How Can You Stay Covered During the CFE Waiting Periods?

When you take out health insurance, you need to pay close attention to waiting periods. A waiting period is a length of time during which you cannot make a claim. How long they last varies from one insurer to another and by type of cover. The CFE is no exception, so Alea, the CFE's local representative for Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Singapore, explains everything.

What is a waiting period?

A waiting period is a length of time set by insurers during which no healthcare costs are covered.

The basic reason for these periods lies in the very principle of insurance: risk and uncertainty. Insurance covers you in case something happens. The waiting period is there to make sure that the uncertainty remains. Some people do take out insurance in anticipation of an upcoming healthcare cost. But once the cost is known, there is no longer any uncertainty, and the basis for insurance disappears.

The waiting period therefore ensures that the insurer only covers unforeseen costs.

Waiting periods are generally 3, 6, 10 or 12 months.

Which types of care are subject to a waiting period?

In most cases, waiting periods apply to the following benefits:

• Optical

• Dental

• Orthodontics

• Maternity

• Fertility treatment

• Planned treatment

Waiting periods and the CFE

The reform at the start of 2019 changed the length of the waiting periods that apply. They differ by age group but apply to the cover as a whole.

• Under 30: 3 months

• 30 to 44: 3 months

• Over 45: 6 months

Can waiting periods be lifted?

Yes, waiting periods are not always set in stone and, under certain conditions, they can be lifted.

1 - Switching from one insurance policy to another

If you previously had cover of a higher or equivalent level, you will be able to have the waiting periods lifted. You will need to provide an insurance certificate less than one month old showing the level of your previous cover.

2 - Emergencies

If a waiting period applies, so-called emergency care will not be covered.

Can the CFE waiting periods be lifted?

There are insurance plans known as "CFE top-ups". They work like a French mutuelle (complementary health insurance) and cover the remaining costs that the CFE does not cover.

Note that these top-ups only start to apply once your CFE cover actually begins. This means that if you join the CFE and take out the top-up at the same time, you will only really be covered by both once the CFE waiting period has passed.

For this reason, some insurers offer to enrol you in their first-euro product during this period and then automatically switch you to their CFE top-up once the period has passed. This avoids a gap in your cover and the possible exclusion of conditions that appear during the 3 months of the waiting period.

The maternity exception

So all waiting periods can be adjusted to some extent, except the one for maternity. The maternity waiting period cannot be avoided. With standard insurance plans, it is generally 10 or 12 months. The CFE, for its part, states that the pregnancy must begin after the membership start date. It is therefore important to plan as far ahead as possible, especially given Hong Kong prices.

Did you know? Alea is the advisor for French expats in Hong Kong. As the CFE's exclusive representative for Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Singapore, Alea has unique expertise in every CFE plan and in the plans French insurers such as April, Henner, MSH and Assur-Travel offer alongside the CFE. We work with more than 25 international partners, such as AXA, Bupa and Cigna, to find you the best option!