Popular Remote Jobs With Health Insurance For Expats

expat network

Popular Remote Jobs With Health Insurance For Expats

It’s the 21st century, and it’s all about freedom and making one’s dreams come true. And while work opportunities can take you to the other side of the globe, it might leave your spouse or significant other without much prospects in the location. Remote or freelance jobs in many cases are the answer, but, as an expat, you should pay attention to a rather important thing, namely health insurance.

This article was written exclusively for Expat Network by Pacific Prime

Today, Pacific Prime will give you a couple of ideas on where to look for the remote job with employee benefits, and what to do if you can’t secure those.

The difference between freelance and full-time, remote jobs

Companies employing freelancers or contract workers are not legally obliged to provide any auxiliary benefits to such staff besides the agreed salary. The agreement between the firm and an employee usually takes the form of contract of mandate or a specific-task contract.

If you are, however, a part-time or full-time remote worker, different laws apply to you. Depending on the country you are being employed in (not necessary where you live), such minimal requirements beyond a salary may extend to a retirement plan, public healthcare premiums, paid annual leave entitlement and taxes. Then some companies offer a full array of employee benefits to their remote employees, the same as for the regular full-time employees, which may additionally include paid volunteer or birthday leave, education allowance, gym reimbursements, etc.

Popular remote jobs with health insurance

Some of the most popular remote full-time jobs that offer a full array of employee benefits include positions such as:

Remote call center representative
Remote travel agent
Remote customer service agent
Graphic designer
Social media manager
SEO, SEM manager
Virtual assistant
Business development manager
Wholesale agent
Web developer/designer
Translator

All roles that require only access to the internet and computer can be successfully placed on the above list. Remote work is a growing trend that allows employers to cut costs and find talented employees who don’t live in the area.

Benefits you can expect

The bigger the company you work remotely for, the higher your chances of getting medical insurance, alongside retirement, and paid time-off. Many companies offer other forms of incentives such as employee discounts and hourly pay, but in most cases, you’ll have to be a full-time remote worker to get access to all of the perks.

What about freelancers, part-timers, and contractors?

For those who are truly after a world-nomad lifestyle and do not wish to be tied down to a single spot on earth and enjoy the thrill of new challenges, or those who wish to work part-time, or actually, only from time to time, we recommend purchasing international private individual health insurance.

Another option that might be viable is to top up your spouse’s company medical plan to also include you, and/or your children. Many corporate plans only cover the employee, leaving the spouse or children unprotected. Here’s where the top-up plans shine, as the rest of the family members are added on top of the already existing plan, making insurance premiums lower. And since international individual plans can be expensive to purchase, especially for a freelancer with unstable income, a top-up plan is a popular choice among our customers.

For all of your local, international or top-up insurance needs, Pacific Prime has you covered! With over 19 years of international health insurance, 130,000 + customers globally and services in 27+ languages, we are an insurance broker of choice when it comes to expat health insurance. To get all your questions answered, free quote and plan comparison, contact us today!

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.