Cigna Global: cover benefit by benefit

IPMIBenefits reads Cigna Global Health Options the way a buyer should: benefit by benefit. Here is what sits in the inpatient core, what is a module, how the three cost-control levers work, and what Cigna publishes for each benefit.

Plans and cover levels

Cigna Global Health Options (CGHO) is Cigna's international private medical insurance (IPMI) for expatriates. The plan is modular. Every member starts with an inpatient core, picks one of three cover tiers, then adds the modules they want and decides how much cost to share. A fourth option, Cigna Close Care, is a narrower-area plan for people who mostly need treatment where they live.

The tiers differ first on the annual overall benefit maximum, which is the most the plan pays for one person in one year.

*Platinum is described as paid in full, subject to the annual overall benefit maximum in the plan documents. Cover runs in terms of 3 to 12 months and renews. Area of cover is worldwide or worldwide excluding the USA; leaving out the USA, if you do not need it, is the single biggest saving Cigna offers. Eligibility is expatriates aged 18 and over.

Reading tip from IPMIBenefits: the tier sets the ceiling, but the modules set what is actually covered day to day. Two people on Gold can have very different plans depending on which modules they add. Our guide to annual limits, sub-limits and waiting periods explains why the headline maximum is only the first number to check.

What the core covers and what is a module

Inpatient hospital treatment is the foundation of every Cigna Global plan. The published summary separates the rest into modules you choose to add:

• Inpatient and day-patient: hospital stays, surgery and cancer care, always included.
• Outpatient: GP and specialist consultations, diagnostics and prescriptions, by tier or module.
• International Health & Wellbeing: an optional module with screening and wellness benefits.
• International Evacuation & Crisis Assistance Plus: an optional module for medical evacuation and crisis support.

That structure is the reason the price of a Cigna plan varies so much between buyers. It also means a careful buyer can leave out what they will not use. Our guide to what each benefit adds to the cost walks through the trade-offs module by module.

What this plan does for each benefit

The list below takes the eight benefits IPMIBenefits covers and records what Cigna publishes about each one (Cigna plans-in-detail and optional-benefits pages, read 19 October 2026). The policy documents you receive are the authority.

• Maternity: 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. Cigna also states a newborn rule: a baby can be added without medical underwriting, waiting period or congenital exclusion if at least one parent has been continuously covered for 12 months or more before the birth and the application is made within 30 days. Outside that window the baby is medically underwritten.
• Dental and optical: 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: available by tier or module and covers GP and specialist consultations, diagnostics and prescriptions. Most outpatient treatment needs no pre-approval; the exceptions listed are genetic testing, infertility treatment, physiotherapy, chiropractic or osteopathy beyond 10 sessions, and prescribed drugs beyond 3 months. In-network outpatient visits can often be billed directly.
• Mental health: 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.
• Cancer care: part of the inpatient and day-patient core on every tier, so it is always included.
• Medical evacuation and repatriation: provided through the optional International Evacuation & Crisis Assistance Plus module rather than the core. If you live somewhere evacuation matters, add it deliberately.
• Chronic conditions: Cigna's nurse-led Chronic Condition Management programme supports members living with conditions such as pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal pain and arthritis. Whether a condition you already have is covered when you join is a separate underwriting question (see below).
• Wellness and health checks: screening and wellness benefits sit in the optional International Health & Wellbeing module.

Cost controls: the three levers

Cigna gives you three ways to adjust the premium, which matters when you are trying to afford a higher tier for the benefits it unlocks:

1. Deductible: an amount you pay before the plan pays anything. The options depend on the plan currency.
2. Cost share: after the deductible, you pay 0%, 10%, 20% or 30% of each eligible bill. A higher share lowers the premium.
3. Out-of-pocket maximum: a yearly cap on what your cost share can add up to, so a bad year has a known worst case.

Pairing a sensible deductible and cost share with the out-of-pocket cap is how many buyers reach Gold-level benefits for closer to a Silver-level premium. Our guide to excess, deductible and cost sharing explains how these pieces interact.

Underwriting and pre-existing conditions

Cigna underwrites on the medical history you disclose. The published policy rules worth knowing:

• Any change in your health between applying and your start date must be disclosed; Cigna can then adjust terms, add a premium or exclusions, or decline.
• Applications must be accurate and complete. Deliberately false information can void the policy.
• There is a 14-day free-look. Cancel within 14 days of the start date for a full refund, provided no claim has been paid and no guarantee of payment has been issued.

The underwriting basis you are offered decides what is covered from day one, particularly for the chronic-conditions benefit above. Our pre-existing conditions guide sets out the market terms (full medical underwriting, moratorium, continued exclusions and transfer terms) in plain English.

Using the cover: direct billing and authorisation

• Direct billing: in-network outpatient doctor visits can often be billed directly when you present your Cigna Healthcare ID card.
• Finding providers: the Provider Search tool in Cigna's online Customer Area lists in-network hospitals, clinics and specialists by location and speciality.
• Prior authorisation: most outpatient treatment does not need it; the exceptions are listed under the outpatient benefit above.
• Emergencies abroad: get treated first, show your ID card so the facility can bill directly, then contact Cigna customer care.

Who Cigna Global suits

A good fit if you want to choose your cover level, control the premium precisely with the deductible, cost share and out-of-pocket cap, and value proactive support for an ongoing condition. Cigna's international network and direct billing are part of the appeal.

Worth comparing elsewhere if you only need cover where you live (Close Care or a regional plan may be cheaper), you are very price-driven at the entry level, or you want a different underwriting basis. See how Cigna lines up against Allianz Care and IMG Global, or browse every insurer we profile.

Frequently asked questions

This page is general information, not personal or medical advice, and is based on Cigna Global Health Options plan documentation; exact terms, limits and underwriting are confirmed by the insurer at quote. Prices are indicative. Cigna and the Cigna logo are trademarks of the Cigna group of companies.