Whether you live and work abroad alone or with your family, your health coverage can no longer rely solely on the system of a single country or your home country. Geodesk designs customized international health insurance for expatriates that follows you as you move from one country to another and covers your medical care where French Social Security coverage ends. From routine doctor’s visits to major hospitalizations, from personal liability coverage to school insurance for your children, and from emergency repatriation assistance to other benefits—your coverage is tailored to your specific expatriate situation, never just a one-size-fits-all solution. Anywhere in the world, a dedicated Geodesk representative is available to assist you, both before and during your stay, because your safety is our top priority at Geodesk.
Flexible international health insurance that protects your health and that of your loved ones in every country where you live.
Geodesk International Mobility Insurance protects the health of expatriates and their families in every country where they live abroad, with no gap in coverage when they move to a new destination. This international health insurance plan designed for expatriates reimburses medical expenses starting from the first euro, at the actual local cost—whether it’s a doctor’s visit in Conakry, Guinea; pediatric care for your children in New Caledonia; or hospitalization in the United Arab Emirates. Where French Social Security and the CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Etranger) leave off, international mobility insurance for expatriates takes over and includes 24/7 medical assistance as well as medical repatriation. Each policy is tailored to the country of assignment, the policyholder’s age, and the exact composition of the household.
Geodesk’s war-risk insurance covers expatriates living in or traveling to countries experiencing tension, open conflict, or rapid instability. Most standard health insurance policies exclude these destinations as soon as a country’s situation deteriorates; Geodesk, however, stands by your side and negotiates specific policy extensions that maintain coverage for medical care, medical assistance, and medical or security evacuation from the field. This insurance is based on constant monitoring of international news and a network of partners in more than 150 countries, capable of organizing care even in remote locations. Responsiveness is crucial here: in a case of typhoid fever in Nepal, Geodesk and its international partners responded in less than an hour to organize the evacuation and medical care for the insured individual.
Geodesk’s compliance and liability insurance safeguards the legal status of expatriates abroad, going beyond health coverage alone. In several countries, local regulations require foreign residents or their employers to purchase specific health insurance: non-compliant coverage can prevent the issuance or renewal of a visa. Geodesk verifies this regulatory compliance on a country-by-country basis and tailors the policy accordingly. This insurance also includes personal liability coverage abroad, which protects the expatriate and their family in the event of damage caused to a third party outside of France, where French homeowners’ insurance no longer applies. Your coverage is thus aligned with both your local legal obligations and the actual risks associated with your expatriation.
For 30 years, Geodesk has been a broker 100% specialized in international insurance. This exclusive specialization allows our team to negotiate, country by country, health coverage that standard policies do not offer to expatriates.
When you choose Geodesk, you’ll have the same point of contact from the insurance review all the way through the handling of your claim—without anonymity or an impersonal platform.
Geodesk’s responsiveness is evident: when a case of typhoid fever arose in Nepal, our team responded in less than an hour to arrange medical care for the insured person on the ground. Recognized for its legal expertise (see our publication in the CDSE, the club for corporate security directors) and for its network of partners in every country, Geodesk constantly monitors international news to anticipate risks before they affect your loved ones.
Pain Without Borders
Pain Without Borders
Pain Without Borders has been using Geodesk's services for several years. Geodesk regularly provides us with insurance solutions tailored to our experts' missions in our various areas of operation, particularly in Ukraine, Ivory Coast, and Mozambique. Communication is always smooth, quick, and efficient, and we are fully satisfied with our collaboration and the availability of our account managers. "
URD Group
A. Lefevre
HR Director
“The travel of Better with Water employees is essential to the success of our field missions. Having a reliable insurance partner allows us to support them with peace of mind, wherever they are working. The quality of the support, the responsiveness of the teams, and the coverage tailored to our needs are a real asset for our organization and for the safety of our employees.”
GERES
X.ARNOULT
HR Director
“For several years, Geodesk and IECD have been developing a structured partnership to benefit the social protection of employees on international assignments. Present in 18 countries, IECD works to promote access to education, employment, and entrepreneurship. Geodesk's support helps to secure these initiatives in sometimes complex or fragile environments, particularly in Lebanon and Madagascar. This long-term partnership is based on a strong and shared relationship of trust between IECD and Geodesk, serving their common commitments on the ground.”
Reporters Without Borders
“RSF has been working with Geodesk for several years. We particularly appreciate the quality of their personalized support. Their teams are always responsive, available, and attentive to our needs. We appreciate their follow-up and always enjoy communicating with them.”
The Alexandre Dumas French Lycée in Moscow
Jean-Paul SCHÜTZ
Principal
“The Lycée Français Alexandre Dumas in Moscow , a school directly managed by the AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad), places the safety and well-being of its students at the heart of its priorities. This is why we attach paramount importance to the quality of the school insurance we have purchased from CGEA GEODESK. Our school welcomes over 660 students, from preschool to the final year of high school, from numerous nationalities and spread across three separate campuses. In such a demanding international environment, we need a reliable partner. CGEA GEODESK fully meets this requirement. The “INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SCHOOL INSURANCE” coverage protects our students during school hours, on educational outings, and during all extracurricular activities organized by the school, thus providing continuous protection tailored to our daily lives.”
