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The majority of healthcare in Mauritius is publically funded and expats can access most in-patient services in one of five regional and two district hospitals spread across the island. In general, Mauritanian healthcare is of a relatively high standard but even so, private healthcare is quickly becoming an option of choice for locals as well as expats.
As an expat, you may have to pay for out of pocket expenses like prescription medication, hearing and eye tests or non-emergency, outpatient care. The Darne Clinic, the oldest private hospital in Mauritius, and the Apollo Bramwell Hospital, which is the largest private hospital, tend to be the two favoured choices for expats needing private care, but they can be costly without the right cover.
Check your existing medical aid
Moving abroad often means ending your insurance policies in South Africa, but before you cancel your existing medical aid, check the fine print to see what it covers.
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Executive, Comprehensive, Priority, Saver, Smart and Core Discovery medical aid schemes for example have an Africa Evacuation Benefit attached to them. This covers members working and/or living in certain African countries, including Mauritius as well as their dependants for the cost of being transported back to South Africa for ‘emergency medical procedures’. An exhaustive list of what is deemed a medical emergency is included in the policy wording, but in broadly covers things like pregnancy, chemotherapy, renal dialysis or treatment for a pre-disclosed chronic medical condition.
It is a good benefit to have as even though the local healthcare system is capable of treating most conditions, locals have to travel overseas for more specialist treatment. Most locals tend to travel to Reunion Island and India as well as South Africa, so having this type of benefit can be incredibly handy.
Discovery claims are handled by MSOI, an external service provider appointed by Discovery and payment is a global fee – a single amount that is calculated based on the average claims experience in South Africa subject to the individual’s specific plan.
Talk to an insurance broker if you are unsure about whether this benefit is included in your policy or for more details on what it does and does not cover.
Shop around for quotes
If you do need local health insurance when you arrive, then start shopping around for quotes, as there are plenty of insurance providers in Mauritius and almost all welcome expats.
Swan Insurance is the largest insurance group on the island and as MaryJane Vellin, head of business development explains, even though their policies are only effective when you actually reside in Mauritius, “we can start collecting personal information relating to the proposal form well in advance”.
Their compulsory in-patient and medical and surgical catastrophe policy provides cover for the cost of admission to a private hospital or clinic room for the policyholder and any dependants. It also includes the cost of intensive care, ambulance fees, medication, therapies and doctors’ professional fees, following an illness or accident.
There is also the option of taking out outpatient cover, which covers out-of-hospital medical costs, including the health practitioner’s fees, dental treatments, prescribed glasses and contact lenses, gynaecologist visits, artificial aids and psychological trauma.
‘As with any type of medical insurance, the costs depend on a range of factors, including what limits of cover is being taken, the age of the policyholder and their dependents as well as their genders,’ says Vellin.
In most cases, expat medical insurance is available for stays that are either less or more than six months so if you’re not sure of a provider, consider taking out a six month policy first until you can do more research when you arrive.
