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Cigna Global vs Allianz Care, benefit by benefit

Two of the strongest names in international private medical insurance (IPMI), read the IPMIBenefits way: not which is better overall, but which one states what for each benefit, and where the real difference lies between premium control and underwriting choice.

At a glance

Where each one wins

Cigna's edge is control and ongoing care. Its three levers, a deductible, a cost share of 0%, 10%, 20% or 30%, and an out-of-pocket maximum that caps your yearly exposure, let you tune the premium more finely than most plans allow. Its nurse-led Chronic Condition Management programme supports members living with pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal pain and arthritis, which is useful if you are managing a condition rather than just insuring against one.

Allianz's edge is underwriting flexibility. It is one of the few insurers that lets you choose how your history is assessed: Full Medical Underwriting for certainty from day one, Moratorium with a 24-month wait on pre-existing conditions for simplicity, or CPME and switch terms when you move from another insurer. If you have any medical history, that choice can change what is covered from the start.

Both plans are modular. Cigna starts from an inpatient core with outpatient, wellbeing and evacuation modules; Allianz starts from a core level with out-patient and dental modules that must match it. Our guide to what each benefit adds to the cost explains why that matters when you compare quotes.

Benefit by benefit

IPMIBenefits records what each insurer publishes for the eight benefits we track: Cigna from its plans-in-detail and optional-benefits pages, Allianz from its Table of Benefits, Care, valid from 1 November 2025 (both read 19 October 2026). The policy documents you receive are the authority.

• Maternity: Cigna: routine maternity on Gold (US$7,000) and Platinum (US$14,000), not on Silver, once the mother has been covered for 12 months; Cigna notes the wait may be 24 months depending on where treatment occurs. Allianz: Care Enhanced and Care Signature only, after a 12-month waiting period: routine maternity US$6,750 and US$13,500 per pregnancy, complications of childbirth US$13,500 and US$20,250, complications of pregnancy covered; not on Care Base (p.11). Cigna also publishes a newborn rule: a baby can be added without underwriting, waiting period or congenital exclusion if a parent has been covered for 12 months or more and you apply within 30 days.
• Dental and optical: Allianz offers dental as an optional module at your core level, and its Out-patient Plan pays prescribed glasses and lenses up to US$100, US$205 or US$405 (p.17). Cigna offers the optional International Vision and Dental module: annual dental maximum US$1,250, US$2,500 or US$5,500 (Silver, Gold, Platinum), with 3-month waits for preventative and routine treatment and 12 months for major restorative; eye test up to US$100, US$200 or paid in full, and lenses and frames up to US$155, US$200 or US$310.
• Outpatient: both treat it as an addition to the inpatient core. Cigna provides GP and specialist consultations, diagnostics and prescriptions by tier or module, with most outpatient treatment needing no pre-approval and in-network visits often billed directly. Allianz provides consultations, diagnostics and therapies through its out-patient module, generally reimbursed through MyHealth.
• Mental health: Cigna: inpatient and daypatient mental and behavioural health on Silver (US$5,000, up to 30 days), Gold (US$10,000, up to 60 days) and Platinum (paid in full, up to 90 days); the optional International Health and Wellbeing module adds up to 20 face-to-face counselling sessions per condition. Allianz: in-patient and day-care psychiatry and psychotherapy on all three core plans (p.7); out-patient sessions on the Out-patient Plan, 5, 15 or 30 visits a year, with a doctor's referral for psychotherapy (p.17).
• Cancer care: Cigna includes cancer care in the inpatient and day-patient core on every tier. Allianz: oncology covered for in-patient, day-care and out-patient treatment on all three core plans, with pre-authorisation (p.10).
• Medical evacuation and repatriation: Cigna provides it through the optional International Evacuation & Crisis Assistance Plus module. Allianz: included on all three core plans, with pre-authorisation: evacuation to the nearest appropriate medical centre, or repatriation to your home country if it is inside your area of cover (p.9).
• Chronic conditions: Cigna's nurse-led programme is the clearer published benefit. With Allianz, how an existing condition is covered is set by the underwriting basis you choose, which for some buyers is the more valuable feature.
• Wellness and health checks: Cigna offers screening and wellness benefits in its optional International Health & Wellbeing module. Allianz: health and wellbeing checks on the Out-patient Plan, up to US$540, US$1,080 or US$2,025 a year, plus listed cancer screening (p.16).

Claims, authorisation and cost sharing

Cigna lets most outpatient treatment go ahead without prior authorisation; exceptions include genetic testing, infertility treatment, physiotherapy, chiropractic or osteopathy beyond 10 sessions, and prescribed drugs beyond 3 months. In an emergency abroad you get treated first, show the Cigna ID card for direct billing, then contact customer care. Allianz requires pre-authorisation for inpatient and high-cost treatment; miss it and an eligible claim is paid at 80% for inpatient and 50% for other benefits. Emergencies must be reported within 48 hours and invoices submitted within 60 days of discharge.

On cost sharing, Cigna's three-lever system is the more granular. Allianz works with a deductible and with the decision of which modules to buy. Our guide to excess, deductible and cost sharing explains how each approach changes what you pay in a claim year.

Which should you choose?

Read the full breakdowns: Cigna Global guide · Allianz Care guide.

FAQ

General information, not personal or medical advice. Based on each insurer’s plan documentation; exact terms, limits and underwriting are confirmed at quote. Prices are indicative. Cigna and Allianz names and logos are the property of their respective owners.