strength without the Bupa Global premium; Africa and Asia-based expats where Allianz Care direct-settlement is particularly strong | €145/mo | Best for European-based expats and value-conscious HNW globally-mobile clients. |
| William Russell | British expatriates and returning nationals wanting UK-broker-managed cover; Mid-market expat professionals wanting Allianz-tier cover with British service culture; Digital-nomad and remote-worker expats wanting flexible territorial cover | £130/mo | Best for British expats, digital nomads, and over-60s applicants. |
What our brokers check before recommending an iPMI policy
- Which countries the member will actually be treated in, including trips back to the UK.
- Whether USA cover is genuinely needed or whether a USA-excluded zone saves a large premium.
- Outpatient and maternity limits, which vary far more widely on iPMI than on UK PMI.
- Evacuation wording — whether it covers to the nearest suitable facility or back to the home country.
- Chronic-condition and pre-existing wording under the chosen underwriting basis.
- Whether an employer group scheme can carry the member more cheaply than an individual policy.
PremierPMI is a UK private medical insurance broker specialising in whole-of-market placement across 10+ leading UK health insurers including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA, Freedom Health, The Exeter, General & Medical and National Friendly. FCA regulated (Tesha Family Ltd, FRN 1029667). Speak to a broker on 020 4525 0884, WhatsApp 020 8064 2273, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk.
Talk through your cover with a specialist PMI broker
PremierPMI's brokers are available Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm. Call 020 4525 0884, message us on WhatsApp 020 8064 2273, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk. You can also request a callback or meet our team.