How To Get International Health Insurance In Egypt

Whether you’re an expat or a permanent resident, private international health insurance in Egypt makes sense. The low-quality care in the public health system likely won’t meet your expectations.

But without insurance, the high out-of-pocket costs for private healthcare might overstretch your budget. With all the unknowns in Egypt, you may want fast access to the best private hospitals – even if they’re limited to major cities, like Cairo, Alexandria, and Luxor.

This article will tell you exactly how to set yourself and your family up with a health insurance policy in Egypt that’s right for you.

How to get international health insurance in Egypt

If you decide to avoid Egypt’s public healthcare, you can sign up for private health insurance. You have two options to find a plan:

1. Use a broker – Brokers can help you save time and energy by doing the hard work for you. They’ll take the time to query multiple providers based on your details, then come back to you with several insurance quotes.
2. Go direct – You can also go directly to an insurance provider. You may have to contact them via email or phone to get a quote. Providers like William Russell have an online quote service that lets you see prices in seconds. You may receive different prices for several plans that fit your needs. With an insurance quote in hand, it’s easier to reach out to a provider to follow up with questions about a policy.

These options aren’t mutually exclusive. You can always enlist the services of a broker and ask providers for direct quotes, too.

How to get started with William Russell

At William Russell, we understand how important your time is. That’s why we’ve developed an online quote builder to simplify your search. You can obtain a ballpark price for you and your family’s medical insurance in less than two minutes.

Simply let us know your nationality and your area of residence, then follow these steps:

1/ Choose your plan level

Choose from Bronze, SilverLite, Silver, or Gold. If you have a family to look after, Gold might be a better option. Bronze may be better suited for a single person spending the year abroad.  Here’s what our plans cover:

• Hospital treatment
• Local ambulances (including air ambulance)
• Advanced diagnostic tests
• Cancer treatment (including genome testing of cancerous cells)
• Transplants
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Access to a 24hr emergency helpline

*Bronze, SilverLite and Silver plans cover complications of pregnancy
**All plans cover emergency restorative dental treatment
Subject to waiting periods

2/ Choose your coverage zone

Now, it’s time to choose your coverage zone. In Egypt, you can choose from 4 different zones:

3/ See prices

You’ll see a price for your insurance. If you want to proceed, one of our team will give you a call to help you finalise your policy. They’ll answer any questions and make sure you’re clear on what we’ll cover. We can set up most policies within 2-3 days. 

How William Russell works 

At William Russell, we want you to have all the information you need on how we work – so you won’t be surprised should you have to claim.

Here are a few of our processes: 

1/ The claims process

There are three types of claims: out-patient, in-patient, and medical evacuation. Here’s how we process each:

1. Out-patient – You may need medical attention without hospital admittance. In this scenario, you pay for your treatment upfront, and we’ll refund you. If your medical expenses are over US$500, we’ll need a doctor’s note.
2. In-patient – Planned and emergency medical care could require you to stay in hospital for one or more days. If you’ve planned a stay, please let us know as soon as possible. In both instances, we’ll pay the hospital directly, but you will pay your excess.
3. Medical evacuation – If you’re in a life or limb-threatening situation and need help, we’ll take care of all medical costs to evacuate you to a suitable medical facility (assuming there is nowhere close by you can get to).

2/ The medical evacuation process

More than half of the population in Egypt is rural, so you might not always find a high-quality medical facility nearby.

That’s why our global health insurance plans include medical evacuation as standard, to give you the confidence that help is always available if you get into a life or limb-threatening situation.

All you need to do is:

1. Call our 24/7 helpline
2. We’ll assess the medical emergency. If we can’t find the right medical aid for you locally, we’ll arrange for an evacuation
3. Our team will organise an ambulance (including an air ambulance if necessary) to get you to a medical facility that can help

What do you get with William Russell? 

William Russell can help safeguard you and your family’s health because we do more than just cover you in Egypt.

We offer flexible and comprehensive health insurance coverage. Here’s what that looks like:

Only pay for what you need 

With most plans, your insurer only covers you in one or two geographical areas. You could end up paying for coverage you’ll never need. With William Russell, you can choose from 4 different zones that include Egypt, ranging from worldwide cover to coverage in Africa only.

And when it comes time for your renewal, we’ll help you cut any insurance cover you no longer need to reduce your premiums.

The expertise of a specialised provider that understands your lifestyle

As an expat (or an Egyptian national), you deserve an insurance provider that understands your specific needs. We’ve been around since 1992, focusing exclusively on international health insurance.

When you join a specialist insurance provider, you get a team with deep experience in your unique circumstances and the complex needs of expats. That’s why we have a 4.4/5 rating on Feefo.

We design all our policies and an insurer from the Allianz group insures our plans. So, you get the security of a big name but the personalised service of a specialised insurance company.

