In general terms, an international benefits consultant specialises in helping companies negotiate the international employee benefits and health insurance market.
Some businesses may require end-to-end assistance, going all the way from developing a benefits strategy to implementing and introducing policies across the business. Other companies may just want assistance on a specific issue, such as help in finding a suitable International Health Insurance scheme at a competitive price.
The job of any good global consultant is to help clients establish what they need under one manageable scheme – and act as a single point of contact for all their policy questions. The end goal is always to provide the best protection and support to employees in the world, in the simplest and most effective way.
Need help setting up or reviewing an international employee benefits plan? Contact our team of AMII-affiliated experts for FREE quotes and guidance. Call +44 (0)1273 974419 or click on the bottom right chat box.
What services does an international benefits consultant provide?
1.Advises on the full raft of international employee benefits, including:
International Group Health insurance
- Gives employees access to private healthcare in multiple countries around the world
- Provides more comprehensive coverage than available in typical health insurance plans
- Remember, some countries (for example USA, UAE and Saudi Arabia) require businesses to provide private health insurance for their employees as a condition for visas.
Learn more about International Group Health Insurance
International Group Income Protection:
- Provides financial support to an employee should they fall ill anywhere in the world (exceptions applying).
- The company decides how large the insurance payout will be (up to 80% of the employee’s wage)
- Particularly good at providing peace of mind for expat employees and their families
Learn more about International Group Income Protection
International Group Life insurance
- Provides financial support to a team member’s loved ones, situated anywhere in the world, in the event of their death.
- The policy still applies if they move from one country to another.
- Immediate family members can also be added to the policy
Learn more about International Company Life insurance
International Employee Assistance Programmes
- These digital platforms provide staff with a toolkit to support their general emotional wellbeing
- Provides practical health and wellbeing support e.g., counselling services, financial advice, stress support and more.
- Multi-lingual support ensures your team can get appropriate support, whatever their language
Learn more about Global Employee Assistance Programmes
Pre-assignment screening
- Designed to check whether an employee is suitable for an overseas assignment
- Includes health screening, personal evaluation and family support services
- A specific requirement for certain industries, such as Oil & Gas, Aviation and Maritime.
Learn more about pre-assignment screening
Other products which an international benefits consultant may be able to advise on include:
- International Group Critical Illness
- Group Travel Insurance
- Cultural Training
- Global security services
- Kidnap & ransom support
2.Search for and provide the best quotes
A good international benefits broker, like Engage Health Group, will scour the whole insurance market for the best policy, rather than be tied to any one provider. Indeed, they will usually be able to source better deals than are available publicly. This is because providers can attract repeat business from a broker if the price and terms are right – making the insurer bend that little further backwards to provide a competitive quote!
But it’s not just about insurance schemes. We also provide quotes on Employee Assistance Programmes, digital benefits platforms, corporate wellness schemes, health screening services and much more.
3.Implementing the scheme
International benefits consultants can also assist with the practicalities of implementing the scheme. This might include:
- Communicating with employees and different business divisions via remote or in-person presentations
- Providing written guidance and promotional materials
- Advising on digital platforms to better implement the scheme
- Answering ongoing queries
4.Claims and policy management
A good consultant will help with any disagreements that arise with the insurer. For example, if a claim is turned down, we can help assess whether you have a case and, if so, raise it with them on your behalf. We’ll also provide an annual review to check whether it’s worth switching to a different policy or provider to gain better value for your business.
“They went out of their way to provide us with the best quote and negotiated with our current provider, they managed to increase our level of cover and drop the cost. They provide support during the change over to the new policy and came to our office to do an all-company presentation explaining how to get the best out of our cover” – Europe/New Zealand/Australia, 60 employees, Global IT company
Check out more of our client testimonials here.
How do international benefits brokers help your business?
Partnering with a global benefits consultant aids businesses in the following ways:
- Alleviates the burden on HR as they can outsource the workload to an independent expert
- More cost-efficient as they’ll keep you from paying for separate national policies
- Provides peace of mind that your benefits are being taken care of in the most efficient way possible – and no paying over the odds
- Offers on-tap access to insider knowledge – helping you navigate the complexity of international rules and regulations
- Ensures consistency across your workforce – every global employee receives access to the same level of benefits through a harmonised scheme
- Provides help with setting up, implementing and communicating the new benefits scheme
International consultancy in action
As international benefits specialists, we’re accustomed to working with businesses which have a global footprint. For example, we planned and launched a global benefits scheme for a company which had over 1000 primary policyholders across Europe, the USA, and South America. It was a complex undertaking, but we were able to achieve the best possible outcome for them.
Our International Director, Ian Abbott, explains the process:
“For this specific customer, we broke their needs and requirements down into simple steps to see what was needed and where. Having a detailed understanding of the countries their employees are based in, and the health condition of their employees, we could create a plan that best fits with the company’s strategy. We helped the client manage their cover under one policy, making even their far-reaching employees protected under a simple and accessible plan.”
The key is simplicity. Without a keen understanding of how to piece together an employee benefits scheme tackling the needs of employees working in different parts of the world, it gets very confusing, very quickly.
How much does a consultant cost to your business?
There is no extra cost to either to your business if you employ the consultants at Engage. Our team of experts offer advice and quotes for free, so always be wary of brokers that charge for their services.
So, where do we get our money from? We are remunerated by the insurer partners and providers we work with, meaning you get expert advice, full market reviews, and peace of mind at no extra cost.
Engage International can help
Sifting through and understanding the international employee benefits market by yourself will be a complicated and stressful process for any HR professional. Outsourcing the legwork to a specialist consultant like Engage alleviates the strain.
Engage Health Group has a large reach of global partnerships across 50+ countries and territories, which means we have the connections and expertise to deliver the best advice and most competitive quotes available on the market.
If you’re looking to set up or review an employee benefits scheme for your global business, then get in touch with one of our teams for a FREE consultation. We’ll help plan and deliver the best scheme for your business at no extra cost to you.
Contact us on +44 (0)1273 974419 or use the contact form on the right.
