Expatriate insurance FAQ

How can I prepare for expatriation?

Look in to the material handed to you by your employer. Make sure to save the necessary contact information in case of incidents during your foreign assignment. Save the direct number to the assistance partner and your insurance policy number.

We always recommend that you check the current travel restrictions for your destination. In Finland, you may check current travel restrictions on the webpage for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

We also offer a training course for Travel safety at our Learning Hub. 

Where do I find my insurance policy number?

In order to find your insurance number you can contact your employer. You will need your policy number e.g. when you file a claim to If or when you are in contact with our assistance partner.

Your employer may have activated your access to see your insurances at our digital log-in service Employee Pages. Employee pages is a digital service for you who have insurance through your employer. Check with your employer to get it activated.

How can I get the insurance card?

Please ask for a expatriate insurance card from your employer. The card includes your company name, policy number and contact information of our travel assistance partner. You will need your policy number e.g. when you file a claim to If or when you are in contact with the assistance partner.

Where can I find information of my expatriation coverage?

You will find general information about the expatriate insurance here.  For more detailed information about your assignment insurance, please contact your employer or you can log on to our digital log-in service Employee Pages. Employee pages is a digital service for you who have insurance through your employer. Check with your employer to get it activated.

I need a medical check-up before I start my assignment. Is this covered by the insurance?

Expatriate insurance does not cover e.g. medical check-ups or vaccinations made before your assignment has begun.

Is it safe to travel to the travel destination?

We advise you to check the recommendations set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland to get information about your destination country. Follow also for you employer's travel guidelines.

Travelling to war risk areas

In addition to recommendations set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we recommend you to see the risk areas defined by If that are listed here.

Covid-19 tests, certificates and vaccination

The Covid-19 vaccination is covered by the expatriate insurance. The expatriate assignment insurance covers Covid-19 testing for persons with symptoms compatible with the infection as a part of the medical treatment of a travel illness. It is also covered when it's required by an airline/government upon business travel. The insurance does not cover costs for any medical certificates (or tests to acquire a certificate), reports, statements or alike, which authorities or other instances require e.g. when travelling. 

How is my insurance valid during the expatriation?

The expatriate insurance is valid for the entire expatriation and for business journeys during the assingment. The insurance is also valid for leisure trips all over the world, for example if you come to visit your home country during holidays. The insurance may also cover your family members on the assingment if agreed with your employer. Please check this directly with your employer. Please note, that you or your family member are not covered while you work for or do business journeys for another company. During your assingment, if you participate in high-risk sports (such as climbing, diving or off piste skiing) or compete in sports, please check in advance how you are covered in these activities.

Where can I find information of my expatriation coverage?

You will find general information about the expatriate insurance here.  For more detailed information about your assignment insurance, please contact your employer or you can log on to our digital log-in service Employee Pages. Employee pages is a digital service for you who have insurance through your employer. Check with your employer to get it activated.

Changes in the family situation

Your employer maintains a list of your company's expatriates in a portal and in case of claim If checks the validity of the expatriation from the portal. It is important that you keep your employer updated if there are any changes in your family situation, such as new babies or a family member moves back home from the assignmnet. If the information is not updated If checks if the expatriation is active with the employer, which may delay the claim handling.

I have a chronic condition. Am I covered by the travel insurance?

Your expatriate insurance may include cover for pre-existing illnesses and injuries. Check your insurance coverage with your employer. If you have an existing illness or injury prior to the assignment, it acutely and unexpectedly deteriorates during your assingment and you need medical treatment in a hospital, please contact our assistance partner for further assistance. The assistance partner will guide you to a suitable facility and check if the treatment is covered by your insurance. Find more health related FAQ below in the Sick or injured- tab.

When do I contact If and when do I contact assistance partner?

In emergency always call the local emergency number.

Contact our assistance partner +358 10 19 15 99, if you need medical assistance while abroad. They are available 24/7. They will assist you to get treatment and monitor your situation as necessary and arrange a guarantee of payment to the clinic/hospital.

If you have questions regarding your claim, please contact our claims department. If you want to report a claim, you can do it online.

What should I do if I get sick or injured abroad?

In an emergency, contact the local emergency number.

Once the situation is calm and you need further assistance, please contact our assistance partner. Our assistance partners offer immediate help 24/7. They have a wide global network of medical providers that they cooperate with. They can refer you to a hospital close by and make arrangement for payment guarantees for the visit/treatment. They offer service and advice in English and possibly Nordic languages.

You can also arrange your medical visit yourself and pay for it. Make sure to get your receipts and medical reports - then report a claim afterwards. You can report your claim easily on our website.

Do I need to pay the medical expenses at the clinic?

