Accidents and injuries can occur at any time, leaving you in need of skilled medical care. If a medical emergency transpires when you are at home, your health insurance may provide the full range of needed benefits, but most insurance policies have different rules that apply to international travel. Since having the proper insurance coverage can make the difference between an easily managed situation and a medical and financial nightmare, before you head off on an overseas vacation or business trip, you first must find out, “Will my health insurance plan cover me internationally?”

Many US health insurance plans do not include international coverage. 

While there are exceptions to this rule, it is likely that your US Health Insurance plan’s coverage does not extend to countries outside the US. The plans that do include international coverage tend to have limited networks, which causes them to work much less effectively. You will also probably have to pay all associated costs upfront before you can receive treatment, draining your financial resources when you are far from home. Before leaving on your trip, contact your insurance company to see if your plan does offer international coverage.

Medicare does not provide coverage outside the US. 

If you are an American senior whose only source of coverage is Medicare, you effectively have no health insurance benefits outside the U.S. Travel insurance plans are available to the senior market; however, they have a cap of $10,000 in coverage. 

Travel insurance is affordable. 

The insurance experts at MHG Insurance can provide you with plan options from several different insurance companies containing the medical benefits that you need for traveling abroad. International medical insurance plans are available that offer coverage for as little as five days to as long as three years, with deductibles that range from $0 to $25,000 to fit every budget. With a travel insurance plan from one of our designated carriers, you and your family will gain the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are protected in case of emergency. 

The application process for travel insurance is quick and easy. 

Enrollment in the travel insurance plans MHG Insurance offers is surprisingly fast and easy. You can apply right online, and same day coverage is available. 

Travel insurance offers an important benefit for European travelers. 

If you are a European traveling with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you may be eligible for free or reduced medical care for an accident or illness within the 28 EU countries plus Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, but you are still lacking an essential benefit. In the case of a serious illness or injury, the costs of getting you home can be very substantial and these are not covered by the normal social system cover / EHIC. MHG Insurance can match you with medical evacuation insurance that covers the cost of your medical repatriation, so you can be returned to your home country without having to incur a sizable expense. 

Before heading out on your vacation, make certain you and your loved ones are covered in the case of unexpected illness or injury. MHG Insurance can advise you on the best selection of travel health insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and other plans to ensure your coverage matches your itinerary, coverage, and deductible needs. 

Call MHG Insurance at +1 954-828-1819 or +44 (0) 1624 678668 or visit us online at mhginsurance.com to enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing you and your loved ones are fully protected no matter where you roam!

MHG Insurance Brokers, a national brokerage in the United States specializing in life and health insurance for groups and individuals as well as business insurance, is pleased to announce and welcome Tom Nickerson to our Ft. Lauderdale team in the role of Account Executive.

Tom will be tasked with managing the day-to-day administration of our Life & Health client accounts. In addition to life and health products for groups and individuals, health care reform guidance and employee benefits solutions, MHG also offers a full line of business insurance solutions.

Tom grew up in North Eastern US (Connecticut, New Jersey & New York), where he attended the New York University, graduating in Communications.  He began his career as an insurance agent, working his way up to Underwriting Support Manager.   He is experienced in customer support and process improvement, as well as sales and sales support. 

“We have high expectations for our Account Executives,” said Stephen Beck, Manager of the Life & Health Division. “Tom’s years of experience and technical aptitude will be a great asset to our team.” 

Tom is a supporter of the organization Ability Beyond Disability, an organization individuals with disabilities to pursue more independent lives. In his spare time, Tom pursues his passion for videography.

About MHG Insurance MHG Insurance Brokers is a full-service insurance brokerage, assisting clients with marine crew insurance, life and health insurance, MLC 2006 and healthcare reform guidance, employee benefits solutions and business insurance.  With over 20 years of industry experience and access to multiple US and international carriers, our insurance specialists can advise which insurance and financial services providers and products are best suited to address the needs of employers as well as individuals. We are committed to providing our clients with the highest level of advice and support in order to deliver solutions that offer the best scope, service and value. MHG has offices in Fort Lauderdale, the Isle of Man, and Hamburg as well as representation on the Cote d’Azur. For more information about MHG Insurance, please visit mhginsurance.com.

