A quarter of expats believe they don't need international private medical insurance (IPMI), a survey has found.
Those who did have policies rated having a 24 hour customer service helpline as being the most important benefit, followed by a fast service turn around with cover for pre-existing conditions coming third.
Price remains the biggest reason for people not taking out IPMI with 29% of respondents citing it as the reason they hadn't taken out a policy.
State healthcare systems were thought to be sufficient by 12% of respondents. This is despite recent changes which mean free medical cover for expats is now limited to Accident and Emergency care only.
The survey of 209 people was carried out by Now Health International and the majority of respondents were in the UAE, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.
Of those surveyed 16% were planning to pay for their medical expenses directly, while 8% said they were covered under a local health insurance plan.
Martin Garcia, CEO of Now Health, said: "International health insurance isn't just about benefit limits and claims processes - its unseen value comes into play when expats want to seek treatment either in the centre of medical excellence for their medical condition or back in their home country."
Garcia added: "We believe that people who want to access healthcare worldwide should choose an international health insurance provider who can deliver top class benefits and fast accurate service. Our view is that expats should do their research first, then choose an insurance provider that will deliver for them whenever they need it."