CartONG
L. Cailloce
Administrative and Logistics Officer
“Your speed and responsiveness ensure that we always receive our insurance certificates on time for our employees working in the field, even when we notify you relatively late. This is something we greatly appreciate, and it’s a relief to know that we can count on you in this regard.”
Offered based on your specific circumstances and the country where you are living abroad.
We review your situation and existing contracts, then we carefully identify your needs to develop coverage that is truly tailored to you—country by country and profile by profile. We identify high-risk areas within each country in less than 48 hours.
Initial Contact
Fill out our online form, specifying the specific needs related to your travel, your assignment abroad, or your business trip. A dedicated representative—based on the type of insurance—will handle your case.
Needs Assessment & Insurance Audit
We review your situation and existing contracts, then we carefully identify your needs to develop coverage that is truly tailored to you—country by country and profile by profile. We identify high-risk areas within each country in less than 48 hours.
Submission of a Proposal
We are sending you a draft of your contract. You have plenty of time before your trip to let us know if you have any comments or changes.
Approval & Contract
Together, we’ll review your finalized contract. All you have to do is sign it to complete your enrollment, and then you can set off with complete peace of mind, knowing exactly what’s covered.
Expat insurance is an international health insurance plan designed for people who live long-term outside their home country. Unlike traditional health insurance, which is valid in only one country and tied to a national health system, expat insurance covers medical care in multiple countries, typically reimburses expenses starting from the first euro without being subject to Social Security limits, and includes coverage not found in local policies, such as medical repatriation, liability coverage, and 24/7 assistance. Traditional health insurance stops at the border; expat insurance follows you from one destination to the next.
For an expatriate, four types of coverage form the foundation of a good international health insurance plan. Hospitalization and surgery come first, since a hospital stay abroad can cost the insured several thousand euros out of pocket. Routine care (general practice, specialists, prescription drugs, dental, and vision) covers the day-to-day needs of the expatriate and their children. 24-hour medical assistance and medical repatriation are essential in countries where access to care is limited or remote, such as certain isolated islands. Finally, personal liability coverage abroad protects the expatriate and their family in the event of damage caused to a third party while abroad.
Choosing an international health insurance plan depends first and foremost on the destination country and its local healthcare system: coverage designed for the United States will not offer the same level of benefits as a policy for New Caledonia or Saint Martin. The key criteria are the level of hospitalization coverage, the scope of the healthcare network, coverage limits and waiting periods, policy exclusions (pre-existing conditions, sports activities, high-risk areas), and coordination with the CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Etranger). The quality of assistance and the availability of a contact person who can be reached in an emergency are just as important as the price: this is where Geodesk compares market offerings country by country to build a solution that is truly tailored to your expatriate situation.
The cost of international health insurance varies depending on age, the country of assignment, household composition, and the level of coverage selected: a policy covering the United States costs significantly more than one for a European country, because the cost of healthcare is higher there.*. For an expatriate, international health insurance offers two methods of reimbursement for medical expenses: reimbursement of actual costs upon presentation of invoices, or direct billing for hospitalizations, whereby the healthcare provider is paid directly. This international direct billing system is essential when living abroad, where the cost of a hospital stay can easily exceed €25,000. Without this coverage, the expatriate would have to pay this amount upfront before receiving any reimbursement from their health insurance. Geodesk offers a personalized and detailed, no-obligation health insurance quote for every expatriate profile.
Yes, an expatriate can retain French social security coverage by voluntarily enrolling in the CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Étranger). The CFE maintains the expatriate’s rights under the French health and maternity insurance system, but it reimburses medical expenses based on French Social Security rates, regardless of the actual cost in the country of residence. In countries where medical care is expensive, this reimbursement covers only a very small portion of the expense, and the CFE does not cover repatriation assistance. This is why the CFE is almost always supplemented by international supplemental health insurance—or replaced by a “first-euro” policy, which provides reimbursement that covers the expatriate without relying on the CFE or CPAM rate schedules.
There are three main categories of health insurance solutions for expatriates. The first is “first-euro” international health insurance, which provides standalone coverage for expatriates without relying on the French Social Security system. The second combines membership in the CFE with supplemental insurance, which covers costs beyond what is reimbursed by Social Security. The third category includes mutual insurance plans and individual policies, which are often limited to certain countries or specific coverage options. Geodesk compares these options to help each expatriate find the coverage that best suits their country of residence, age, household composition, and budget.
Taking out an expat insurance policy begins with a personalized quote, based on your country of assignment, your age, and your household composition. You then submit a few supporting documents (identification, proof of residence abroad, sometimes your secondment or expat employment contract, and sometimes a health questionnaire depending on the coverage, etc.). You can purchase the policy online or through a Geodesk advisor, and your proof of coverage will be provided before your departure so that your coverage is active as soon as you arrive at your destination. A dedicated representative will serve as your single point of contact for any changes to your expatriate situation.
Each profile comes with its own set of challenges. Choose yours to find out which coverage is right for your situation abroad.