Individualised customer service you can trust

Larger insurance firms typically use call centres to deal with the huge volume of customers. It can be tedious repeating your details to multiple strangers on the phone before you can get clear answers on your claims.

As a specialist provider, we take a more personalised approach. Our UK office will answer all calls to William Russell, so you’ll always have English speakers available.

We also assign a dedicated claims manager to each claim you make, so you’ll have a reliable team member keeping you in the loop throughout the claim process.

Straightforward plans and claims processes

You might have questions about whether an insurer will cover the treatment you need. Confusing jargon and claim forms can make you nervous about rejected claims and paying out of pocket.

With William Russell, we have a simplified process for both in-patient and out-patient care. Simply fill in our online form and send it to us, and we’ll assess it within ten days.

We write all our policies in plain English, with no jargon. Before you finalise your plan, we’ll assign a team member to double-check you fully understand what we’ll cover you for.

Emergency evacuation on all plans

While we hope it never happens, it’s comforting to know you have support if you get into an emergency. As a William Russell member, you’ve got around-the-clock emergency support for life and limb-threatening situations that local medical centres can’t treat properly. Call our 24/7 helpline, and we’ll organise an emergency evacuation if necessary.

If we have to medically evacuate you, we’ll also cover your transport fees back to your home country (and for a companion, if you add Medevac Plus to your plan).

Specialist team for cancer, emergency, and maternity claims

If you need to make a claim for a serious condition – such as cancer, maternity claims, or an emergency – it’s crucial that you feel your insurer understands your needs and the levels of treatment you’re going through. If they don’t, you can feel frustrated and lost. 

At William Russell, we provide specialist support for these complex claims. We assign you a team member who is trained on the medical protocols of your condition. They’ll know what your treatment entails and can process your claims with minimal effort so you can focus on your health.

We also go above and beyond what most other insurers cover for these types of claims. For instance, you receive cover for wigs if you’re undergoing chemotherapy treatments and lose your hair.

Coverage at top hospitals in Egypt

When you need medical aid, you want an insurer ready to cover you in state-of-the-art medical facilities. We’ll send you to the top medical centres in Egypt, including:

• As-Salam International Hospital – Cairo
• Dar Al Fouad Hospital – Cairo
• Cleopatra Hospital – Heliopolis

As long as it’s in your coverage zone, you can choose the medical centre you prefer.

Travel assistance app

All William Russell members get access to Solace Secure at no additional cost. This will keep you up-to-date on what’s going on in Egypt. For example, you’ll get push notifications on your smartphone for civil unrest or conflict and a 24/7 security advice helpline.

International cover for expats and Egyptian residents

We can cover both expats and Egyptian nationals or permanent residents looking for specialised health insurance in Egypt. Our members include:

• Expat professionals working in Egypt
• Employers
• Students
• Digital nomads
• Retirees
• Families 
• Egyptian nationals who travel frequently

With over 30 years of expertise, we know healthcare systems work differently worldwide. Here’s some know-before-you-go insight on healthcare in Egypt – plus what to look out for while living there.

What is healthcare like in Egypt?

Egypt’s public healthcare system is poor and ranked 107th in the World (out of 167). Public hospitals receive insufficient funding and face staffing issues. As of 2019, the doctor-to-population ratio reached a low of 0.75 per 1000. While plans to improve healthcare services continue, most public healthcare facilities still have significant wait times.

Expats working in Egypt or married to employed Egyptian citizens can access public healthcare through the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO). However, many locals and expats choose to pay out of their own pockets for private healthcare.

Private healthcare in Egypt has a much higher standard, and you can find great hospitals in the larger cities, such as Cairo, Alexandria, Heliopolis, and Luxor. 

5 ways to stay healthy in Egypt

Besides avoiding the above areas, there are a few precautions you can take to stay safe and prevent illness:

1. Avoid crowds – Terrorism is still present in Egypt, so it’s wise to stay away from crowded areas (like large transportation stations or shopping areas) and not go near or participate in anti-government protests. You’ll also want to stay up to date with your government’s foreign advisory board to know of any increased risks or changes.
2. Only use bottled/purified water – Waterborne diseases are common in certain areas in Egypt. Use bottled or purified water to drink and wash your food.
3. Protect yourself from malaria – Malaria and dengue are common in Egypt. You can help prevent this by keeping a healthy supply of EPA-registered insect repellent, using mosquito nets, and wearing long-length tops and trousers.
4. Be wary of street food – The delicious street food in Egypt may smell wonderful, be careful where you buy food. Many vendors won’t adhere to strict hygiene standards, and you could end up with a stomach bug.
5. Get the right vaccinations – As well as your routine vaccinations, the CDC and NHS recommend you vaccinate for:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies
• Typhoid
• Yellow fever

Get health insurance with William Russell 

If health challenges arise, we’ll stand by you and offer a straightforward claims process and personalised, compassionate customer service. Trust in our 30+ years of expertise and choose William Russell for your international health insurance in Egypt.