Health insurance in Mauritius: local or international?

Health insurance is one of those things people put off until something happens. In Mauritius, it is not optional: private healthcare is good, but you pay for everything. Here is how it works and how to choose.

Public or private?

Mauritius has a public health system, free for citizens, with regional hospitals and health centres across the island. Doctors are often very competent, but waiting times can be long and facilities more basic. Most expats use the private sector: quick appointments, private rooms, modern equipment, and English-speaking staff.

The main private clinics

• C-Care Darné in Floréal (formerly Fortis Darné): one of the largest private hospitals, with many specialities, maternity and 24-hour emergency care
• C-Care Wellkin in Moka (formerly Apollo Bramwell): a large private hospital with emergency services
• C-Care Grand Baie and C-Care Tamarin: convenient medical centres in the north and west
• Other private clinics in Port Louis, Curepipe, the north and elsewhere

For very specialised treatment, some care is not available on the island, and patients are evacuated to South Africa, Réunion, India or Europe. Check that your insurance covers medical evacuation.

What it costs

• GP consultation: roughly Rs 1,500 to 2,500
• Specialist consultation: roughly Rs 2,000 to 4,000
• MRI: often more than Rs 15,000 depending on the scan
• Childbirth: roughly Rs 100,000 to 200,000, natural or caesarean
• Major surgery such as a hip replacement: several hundred thousand rupees

The options

Local Mauritian insurance

Usually the cheapest. It covers care in Mauritius, in partner private clinics. It can work if you live on the island year-round and rarely travel. But it covers little or nothing abroad, annual limits can be low for serious hospital stays, and exclusions need to be read very carefully.

International expat health insurance

It covers Mauritius, your home country and often the whole world, depending on the plan. More expensive, but far more complete. For most expats, it is the safest choice, especially if you travel or want the option of treatment back home.

What about your home country's cover?

Your public scheme back home usually stops covering you once you move abroad permanently, and private plans often stop too. South Africans: check with your medical aid scheme what happens once you have emigrated, as most do not cover long-term residence abroad. Do this before you leave so there is no gap.

What to compare

• Area of cover: Mauritius only, Mauritius plus home country, or worldwide
• Annual and per-treatment limits
• Waiting periods: often three to six months for hospital care, longer for dental, optical or maternity. Sign up before you move
• Pre-existing conditions: excluded, covered with a surcharge, or covered after a period? Get it in writing
• Excess and co-payment
• Direct billing: does the insurer pay the clinic directly?
• Age limits for new members, often between 65 and 75, and how the premium rises with age
• Medical evacuation

Why use a broker

Plans, prices and exclusions change every year. A good broker who specialises in expats compares offers for your age, health and travel habits, and handles the paperwork and claims, across time zones. They are usually paid by the insurer, so the advice generally costs you nothing extra.

Key takeaways

• Private healthcare in Mauritius is good, but everything is paid for
• Local insurance is cheaper but rarely covers you abroad
• International cover is the safest choice for most expats
• Sign up before you move, because of waiting periods
• Check age limits and pre-existing conditions in writing