Member stories: Keith, a British expat living in Macau

Keith, a former golf professional, had finished competing in golf tournaments and saw an opportunity to relocate to Southeast Asia following the opening of a new golf course there.

Finding the right cover

One of the first things Keith and Juliet considered before deciding to move abroad was international health insurance. Their main reason for taking out an insurance plan was to have maternity cover. They chose APRIL International because it was one of the only providers on the market at the time who offered this benefit.

Another reason why they wanted international health insurance was because they were living abroad and wanted to be protected if they fell ill. The standard of hospital treatments in Macau was lower when compared to nearby Hong Kong, and Keith and Juliet wanted to make sure they would be covered in Hong Kong as well in the event of an illness.

The couple went on to have two children using the maternity cover during both pregnancies. “We had fantastic experiences in private hospitals in Hong Kong. We were really well taken care of by APRIL, and everything was covered.” We give customers the option to include maternity cover in their plan.

The value of portable benefits

Keith and Juliet have been members of APRIL International for many years, which helped them immensely when undergoing cancer treatment, “both Juliet and I have been through cancer and the policy has covered an awful lot of money for treatment in Hong Kong, as well as other costs, in the last few years.”

The healthcare benefits we offer are portable, which allows them to have the same level of cover around the world, so long as it is within their cover area. Keith and his family opted for worldwide cover excluding the USA and Caribbean in their policy, “reading through the small print, it was obvious that we would be covered in most countries outside the US, which was perfect for us.”

The plan they selected was suitable for their lifestyle and medical needs, “we travel a lot around southeast Asia and there are good hospitals around but they’re usually very expensive. So, it’s peace of mind basically.”

Juliet recently used these portable benefits for a cancer check-up in the United Kingdom. In APRIL International’s long-term policies, there is no limit on cover in the members’ home country. This means customers can receive care when they’re back to visit loved ones.

Communication made easy

Keith has found it easy communicating with the team at APRIL International, “the guys I’m dealing with are very helpful and really responsive.” We deliver a highly personalised service at every stage of the customer journey, with Keith able to contact us via 1-2-1 emails, by phone, or WhatsApp message.

Whatever the method of communication, Keith knows that he can reach a team member, who will be familiar with his case. He commented, “more than anything, it was knowing I could pick up the phone and speak to a claims manager. I could text them, get a response from them. They really stepped up.”

This isn’t even an issue when taking into consideration the time difference, meaning Keith can stay in touch with us at all times. Any queries are dealt with quickly, with the team always on hand to help in emergencies.

Support when it's needed most

Keith and his family have claimed many times over the years, which have all been paid promptly and with ease. Throughout their cancer treatment, the quick support delivered by the team made all the difference.

On one occasion, Juliet needed urgent surgery, which required pre-authorisation due to the high value of the claim, “it was a really difficult time. But the fact that we managed to get a preauthorisation, regardless of the time difference, is huge.”

We ensure customers always have a human point of contact when interacting with us, which Keith has found particularly beneficial, “we weren’t dealing with a machine. I wasn’t getting an auto response saying we’ll call you back tomorrow.”

Would you recommend APRIL International?

When speaking about his experience with us, Keith said “When people ask us about medical cover, we recommend APRIL to everybody.”