In 2018, the average cost of international health insurance for all plans is spread out between USD 7,323 in Libya and USD 6,201 in Angola. When investigating how the continent's premiums stack up globally, we found that the countries included in Africa ranked between 40 and last (79th).
One standout point to note here is that the spread of premiums among countries in the region have actually narrowed compared to 2017. Last year, the countries included in Africa ranked from 26th overall and last. That said, premiums in the region are still relatively widespread.
Another key finding as it pertains to overall premiums in Africa is the notable decrease in the Democratic Republic of Congo's average cost of health insurance. In 2017, the country ranked first in Africa as the most expensive country for international health insurance, with an average premium of USD 8,226. In 2018, however, the country is ranked near the bottom with an average cost of USD 6,649.
There are, of course, a myriad of macro and micro factors that played a role in this particular country's significant drop in ranking. For one, premium movements are - as we've witnessed in the past - relatively volatile in Africa due mainly to compliance issues. Other major reasons which help explain the Democratic Republic of Congo's significant decrease in ranking in this year's study include:
- We removed a few insurers from this year's report to more accurately reflect what people residing in these regions are purchasing
- Several insurers have stopped offering plans in the country (as well as other countries)
- Certain insurers have significantly decreased their premiums in a number of markets (Download our report to learn which insurers have lowered their premiums)
