As a young person, you probably think your health is nothing to worry about. You feel great, rarely get sick and recover easily from a night out. The truth is, you’re right. Young people are typically less likely to fall ill than older people and children. When you’re in your late teens and twenties, your health is in its prime, and it’s easy to think you’re invincible. But that’s not to say accidents don’t happen. We consulted author and medical expert Dr. Lalande to find out the most common reasons 18 – 24 year old expats in Asia are admitted to the emergency room. Here’s what we discovered.

Record setting traffic fatalities
Asia is home to some of the deadliest roads on earth. According to Dr. Lalande and the World Health Organization’s 2015 Global Status Report on Road Safety, Thailand has the second highest amount of traffic fatalities in the entire world—with 36.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year. Not far behind are Myanmar (20.3 deaths per 100K), Sri Lanka (17.4 per 100K) and Nepal (17 per 100K).

Not surprisingly, motorbike accidents make up a huge percentage of these fatalities. And when it comes to young expats, it’s incredibly easy to jump on a motorbike in Asia without giving it a second thought. Throughout the region, two-wheelers can often be rented without showing a driver’s license, which means a driver with little to no experience can take to the roads. The results, however, can be catastrophic. According to Asian Correspondent, 73% of Thailand’s traffic related deaths involve motorbikes.

The potential effects of excessive drinking
Undoubtedly, many enjoy the legendary nightlife scenes of Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and other exciting Asian destinations; the result is the second most common reason young expats end up in the emergency room: excessive drinking. Alcohol poisoning is common, as are the antisocial byproducts of excessive alcohol consumption, such as a propensity for violence and drunk driving.

It should be noted that excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to poor decisions, such as unprotected sex. While this most likely won’t cause a young person to make a trip to the ER, many Asian countries have an alarmingly high rate of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. And contracting an STD can shorten or reduce a person’s quality of life.

Asia’s most common date rape drug
While being drugged in a bar or club can happen in any part of the world, in Asia it’s the third leading cause for young expat emergency room treatment. The intent of such an incident is typically to steal from or rape the drugged person.

Rohypnol, also known as Flunitrazepam, is one of the most common drugs used to disinhibit a victim. As this sedative is often prescribed as a cure for severe insomnia, it has a powerful effect. When combined with alcohol, the drug can depress the respiratory system, cause the person to stop breathing, and even stop the heart.

When it comes to young expats, many further put themselves at risk by not purchasing insurance. While drinking alcohol or consciously participating in risky activities can void many health insurance benefits, a policy can be a lifesaver in the event of an automobile accident—which can easily cost 15 – 30 thousand dollars in medical expenses. A LUMA health insurance plan can ensure you get the proper treatment for a speedy recovery while protecting your financial future. Contact us today at [email protected] to learn more how we can help safeguard your health.

As your health insurance renewal date nears, it can be a scary time. What if your premium increases, or your health insurance provider refuses to renew your policy? How will you cope? You may wonder if there’s anything you can do to prevent a scenario like this from happening. Thankfully, there is. The answer is a lifetime renewal guarantee, which can put your worries at ease for good. But how does such a guarantee accomplish this? Before we answer that, let’s define exactly what a lifetime renewal guarantee is.

What is a lifetime renewal guarantee?

When it comes to health insurance, a lifetime renewal guarantee is exactly what it sounds like. It is a guarantee that your health insurance will be renewed, no matter your age or health conditions. That means if you happen to be diagnosed with a serious illness or chronic medical condition, your health insurance company cannot reject the renewal of your insurance, or leave you with no coverage. A lifetime renewal guarantee provides you guaranteed coverage under the same health insurance provider—no matter what. You have complete freedom to continue your coverage for as long as you wish.

How a lifetime renewal guarantee protects your life and financial future

Now that you understand what a lifetime renewal guarantee is, you can probably see its obvious benefits. Without this guarantee, you could lose your medical coverage when you need it most. For example, if you are diagnosed with diabetes three months before your health insurance renews, your provider could choose to reject your renewal. If this happens, it will likely be difficult to insure the disease as many Thailand health insurance providers do not cover preexisting conditions. As it’s not uncommon for the costs of diabetes treatment to hit $100,000 USD, a lifetime renewal guarantee ensures you get the life-saving drugs and care to protect your health and finances.

Without treatment, diabetes can lead to heart and kidney disease, nerve damage, vision loss, amputation and a potential early death. In other words, a lifetime renewal guarantee can save your financial future and potentially your life. What’s more, you’ll also avoid the stress and worry that comes with questioning whether your health insurance provider will renew your policy. Instead, you can sleep soundly knowing your policy will be renewed, and you’ll be covered for as long as you wish.

At LUMA, we are proud to offer you lifetime renewal guarantees with many policies we offer. While the premiums of all our members’ policies increase every year because of medical inflation, they will never increase due to a member being diagnosed with a chronic medical condition. In other words, all our members’ premiums increase at the same rate depending on their age group.

To learn how else LUMA puts your health coverage and peace of mind first, get in touch with our advisors today at [email protected].  A healthier life is waiting.

With day-to-day life often feeling like routine, we tend not to think of the risks it involves. But even apart from the everyday dangers of modern living, the many health conditions associated with old age sooner or later catch up with all of us. Heart, lung or kidney disease, a cancer diagnosis, as well as the emergence of a genetic condition all become more likely with each passing year.
Even for expats who have never had any medical difficulty in the past, any one of these situations could turn your life upside down – particularly if you don’t have a safety net in the form of personal health insurance.
Indeed, you never hear people say, “I’m so glad that I didn’t buy insurance.”
Here are some reasons you’ll be glad you did:

1. It opens the door to expert medical care
– Even in the more developed Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam, local medical care at public hospitals, while generally affordable, often leaves much to be desired. In countries like Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, public hospitals are typically substandard and are best avoided when seeking treatment. Private hospitals tend to charge much more for better service, and their care becomes much more accessible for those covered by a strong health insurance policy.

2. It provides worry-free coverage
– Mental well-being is a necessary element of good health, and the knowledge that you have excellent insurance can help reduce stress, especially at those crucial moments when you need medical attention. By preventing any major ‘surprise’ costs from a health condition, quality expat insurance can set your mind at ease in a way that nothing else can.

3. It dramatically lowers your medical costs
– Particularly if other family members depend on you and your income, any serious accident or illness could be devastating for your household unless you have insurance. If you are the only income-earning member of the family, it becomes imperative to get yourself health insurance at the earliest opportunity, to keep costs down and your finances in good shape.

4. It allows better financial planning
– Imagine that you are not covered by a comprehensive health insurance policy, and you need to pay huge medical bills with money that you wanted to use toward buying a car or a new home. Spending a bit of money on insurance beforehand can help you make clear and reliable financial plans for the future, and put you in a better situation even if you need medical care.

5. It’s the smart solution
– Sooner or later, we all learn one valuable lesson in life: Don’t gamble something if you can’t afford to lose it. By the time something has gone wrong, urgent care may be needed and it is already too late to go shopping for insurance. But since we never know what the future will truly bring, the only reasonable time to buy insurance is before you need it.

How to Get Started
In the past, searching for medical insurance in Southeast Asia has been a chore, and it was understandable for people to put it off until later. But with our new online service, you just need to fill in a bit of personal information and we’ll send a quote directly to you. It has never been easier to protect yourself with comprehensive health insurance. With LUMA, true peace of mind for you and your family is just a few clicks away.