Cigna Global expat health insurance: broker profile and positioning
Cigna Global’s international network traces back to Vanbreda International, acquired in 2010. Its main strength remains a particularly strong direct hospital network in the United States, Canada and Hong Kong.
EntityCigna Global Insurance Company Limited, Guernsey, with a European distribution subsidiary in Antwerp
OriginInherited from Vanbreda International (Belgium, 1937), acquired by Cigna in 2010, rebranded in 2015
PlansSilver, Gold, Platinum (plus a lighter Close Care plan)
Ceilings$1 million (Silver), $2 million (Gold), unlimited (Platinum)
Geographic strengthDirect hospital network in the United States
Cigna Global is the international brand of the American Cigna group, carried by Cigna Global Insurance Company Limited (Guernsey) with a European distribution subsidiary in Antwerp. The business stems from the 2010 acquisition of Vanbreda International, a Belgian broker founded in 1937, rebranded as Cigna in February 2015. The Cigna group itself is a century-old health insurer in the United States, but it is through Vanbreda that the international brand was really built.
Three plans structure the offer: Silver ($1 million ceiling), Gold ($2 million) and Platinum (no ceiling), with a choice of worldwide or worldwide-excluding-United-States cover. A lighter plan, Close Care, limits cover to the country of residence and the home country, for a tighter budget. No maximum age is stated at subscription.
Cigna Global’s main strength is its direct hospital network in the United States, one of the strongest on the market, with more than two million direct-billing professionals worldwide. Management is entirely online, with no dedicated adviser by default, which suits self-sufficient applicants rather than those seeking hands-on human support. In exchange, maternity only qualifies for reimbursement after twelve months of continuous membership, and combat sports, motorbikes and aerial disciplines remain excluded.
Destinations: United States, Canada, Hong Kong
A very strong direct hospital network in these three destinations in particular.
Anyone without a strict age limit
No maximum age is stated at subscription.
Fully online management
A process designed for self-sufficient applicants, without going through an adviser.
Worldwide or worldwide excluding the United States for the Silver, Gold and Platinum plans; the lighter Close Care plan is limited to the country of residence and the home country.
Plans we place- Undeclared pre-existing conditions are not covered.
- Combat sports, motorbikes and quad bikes, and aerial disciplines (paragliding, hang-gliding, skydiving, bungee jumping) are excluded.
- Maternity is covered after 12 months of continuous membership, longer depending on the country of treatment.
- The Close Care plan: cover restricted to the country of residence and the home country, not to be confused with the worldwide plans.
Your questions about Cigna Global.
Is Cigna Global the best option for expatriation to the United States?
It is one of the best-positioned insurers in our panel on this point, with a particularly dense direct hospital network in the United States, complemented by Canada and Hong Kong.
Is there an age limit for subscribing with Cigna Global?
No maximum age is stated at subscription, which sets Cigna Global apart from several other insurers on the market.
What is the difference between the Silver, Gold and Platinum plans?
The reimbursement ceiling rises from one plan to the next: $1 million for Silver, $2 million for Gold, and an unlimited ceiling for Platinum.
Page written by Izem Expat based on the policy wording and information documents published by the insurer; it is not binding on the insurer. Exact benefits depend on the plan and the year of subscription.
Reviewed by Mustapha Naït Cherif