Eritrea Health Insurance for Expats

International Health Insurance for Expats in Eritrea

For maximum peace of mind and access to quality healthcare, expats in Eritrea are strongly urged to invest in international health insurance. Beyond basic medical coverage, expats can also choose benefits such as maternity, dental, or vision coverage, which they can also extend to their families.

This guide by Pacific Prime will discuss health insurance in Eritrea for expats, along with general well-being and safety tips, the country’s healthcare system, and some recommended international health insurance providers we’ve compiled to help expats with the decision-making process.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expatriates Living in Eritrea

Cigna Global Insurance Plan

• Worldwide Coverage (excluding the US)
• Access to Cigna's trusted network of hospitals and doctors
• Numerous Deductible Options
• 24/7 Customer Support
• 4 Core Insurance Plans

Plan Details Get a Quote

Allianz Care Health Insurance

• World-leading Health Insurance Provider for Expats
• Extensive Network With Over 1.9 Million Medical Providers
• Quick and Efficient Claims Process
• Maximum Plan benefit up to USD $5,000,000

Plan Details Get a Quote

The Healthcare System in Eritrea

Eritrea’s national healthcare system and health services consist of three tiers: the primary level, the secondary level, and the tertiary level. The primary level encompasses community health services, health stations, health centers, and community hospitals.

Meanwhile, the secondary level consists of the Zoba regional hospitals while the tertiary level consists of national referral hospitals. 

While there are public hospitals available in Asmara, the public hospitals in other towns are usually under-equipped, and for rural areas in particular, accessing hospitals is even more problematic.

While there are private hospitals and medical facilities available with slightly better standards of care, only a few are available and not everyone may be able to afford or access them due to higher costs.

Expats who need serious medical attention, can’t access hospitals locally in Eritrea, or if the hospitals accessible are subpar in quality should have medical evacuation covered under their health insurance plan to ensure access to quality healthcare overseas in case of an emergency.

Health Insurance Options for Expats in Eritrea

Despite the availability of public hospitals in Asmara, other public hospitals in other towns within Eritrea are known to be poorly equipped, and hospital accessibility is even more problematic for rural areas.

Even if private hospitals are available with slightly higher standards of care, there are very few facilities available, and may not be affordable or accessible for everyone. 

For maximum peace of mind and access to quality healthcare, we strongly advise you to invest in an international health insurance plan. Notable benefits of international health insurance include worldwide and medical evacuation coverage, free selection, direct billing, and more.

Below are the main benefits of carrying an international health insurance policy for expats:

• Free Selection: You can choose any specific hospital you’d like to visit, which may include hospitals with multilingual medical staff, shorter waiting times, or a greater array of medical specialties. 
• Worldwide Coverage (can also include your home country): Your medical expenses will be covered worldwide with the option of including your home country if you wish. This will be useful if you need to get sent abroad or back home for prompt medical treatment.
• Medical Evacuation Coverage: You can request a method of transportation to get you to a different hospital overseas (or back home) in case of serious medical complications without straining your finances regardless of your destination.
• Direct Billing: When your selected doctor or hospital directly sends medical bills to your international health insurance provider, you won’t have to file a separate claim with the insurer on your own. 
• Access to Emergency Medical Assistance and Medical Emergency Coverage: You can access a healthcare facility thanks to your international health insurance provider, who will cover your emergency medical treatment fees, in case of a medical emergency.

Recommended International Health Insurance Providers for Expats in Eritrea

Notable international health insurance providers for expats in Eritrea include April International, Geoblue, and more. In the following sections, we’ve compiled our recommendations for international health insurance providers for expats along with a brief rundown of their features and benefits.

April International 

Health insurance plans from April International grant hospitalization, outpatient, maternity, and dental coverage for expats. Additionally, they also offer a 24/7 telemedicine service, a user-friendly mobile claims and support service, and a large direct billing network.

Below are April International’s various types of health insurance, along with their corresponding annual benefit limits:

• Emergency Plan (Annual benefit limit: €250,000)
• Formule Basic (Annual benefit limit: €500,000)
• Essential Plan (Annual benefit limit: €1,000,000)
• Comfort (Annual benefit limit: Unlimited)
• Premium Plan (Annual benefit limit: Unlimited)

Listed below are the examples of shared areas of coverage seen throughout April International’s different health insurance plans:

• Inpatient treatment
• Outpatient treatment
• Emergency repatriation
• Emergency evacuation
• Maternity coverage
• Vision and dental coverage

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Geoblue

The Xplorer plan from Geoblue, which consists of the essential and premier types, is designed for expats traveling from the United States for work, studying, and leisure purposes. 

Expats can also choose worldwide coverage options that include the US or don’t include the US. Listed below are the key features seen throughout Geoblue’s health insurance plans:

• Diagnostic lab work and X-rays
• Surgery
• Inpatient medical emergencies
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation
• Yearly physicals

Plan Details Get a Quote

AXA

AXA Global’s health insurance plans provide different levels of customizable coverage, including hospitalization, outpatient treatments, emergency care,  and medical evacuation coverage. Thanks to its flexibility, AXA’s plans remain a favorite among expats. 

