AXA PPP International “The rise of the medical tourist”
15-Feb-17, Global Health Insider
The notion of medical tourism, or travelling abroad specifically for medical treatment is a growing trend. As a result, medical insurers are seeing a surge in demand for private insurance policies that offer cross-border health cover.
Image: AXA PPP International
This market is estimated to be growing by 15-25% per year, depending on the region. Some forecasts suggest that the industry could be worth as much as USD143.8 bn globally.
This as an unprecedented opportunity. The challenge now for the insurance industry is identifying who might need to buy a policy that covers international travel specifically for medical treatment, and why.
While policies might be acquired through brokers, agencies or as an employee benefit in certain countries, in others health insurance can be bought through organisations such as a bank.