Health & Protection in New York

One more check on your relocation checklist: Protection and Insurance. Insurance plays a great role in securing your health and properties while working abroad. It should always be among the top items on your checklist of ‘urgent needs’ to ensure that whatever happens, you are armed with necessary precautions. 

New York is known for its mixture of posh, high-end lifestyle and ghetto communities. The city centre and surrounding districts are mostly safe and have round the clock monitoring from the authorities. However, the outer suburbs are quite popular for street related crimes and violence. Though insurance will not make anyone invincible from harm caused by fellow men, it will still give you a level of assurance that you have emergency coverage when caught in the worst possible scenario.

Winter in the city can also be very challenging as well some nature hazards such as flood, summer storms, tornadoes and hurricanes. These types of threats will not just endanger you but your home and properties as well. Having insurance will cover your medical needs and spare your finances from possible repairs or damages caused by severe acts of nature.

Getting Private Insurance

Before relocating, you must call your existing insurance provider to ask if they can cover you in New York because some plans, such as international policies, can be used regardless of your location other exclude the US. You should also contact your employer to find out if you have the basic medical coverage as part of your relocation programme.

Expats in the Big Apple can get different types of plans that will cover their dependents or properties. You can get a life, non-life, health and general insurance from global providers such as American International Group (AIG). New York is also the headquarters of some of the largest names in the industry like New York Life Insurance Company, the country’s largest life insurer and ranked as #61 on the Fortune 500 list.

Remember, the company that you are signing up with should have a license from the New York State Department of Financial Services. Their accreditation from the DFS will prove that their business has approval from the state and is being carried out in a lawful manner. 

Local Insurance 

New York’s insurance market is among the highly competitive in the United States. Currently, life insurance is the major contributor in the market and consists of 134 companies where 80 are domicile or local based. Insurers in the state are being represented by the New York Insurance Association, whose purpose is to maintain the industry’s strong reputation and excellent service to the public.

Auto liability insurance is a strict requirement when registering a car in New York. The policy should be in effect as long as your vehicle registration is valid. You should also acquire the coverage from a company that is accredited by the NYC Department of Motor Vehicles and is licensed by the Department of Financial Services. Foreign insurance is never acceptable in New York, and the name on your insurance should also be the same name in the car’s Certificate of Registration. Failure to maintain proper auto insurance will result in suspension of the registration and your license by the DMV.

Expats moving to New York can find many options in securing their health and assets. You have to be very careful in choosing which type of plan and provider since it will define your security while in the state. International insurance is also a good choice for you since it offers coverage not just locally but in any part of the globe.