If you are in contact with our assistance partner, they might be able to place a gurantee of payment or pay the hospital/doctor directly. However, in some countries the clinics and doctors will not accept payment from others and you will have to pay yourself, and claim the costs by submitting a claim form to If.

Unless you have contacted our assistance partner, you should prepare to pay for the costs for the examinations and treatment yourself. You will need to buy the medication from a pharmacy. You can show your insurance card at the clinic, and they may be able to contact our assistance partner for billing. If you have the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your European home country’s authorities and you go to a public hospital in Europe, show the card at the hospital and you will get the treatment for the local price.

If you belong to the Finnish social security system (KELA) and visit a clinic in Finland, you should show the card, so that they can deduct the social security cover directly from the cost. Only examinations and treatment prescribed by a physician and performed by a health care professional are compensated. Treatment must be necessary, based on medical evidence and in accordance with generally accepted medical knowledge, for the examination or treatment of the travel accident or illness in question.

Which clinics can I use abroad?

We recommend contacting our travel assistance partners. The standard of the hospitals/clinics can vary between countries and our assistance partners will help you find the best preferred clinic in their quality controlled network. They can also, in most situations, place a guarantee of payment for your treatment. The contact information for our partner is on your insurance card.

Does the insurance cover transport to and from the hospital?

The expatriate insurance covers necessary and reasonable expenses for transport to/from doctor and or hospital. We also cover acute transportation by ambulance.

What should I do if I need treatment while I am in my home country?

The expatriate insurance also covers medical expenses while on vacation in your homeland. You can arrange the medical visit by yourself and claim for the cost afterwards. When in Finland, you can use our wide network of clinics, such as Terveystalo, Mehiläinen, or Aava. 

I am sick or hurt in an accident during my trip in my home country, and I am not able to return as planned to my assignment destination - what to do?

Please contact us or our assistance partner, whose contact information you will find in your insurance card. Our assistance partner will help you to get treatment and assist you with a new journey home once you're able to travel. You should first claim compensation for the unused part of your journey from the tour or transport operator, and only then from the insurance company. The insurance can cover additional costs incurred by the new travel arrangements. After you have received compensation from the tour or transport operator, please make a claim report for the additional costs.

Does the assignment insurance cover dental treatment?

The expatriate insurance covers necessary first-aid natured dental treatment to remove acute tooth ache during the journey in the travel destination. In addition, the assignment insurance may include covers for regular, basic dental check-ups and basic treatment of dental illnesses considered reasonable for maintaining dental health to a certain amount. The insured is responsible for costs exceeding the maximum amount. It also covers reasonable costs incurred from the correction of dental irregularities for children under 18 years of age if the orthodontic treatment is an unavoidable part of dental care. Please always contact your assistance parner in advance in case of a child's orthodontic treatment.

Does the insurance cover pregnancy related costs?

The assignment insurance may include cover for pregnancy and delivery related costs, such as normal maternity clinic check-ups and other comparable follow-up appointments. Reasonable expenses arising from childbirth are covered, either in the country of assignment or in your home country, including the travel costs to and from the home country but excluding living or travel expenses while there. We recommend you contact our assistance partner to find a suitable clinic for you and they are able to arrange a guarantee of payment for the treatment and examination costs. You will find the contact information in the insurance card. After the delivery, please contact your employer regarding the new family member to add him or her to the assignment insurance.

Does the insurance cover vaccinations?

If the expatriate insurance includes a health care cover, medically necessary vaccinations during the assignment are covered.

How about Covid-19 tests, certificates and vaccination?

The Covid-19 vaccination is covered by the expatriate insurance. The expatriate assignment insurance covers Covid-19 testing for persons with symptoms compatible with the infection as a part of the medical treatment of a travel illness. It is also covered when it's required by an airline/government upon business travel. The insurance does not cover costs for any medical certificates (or tests to acquire a certificate), reports, statements or alike, which authorities or other instances require e.g. when travelling. 

My flight has been delayed, can I get new tickets refunded by the insurance?

When a flight is delayed it is the airline company's responsibility to re-book you on a later flight or offer you a refund. The insurance may include coverage for delayed departure which means you can get some reimbursement if the delay exceeds four hours. The policy letter states the maximum sum insured.

I can't travel as planned. Does the insurance cover tickets if I cancel my trip?

Cancellation of a journey means that a departure on a journey is prevented altogether. The cancellation may be covered, if the reason for cancellation is your or your next of kin’s sudden and unexpected illness, injury or death or an authority regulation to avoid unnecessary or all travel to the travel destination. Cancellation costs may be covered up to a certain sum. Cancel the trip without delay and first claim compensation from the tour or transport operator, and only then from the insurance company. The insurance can cover the part that the tour or transport operator does not cover. After you have received compensation from the tour or transport operator, please report a claim to us.