MHG Insurance strives to provide our clients with the best service and the most viable information regarding insurance policies and services currently available on the market. We want our clients to be able to make informed decisions about their healthcare, as well as become familiar with what their own insurance needs are. This can be a challenging task, however, as the insurance industry has practically established its very own language which includes a myriad of terms and confusing industry related jargon.

Below are commonly used health insurance terms, clearly defined to make it easier for you to apply this information when you review your current policy, or when you are considering making changes to your existing plan. As always, MHG is available at any time to discuss any questions you may have regarding your existing plan, or to examine these terms in more depth:

• Deductible: A deductible is a fixed dollar amount during the benefit period, usually a year, which an insured person pays before the insurer begins to make payments for covered medical services. Plans may have individual and family deductibles. Some plans may have separate deductibles for specific services, such as a deductible for each hospitalization admission.

• Coinsurance: A form of medical cost sharing in a health insurance plan that requires an insured person to pay a stated percentage of medical expenses after the deductible (if any) has been paid. Once the deductible and/or coinsurance have been paid, the insurer is responsible for the rest of the reimbursement for covered benefits.

• Copay: A form of medical cost sharing in a health insurance plan that requires an insured person to pay a fixed dollar amount when a medical service is received. The insurer is then responsible for the rest of the reimbursement.

• Out of Pocket Maximum: This is the maximum dollar amount a group member (the insured) is required to pay out of pocket during a benefit year.  Until the maximum is met, the plan and group member share in the cost of covered expenses.

• In/Out of Network or Participating Provider: Your health plan contracts with a wide range of participating doctors, specialists, hospitals, pharmacies, and labs. These providers have agreed to accept your plan’s contracted rate as payment in full for services. The contracted rate includes both your insurer’s and your share (deductible, copay, coinsurance) of the cost. For those with out of network benefits, services from a provider who is outside of this network are not based on agreed upon or set contracted rates with your insurer, and therefore the services may be subject to higher charges. This may result in you paying more out of pocket for the difference owed between what the provider is charging and what your plan will cover.

• HMO: HMO stands for Health Maintenance Organization. It is defined as a health care system that assumes both the financial risks associated with providing comprehensive medical services (insurance and service risk) and the responsibility for health care delivery in a particular geographic area to HMO members, usually in return for a fixed, prepaid fee. Financial risk may be shared with the providers participating in the HMO. There are different types of HMOs, including a Group Model HMO which contracts with a single multi-specialty medical group that provides coverage to the HMO’s membership. There is a Staff Model HMO where patients can receive services only through a limited number of providers, in which physicians are employees of the HMO, usually operating within the HMO’s own facilities. There is also a Network Model HMO that contracts with multiple physician groups to provide services to HMO members. Finally, an Individual Practice Association HMO is a type of health care provider organization composed of a group of independent practicing physicians who maintain their own offices and band together for the purpose of contracting their services to HMO’s.

• POS: A POS plan is an HMO/PPO hybrid; sometimes referred to as an open-ended HMO when offered by an HMO. POS plans resemble HMOs for in-network services. Services received outside of the network are usually reimbursed based on a fee schedule, or what is considered to be reasonable and customary charges.

• PPO: A PPO plan is an indemnity plan where coverage is provided to participants through a network of selected health care providers, such as hospitals and physicians. The enrollees may go outside of the network for services, but would incur larger costs in the form of deductibles, higher coinsurance rates, or non-discounted charges from the providers.

