A higher deductible lowers your premium but means you pay more when you claim. The deductible options at Allianz Care, Cigna Global, Bupa Global and the main travel plans, what they save, and how to choose, checked October 2026.
The Short Answer
Choose the highest deductible you could pay tomorrow without hardship, as long as you are healthy and rarely claim. Allianz Care says its inpatient deductibles of £830, £2,490 and £4,980 cut the premium by 10%, 20% and 30%. On a plan at the 24 September 2026 index median of £247 a month, a 20% cut saves about £593 a year. Keep the deductible low if you have an ongoing condition, take regular medication or expect treatment soon.
What a Deductible Is
A deductible, also called an excess, is the amount you pay towards a claim before your insurer starts paying. Choosing a higher deductible lowers your premium, because you take on the small claims yourself and keep the insurer for the large ones.
How It Works in Practice
Some plans add a cost-share after the deductible, where you also pay a percentage of the rest of the bill, usually up to a yearly maximum.
Example: you have a $3,000 deductible and 20% cost-share. You break your arm and the bill is $8,000. You pay the first $3,000, then 20% of the remaining $5,000, which is $1,000. You pay $4,000 in total and the insurer pays $4,000.
Check whether the deductible applies per claim, per condition or once a year, and whether it covers inpatient care, outpatient care or both. Outpatient cover often has its own, smaller deductible.
What International Health Plans Offer
Allianz Care: no deductible, or £830, £2,490 or £4,980 on inpatient cover, cutting the premium by 10%, 20% or 30%.
Cigna Global: inpatient deductibles from none up to US$10,000, with an optional cost-share of 10%, 20% or 30%.
Bupa Global: options up to £7,500 depending on the plan. Its Ultimate plan has no deductible.
Plan-by-plan detail, with links to each insurer's documents, is in Allianz Care vs Cigna Global (on IPMIcompare) and Cigna Global vs Bupa Global (on IPMIcompare).
What Travel Plans Offer
IMG Patriot: your choice, from US$0 to US$2,500 on Patriot Lite and up to US$25,000 on Platinum.
Genki Traveler: a fixed €50 per case.
SafetyWing Essential: no deductible listed in the policy.
See IMG vs Genki vs SafetyWing for the full comparison, or let Jet match a plan to your trip.
Is a Higher Deductible Worth It?
Work out how long the saving takes to pay for one claim. Using the index median of £247 a month, Allianz's £2,490 deductible at 20% off saves about £593 a year, so it takes around 4.2 claim-free years to save one full deductible. If you would claim less often than that, the higher deductible comes out ahead. Your own premium depends on age, country and plan, so run the same sum on your quote.
Think about where you live too. In a country with low private prices you may rarely reach a high deductible, while in expensive systems even one hospital night can pass it. Our cost guides show published hospital prices by country.
The Bottom Line
Pick the highest deductible you could pay without hardship, check how it applies, and compare the saving against how often you expect to claim. You can get a quote and compare plans with different deductibles side by side.
Checked 3 October 2026 against each insurer's own published documents. Savings figures are worked examples using the HealthiNomad Health Insurance Cost Index, not quotes.
Common questions
What is a deductible in health insurance?
It is the amount you pay towards a claim before the insurer pays. It is also called an excess. A higher deductible lowers your premium.
How much does a higher deductible save?
Allianz Care says its inpatient deductibles of £830, £2,490 and £4,980 cut the premium by 10%, 20% and 30%. Other insurers price it differently, so compare quotes with and without a deductible.
Is the deductible per claim or per year?
It depends on the plan. Some apply it once a year, others per claim or per condition, and outpatient cover often has a separate deductible. Check the policy wording before you choose.
What is cost-share?
A percentage of the bill you pay after the deductible, usually up to a yearly maximum. Cigna Global offers an optional cost-share of 10%, 20% or 30% on top of its deductible.
Should I choose a deductible if I have a medical condition?
Usually not. If you expect regular treatment you will pay the deductible often, which can cost more than the premium you save.