My flight has been cancelled, can I get this refunded by the insurance?

The insurance does not cover the cost of the ticket if the airline has cancelled the flight. When the airline company cancels the flight they are obliged to offer you a new departure, and if this is not possible, they should offer you a refund.

A close relative back home has become ill, does the insurance cover my expenses for travelling home?

The insurance covers extra expenses for a travel ticket to your home country when a person in your immediate family becomes unexpected and seriously ill or injured or dies. We cover economy flight tickets. You should arrange your travel tickets yourself and claim from If afterwards.

What is regarded as luggage?

Luggage means your own or your employer's items that you bring with you on your travel. Money or securities are not covered unless you get robbed or due to burglary. Your luggage is covered up to a certain sum which you can check from your employer or from us. You must carry all valuables in your hand luggage. Property must be attended to avoid theft or kept in a locked and secure place. Do not leave your items in e.g. a locked vehicle, caravan, or boat without surveillance.

My luggage has been stolen - what to do?

Contact the police and report the theft. Make sure to collect the police report. File your claim to If and attach a list of the stolen items. If personal documents (such as ID) has been stolen, file a police report also in your home country. In your claim, specify the price, model and date of purchase for each stolen item individually. If you have the original receipts of the items you can attach these together with the police report. Report a luggage claim here.

My check-in luggage is damaged - what to do?

If you have given your luggage for transportation, such as checked it in for a flight, you will need to report it to the transport company or handling agent. You should make the Property Irregularity Report (PIR report) at the airport's counter at the arrivals hall, if you notice damage to your luggage during the flight. If the airline doesn’t compensate the damage of your luggage in full, you can claim the exceeding amount up to the maximum amount stated in the insurance letter. You should first have it evaluated, if it can be repaired. Please note that valuable items should be carried in the hand luggage. Report a luggage claim here.

My check-in luggage is delayed - what to do?

If your luggage is delayed on your outbound journey, you must contact the airline and make a Property Irregularity Report. You can buy the most essential clothes and hygiene articles in the destination to manage until you get your luggage again. Make sure to keep the receipts. They are compensated according to the insurance policy. The maximum cover amount is on stated on the policy document. There is no coverage for purchases if the luggage is delayed on the flight back home. Report a luggage claim here.

My check-in luggage is lost - what to do?

If your check-in luggage hasn’t arrived and the airline confirms that it is lost, usually after 21 days, primarily the airline or tour operator is responsible for compensation. You must make the PIR report (Property Irregularity Report) at the airport if your luggage doesn’t arrive on time. If the airline doesn’t compensate the loss of luggage in full, you can claim the exceeding amount up to the maximum amount stated in the insurance letter. Please note that valuable items should be carried in the hand luggage. Report a luggage claim here.

Does the insurance cover treatment after the assignment has ended?

When your expatriation ends, your expatriation insurance also ends. We recommend that you find out in good time in advance how you and your family members will receive medical care after returning home. When assignment ends and the insured person returns to home country, we will still cover the costs of medical care in home country for 30 days, provided that the treatment of the illness has already started at the place of expatriation and there is still remaining indemnity period.

How do I file a claim?

If you have already paid the costs for your treatment or have other costs due to travel claim, you can fill in a claim form and find more information about what information you need and what documents you may need to send us. If you are seeking compensation for other persons covered by the insurance, you need their full name, date of birth and contact information. Please keep all medical documentation like medical reports, prescriptions and receipts, we may ask them for you if needed. If handles your claim without any delay but at least within 30 days. We will send you the decision by email or via your If own Pages. Claim If within one year from date of the cost. Link to claim report.

Expatriation in China

Treatment in China can very expensive depending on the place of treatment. Therefore, it is essential that you contact our assistance partner before you seek medical assistance China. Our assistance partners have a wide network of clinics where the quality has been controlled and the price levels are reasonable. You will find their contact information on your insurance card. They are on duty 24/7 and will advise you the nearest co-operative physician and assist in arranging a guarantee of payment to the clinic.

Expatriation in USA

When you start your assignment in the USA, you should contact our local assistance partner and register yourself as a member in their system (you find the information in your insurance card). This makes the process smoother, when you contact them again if you need a medical appointment. Treatment in the USA in general is very expensive and the insurance field works in a different way than what many of us are used to. Therefore, it is essential that you contact our assistance partner before you seek medical assistance in the USA, when you are on assignment. You will find their contact information on your insurance card. Our assistance partners have a wide network of clinics where the quality has been controlled and the price levels are reasonable. They are on duty 24/7 and they will advise you on the nearest co-operative physician and assist in arranging a verification of benefits (guarantee of payment) to the clinic.