AXA’s health insurance plans and their respective annual limits are as follows:

• Foundation Plan (Annual Limit: $160,000)
• Standard Plan (Annual Limit: $1,600,000)
• Comprehensive Plan (Annual Limit: $2,400,000)
• Prestige Plan (Annual Limit: $3,200,000)
• Prestige Plus Plan (Annual Limit: $8,000,000)

The following are examples of shared areas of coverage seen throughout AXA’s health insurance plans:

• Hospital charges and surgery
• Virtual doctor service
• Mind health service
• Emergency coverage
• Medical evacuation and repatriation
• Wide range of cancer treatment
• Ambulance transport
• CT, PET and MRI scans

Plan Details Get a Quote

Factors to Consider When Securing Health Insurance in Eritrea

Expats getting health insurance in Eritrea should carefully consider factors such as foregoing price-based decisions in favor of plan comprehensiveness and benefits, pre-existing conditions, and more. Below are factors to consider, as expats, when getting health insurance in Eritrea:

• Don’t Decide Based on Price: When getting health insurance, don’t decide based on the price as the cheapest plan, while affordable, won’t guarantee comprehensive coverage and will leave you with odd gaps of uninsured areas where you’ll be subject to out-of-pocket payment. 
• Comprehensiveness: Decide based on the health insurance plan’s comprehensiveness by selecting plans that align with your healthcare priorities. You can also select benefits such as maternity, dental, or vision coverage and extend them to your family for maximum healthcare access and peace of mind.
• Medical Evacuation is a Must: As mentioned earlier, due to the problematic, limited access to healthcare in Eritrea, expats experiencing serious medical complications who can’t access good hospitals locally will need medical evacuation cover to access a better hospital abroad.
• Pre-Existing Conditions: Certain insurers will either exclude pre-existing conditions coverage while some will cover them with additional payment or a waiting period. Don’t hesitate to contact your selected insurer if you’re unsure of any pre-existing conditions coverage and eligibility criteria.

General Health and Safety Tips for Expats in Eritrea

Expats in Eritrea should be on the lookout for street crime especially at night even if Asmara is relatively safe. Additionally, as a preventative measure, getting other types of vaccines on top of routine vaccines like influenza or COVID-19 is strongly recommended for expats. 

In the following sections, we will discuss general health and safety tips for expats in Eritrea.

Crime and Safety Tips for Expats in Eritrea

Even if the city of Asmara is fairly safe, the risk of street crimes can’t be ruled out entirely. Refrain from wearing excessive jewelry or carrying large sums of money, especially at night, as this can attract burglars or robbers who will see you at night while you can’t see them. 

Keep your belongings such as valuables, cash, or documents at home or in your hotel, and lock them away in a safe for security. 

Recommended Vaccines for Expats in Eritrea

As recommended by the CDC, expats in Eritrea, in addition to staying up to date on their routine vaccines like influenza or COVID-19, among others, are also strongly urged to get other types of vaccines like typhoid, yellow fever, or Hepatitis as a preventative measure.

For instance, the following are the routine vaccines expats should be up to date on for safety:

• Influenza
• COVID-19
• Chickenpox
• Polio
• Shingles
• TDAP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)

On the other hand, below are the other additional vaccines also recommended as a preventative measure:

• Hepatitis A & B
• Meningitis
• Rabies
• Yellow Fever
• Typhoid

For more recommendations, including vaccine dosage or other health issues to be on the lookout for, click the link below for further reading:

Eritrea - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC 

Emergency Numbers for Expats in Eritrea

In case of an emergency, expats can reach out to relevant authorities and emergency services using the numbers listed below:

• Police: 113
• Ambulance: 114
• Fire: 116

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure of Eritrea’s healthcare system?

The structure of Eritrea’s healthcare system and health services consists of the primary level (community health services, health stations, health centers, community hospitals), the secondary level (Zoba regional hospitals), and the tertiary level (national referral hospitals).

What are the challenges in Eritrea’s healthcare?

Known challenges in Eritrea’s healthcare include deficits in financing, basic technology access, medicines, and medical information systems, as well as a lack of skilled workforce for combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

What are some health issues in Eritrea?

Some known health issues in Eritrea include non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (especially diabetes and hypertension), and cardiovascular diseases, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and cancer. 

Conclusion

Since public hospitals in Eritrea are under-equipped and private hospitals aren’t affordable or accessible for everyone, having international health insurance is crucial.

Beyond medical coverage and additional benefits you can extend to your family, you can use medical evacuation to get to a better hospital abroad.

With over 20 years of experience, Pacific Prime and our brokers can help you select health insurance plans that not only align with your budget but also your unique healthcare priorities to ensure maximum coverage and peace of mind for you and your family.

Contact us today or compare quotes with our online quotation system!