• COBRA: COBRA stands for the landmark Consolidated Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. This law provides the continuation of group health coverage that would otherwise be terminated for a former employee, retirees, spouse’s former spouses and dependent children. The coverage is available when coverage is lost due to certain specific events, such as voluntary or involuntary termination of employment, reduction of the number of hours worked by the employee, covered employees becoming entitled to Medicare, or divorce or death of a covered employee. However, in most cases, the insured person must continue to pay his or her portion of the insurance premium as well as the portion that was previously being paid by the employer in order to maintain coverage.

MHG Insurance wants you to understand health insurance terminology that can often be confusing and overwhelming. We welcome your feedback and any questions you may have. You may contact MHG at 954-828-1819, or by visiting us at mhginsurance.com. Here’s to your good health!

It is often said that, “The only constant in life is change.” This statement could not be more appropriate with the changes that are happening regarding health insurance and the superyacht industry. Between Health Care Reform and the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) coming into effect soon, now is the time for yacht captains and crew to learn about regulatory changes taking place and how they can best protect themselves.

Mark Bononi, MHG Insurance Brokers’ Yacht Division Director, is featured in this month’s issue of Dockwalk, the premier magazine for superyacht captains and crew. He speaks candidly about this specific issue and offers pertinent advice for those in the industry. For starters, let us begin with the MLC, which will be going into effect on August 20, 2013. If you have assumed the MLC will make the vessel owner responsible to take care of all your health and medical insurance needs, this is simply not the case. 

The MLC is basically designed as a minimum standard for the commercial shipping world and does not mean individual yacht crewmembers will be adequately protected. Bononi shares that the MLC going into effect really does not change much regarding coverage. He explains that the “MLC states that each vessel owner is liable for crew medical costs.” However, the MLC does not spell this out clearly, stating the yacht owner must provide “financial security” to cover death, repatriation or long-term disability costs. Bononi then asks, how will this “financial security” be proven? It will most likely be subject to interpretation by each individual port state inspector. Proof might come in the form of providing health insurance, or having money in an escrow account, or in another manner…either way, it is not clearly stated. 

In addition, many insurance policies offered by a yacht owner do not include all-encompassing health care for yacht crewmembers. Bononi stresses the point that this is where the responsibility ultimately falls on the crewmember to make sure their medical and health insurance needs are met, and how a separate medical policy can offer added protection and peace of mind. When it comes to Health Care Reform, Americans who work as yacht crewmembers are currently playing the waiting game. Do not assume that not residing in the U.S. the majority of the year removes your requirement to pay for health insurance or be subject to a tax. Currently, the rules around residency and time periods for residing outside of the U.S. are vague at best. This makes it difficult for yacht crewmembers to plan for their health insurance needs. 

Staying in contact with an experienced yacht insurance broker, such as MHG, is imperative, as they will keep abreast of all regulatory changes that are happening regarding the MLC and Health Care Reform. Bononi states that it really boils down to each individual crew member getting adequate coverage for themselves that meets their specific needs, even if this comes in the form of an additional policy over what the yacht owner provides. 

His other important piece of advice is not to wait: “Health insurance only gets more expensive the older you get, so getting on board early with a comprehensive health policy can help with future costs.” Bononi’s full interview is available in the August issue of Dockwalk magazine. 

If you are a yacht crewmember seeking to learn more about health insurance options available to you, call MHG today and let a skilled representative explain more regarding the MLC and Health Care Reform. MHG Insurance can also provide you with numerous quotes from top-rated insurance companies who offer policies that meet your budget and individual needs. Call MHG today at 954-828-1819 or learn more by visiting mhginsurance.com

At MHG Insurance Brokers we specialize in insurance plans designed specifically to meet the needs of marine employers, shipboard officers and crew, and contractors and concessionaires.  Because of the unique needs of individuals and groups at sea, choosing an insurance broker that understands the lifestyle and work environment is essential. 

Services offered by MHG can be tailored according to each employer’s needs with the secure knowledge that they are marine specific and supported by a team experienced in the marine environment. With our extensive market relationships and experience in the industry, we offer sound, independent advice as to which insurance and financial services providers and products are best suited to address the needs of individuals and employers.

