Long term traveling and social security by AVI International

Social security and long journey: If you travel for several months abroad, it is very important that you buy long-term travel insurance.

In case of serious problem, you may have to pay large health care expenses, which will not be reimbursed by your Social Security.

Who can benefit from the French Social Security?

Only people working in France and are resident in France, people who are students in France or who have been students less than 1 year ago. If you go to work abroad, you won't benefit from it anymore.

Charges are not necessarily reimbursed, even for the affiliates.

Social Security can cover medical costs for French people who are still affiliated during their trip. But this is neither a right nor a systematic practice. As stated on the Social Security website, "only urgent and unforeseen medical care will eventually be supported by your social security. (...) The medical officer of your social security will assess whether or not you were in an emergency situation. That's him who decides whether or not the social security refunds your health care costs. "
Social Security can consider that your care was not urgent and you will not get refunded your expenses.

Insufficient coverage

Furthermore, if the expenses are covered, the amount to be refunded will not reflect the actual amount you had to pay. As the Primary Health Insurance Fund (CPAM) states, "the refund cannot exceed the refund that would have been granted if the care had been provided in France." US healthcare is much more expensive

The CPAM is based in fact on its own scales, regardless of prices practiced by hospitals around the world. If you do not have health travel insurance (Europe and worldwide), it is your responsibility to pay for the difference.

Expenses to advance

In Europe, some expenses can be handled directly through the European Health Insurance Card. But this is an exception. In France or abroad, most of the time, you will have to advance the money, as specified by the primary health insurance fund: "You must pay your medical expenses on site. Keep invoices and payment receipts and send them to your Health Insurance Fund on your return to France. "

Several months of repayment period:

Once back in France, you must send all your receipts to the CPAM and wait until they deal with your file to know if you will get refunded. This usually takes several months.

A repatriation at your expense

Under no circumstances Social Security supports repatriation.

The solution: subscribe an international insurance

The Social Security website states that "In some countries, medical costs are very expensive. It is therefore recommended to subscribe to international insurance which guarantees the reimbursement of medical expenses incurred and repatriation in case of illness abroad. "

With a long-term travel insurance such as AVI International offers:

- You are sure to get refunded for all your unforeseen medical expenses.

- The amount you get refunded matches what really spent.

- In most cases, thanks to our partnerships with thousands of hospitals around the world (including the United States where medical costs are expensive), you will not have to advance money.

- If you have to advance any fees under 500 €, it is not necessary to go through the CPAM for AVI International to refund you within ten days.

- For expenditures over € 500, you must wait for Social Security to tell you the amount you will get refunded: AVI will pay the rest immediately.