As social health Insurance services that could once be relied upon are no longer able to keep pace with the ever increasing cost of medical treatment, so the need to make alternative arrangements has become of crucial importance, particularly to the expatriate.

For those expats living and working abroad, accessing the right kind of health Insurance cover can turn out to be a nightmare, with the cost of medical treatment often expensive and difficult to arrange particularly in an emergency.

Health Insurance is one of the essentials for expatriates, especially those who are new to a territory and do not know what provisions they will be able to count on from the state in which they are living.

By having health Insurance, you will also have an expert on your side, checking that you are receiving appropriate, reasonably priced treatment.

If you do not have health cover, how will you know you can be sure that your doctor is not exaggerating your ailments to charge you extortionate fees?

The bottom line of medical expenses Insurance is that although it may be annoying to pay out large premiums for something that - hopefully - you or your family will never need to use, the idea of having no cover when an emergency occurs whilst you are thousands of miles away from the good old NHS doesn’t bear thinking about.

As an expatriate you need to be sure that if anything should happen to you or a member of your family, high-standard help will be on hand straightaway.

There are a large number of health plans now available internationally, and such a competitive environment means that everyone is trying to offer something different. Shop around and you may get a good deal.

However, the key is that you don’t put you and your family’s health at risk for the sake of shaving a few pounds off the premiums. To this end you need to make sure the policy you plump for fills your requirements.

The sort of cover that you need depends on your own particular circumstances. If you are a single man in your thirties working for a couple of years in Brussels then it goes without saying that health cover will be less of a priority than if you are married man taking your wife and young children to live in Burkina Faso.

It is generally acknowledged that in many parts of the third world medical facilities are very basic. If you happen to find yourself in a country where you don’t want to be treated locally if you fall ill, then you need to make sure the medical expenses Insurance policy you buy includes an evacuation service, for example.

As with most things in life, the more complicated - or bespoke - the product you buy, the more it will cost you. If you choose a package which is beyond the basic - perhaps called something like Comprehensive or Executive - then your premiums will rise sharply.

Similarly, you can expect to pay more if you want to be covered for injuries received when playing sport, dental treatment, reflexology and a whole host of other options, which are seen to be beyond the norm. And because of the prohibitive cost of local Healthcare, expect to pay more for cover if you want treatment in the US, Canada or the Caribbean.

Often an insurer will offer three grades of medical expenses Insurance.

The basic plan usually covers in-patient and day-care treatment and evacuation and repatriation to the UK. The next level up might also cover out-patient cover, and the top of the range plan should, in theory, cover you for all eventualities.

When looking for appropriate Healthcare options, expats often have little information concerning the costs of medical services.

For example, the cost of a fully supported emergency evacuation to Europe from Saudi Arabia can be at least £25,000. A simple hernia operation costs about £1,500 in the UK today, probably 2-3 times more in the USA, with a hip replacement costing anywhere from £5,000 to £50,000 depending on the complications of such surgery.

A major operation such as heart surgery or multiple pinning of bones following accidents can be many thousands of pounds in surgery and aftercare. Claims totalling £100,000 are no longer unusual. Thus, the costs of even a minor operation is often a big shock in itself.

The majority of expatriate plans expose clients to paying the bill themselves (for Outpatient costs) and later arguing about settlement with the Insurance company.

Nevertheless, a few insurers are now opening their eyes to global technological advances allowing their medical Insurance staff to quickly contact doctors and hospitals abroad.

Thus "pre-authorisation" systems are now offered by companies such as InterGlobal Insurance Services Limited, where clients only have to call their International Help line to take care of financial negotiations and settlement with hospitals surgeons etc. Inpatient hospital costs are always pre-authorised by insurers.

It is important that you take advice from an independent Healthcare advisor or broker, who is not a tied agent, (selling only one insurer's products). In this way you can obtain "best advice" on the company product which is most suitable both for your current base and you’re your future travel plans.

As the personal finance and Healthcare Insurance global market expands for expatriates, more Insurance Underwriters are entering the market, offering increasingly better terms.

Additionally, expatriates are becoming more discerning as national health schemes gear themselves more towards emergency service only. The new Insurance Medical Plans are competitive and offer increased benefits such as Personal Travel Plans, Personal Accident and Dental Plans. It is important then that you choose carefully and know exactly what you are getting for your money, so as not to be disappointed or misled.