Marine insurance solutions include private international health insurance, vacation health insurance, disability income, life insurance, short-term health insurance and retirement savings plans. Here is more information on the plans we offer.

MHG provides private international health insurance to all nationalities. Our extensive market relationships permit the design of international group medical plans that are tailored to each employer's specific philosophy and compensation needs. MHG also offers various benefit packages that can be combined for groups located in the US.

MHG offers short-term health insurance for contractors and concessionaires which provides coverage for emergency medical treatment, emergency medical evacuation, should the local facilities be inadequate and a number of other benefits. For groups requiring coverage for employees while on vacation, we can customize a plan to fit your needs.

Disability Income is an effective risk management tool for employers that not only enhances the value of compensation packages for employees but also provides peace of mind.  It can provide protection against loss of income in the event an employee becomes temporarily or permanently disabled while at work or on vacation. Coverage is available to groups of five or more and can be customized to fit your budget and benefit needs. With worldwide coverage for disability due to accident or sickness, these plans also allow you to select a waiting period and benefit amount while typically not requiring underwriting.

Let MHG Insurance Brokers provide you and your employees with peace of mind.  Group life insurance offers employees comfort knowing that in the event of their death their loved ones will receive financial support for ongoing expenses, funeral arrangements or children's education. For employers, group life insurance is a cost-efficient benefit because it is highly valued by employees.

MHG's investment team is able to provide cost effective, flexible benefit retirement savings plans which will help recruit, retain and motivate staff while providing the employer with maximum value for each dollar spent. As your specialist plan manager, MHG's role would normally involve consultancy, plan design, independent brokerage, investment planning and communication, installation and administration of the plan. We also provide consultancy and plan management services for employers with existing plans.

With over 20 years of experience focused on the welfare of crew, MHG has the knowledge to advise the cruise industry about its insurance needs.  Please contact us today at +1 954 828 1819 for more information on any of the services we provide.

If you are attending Cruise Shipping Miami March 13th-15th at the Miami Beach Convention Center, please feel free to stop by our booth #1893 located in the Ship Services and Hotel Operations section. Join us for a glass of wine during our reception on Wednesday, March 14th from 2pm-5pm.  If you still need tickets for Cruise Shipping Miami, avoid the $100 fee and register as our guest for complimentary tickets to the Exhibition Hall.

Earlier this year, reports were issued that showed that the rise in life expectancy of Americans has been much slower than that of other wealthy nations. In a country where one in three adults are overweight and smoking deaths from the Baby Boomer generation reached unprecedented numbers, it’s no wonder the U.S. spends more on health care than any other country.

Americans may indulge in unhealthy habits more than other rich nations, but that doesn’t mean bad eating habits and cigarettes aren’t major health risks in other countries all together. As time and society progresses, we’re spending more time working and less time looking after our health – whether it’s cooking nutritious meals or finding healthy ways to manage stress.

The global decline in health has caused millions of people to miss work due to serious health conditions. A disabling injury occurs every 1.5 seconds, and debilitating illnesses like cancer or a stroke are even more likely than a disabling accident. With stats like these, you very well may want to consider securing disability income protection.

Financially, a disability can be even worse than death, since living expenses continue and typically increase due to the need for specialized care. Disability income insurance is designed to replace the majority of your income in the event that you are disabled by an injury or illness. 

While popular health documentaries like “Food Inc.” and “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead,” urge us to make our health a priority, it simply isn’t realistic for the majority of people to make a complete lifestyle overhaul. Whether it’s a condition caused by habits that are under our control, or a life-threatening illness or accident, any disabling condition can result in extended periods of time out of work.

Protect yourself by securing individual disability income insurance today. MHG Insurance Brokers offer many different plans for individuals in varying circumstances. Contact your local MHG expert today for more information.