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Cigna Global vs IMG Global (GPMI) for expats in Africa

Cigna Global is a tiered plan you tune with cost sharing; IMG's Global Prima is a modular plan where dental and maternity are optional and the underwriting menu is unusually wide. IPMIAfrica compares the two for expats and families in Africa.

Last updated: 15 October 2026 · Reviewed by IPMIAfrica

In short: Choose Cigna Global if you want to fine-tune the premium with a deductible, cost share and out-of-pocket cap, value nurse-led chronic condition support, and want in-network direct billing by ID card. Choose IMG Global Prima if you would rather pay only for what you need, with dental and maternity as optional add-ons, or need a flexible underwriting route, especially for group cover where Medical History Disregarded applies.

Key takeaways

Cigna's tiers run from Silver at US$1m to Platinum paid in full, with Close Care at US$500k for residence and nationality only.
IMG's dental add-on waits six months, with accidents covered immediately, and routine maternity waits ten months.
Cigna can add a newborn without underwriting if a parent has been covered twelve months and you apply within 30 days.
IMG issues a Guarantee of Payment after pre-authorisation, which must happen at least five working days before admission.
Cigna publishes its area options; IMG's area and evacuation terms are confirmed at quote, so ask before comparing.

At a glance

	Cigna Global	IMG Global (GPMI)
Plan structure	Silver / Gold / Platinum + Close Care	Bronze / Bronze Plus / Silver / Gold / Platinum
Dental and maternity	By tier or module	Optional add-ons; dental 6-month and maternity 10-month waits
Area of cover	Worldwide or excl. USA; Close Care: residence + nationality	Confirmed at quote
Underwriting	Medical underwriting on disclosed history	Widest range: FMU / Moratorium / CPME / MHD (groups)
Cost control	Deductible + cost share (0 to 30%) + out-of-pocket cap	Deductible options
Chronic support	Nurse-led Chronic Condition Management	Covered per plan; managed via underwriting
Claims	In-network direct billing with ID card	Guarantee of Payment direct billing; pre-auth 5 working days

Where each one wins

Cigna's edge is fine-grained control and chronic care. Cigna Global Health Options, Cigna's international private medical insurance (IPMI) plan, lets you combine a deductible, a cost share of 0% to 30% and an out-of-pocket maximum, so you can tune the premium precisely while keeping a known worst case. Its nurse-led Chronic Condition Management programme adds active support for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal pain and arthritis. The tiers run from Silver at US$1m through Gold at US$2m to Platinum, paid in full, with Close Care at US$500k for cover in your country of residence and nationality only.

IMG's edge is modularity and underwriting breadth. Global Prima's five tiers, Bronze to Platinum, cover the medical core, and dental and routine maternity are optional add-ons you pay for only if you want them. Dental carries a six-month wait, with accidents covered immediately, and maternity a ten-month wait. IMG also lists one of the widest sets of underwriting routes in the market: Full Medical Underwriting, Moratorium, Continuing Personal Medical Exclusions, and, for company or group schemes meeting a minimum number of lives, Medical History Disregarded, where members' history is set aside entirely. If IMG cannot offer the route you applied for, it may offer an alternative. Our pre-existing conditions guide explains each basis.

Cigna or IMG from Africa

For IPMIAfrica readers in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania and Mauritius, the comparison turns on four practical points.

Area of cover. Cigna publishes its options: worldwide or worldwide excluding the USA on the main tiers, both including Africa, and Close Care limited to residence and nationality. IMG's area is confirmed at quote on the material this page is based on. Ask IMG which area the plan is issued for and whether it includes the countries you might travel to for complex treatment. Our guide to regional versus worldwide cover explains why that matters.
Evacuation. Cigna's evacuation is an optional module, International Evacuation and Crisis Assistance Plus. IMG's evacuation terms are not described in the material this page draws on and must be confirmed with the quote. In countries where serious illness may mean a flight, get both in writing. Our evacuation guide sets out what to look for.
Currency. Cigna's limits are in US dollars, with deductible options depending on plan currency. IMG's plan currency is confirmed at quote.
Direct billing. Cigna's in-network outpatient visits can often be billed directly by showing the ID card. IMG issues a Guarantee of Payment to the hospital once planned treatment is pre-authorised and eligible, which should happen no later than five working days before admission, and the MyIMG / MyALC member area, 24-hour helpline and WhatsApp handle the rest.

Two further details separate them for families. Cigna can add a newborn without underwriting, a waiting period or a congenital exclusion if a parent has been covered for twelve months or more before the birth and the application is made within 30 days. IMG's maternity add-on needs to be in place ten months before a claim, so a family planning a pregnancy should add it now rather than at renewal. The price gap between the two for the same household is only knowable by quoting both on the same inputs. Read the full profiles on our Cigna Global and IMG Global pages.

Which should you choose?

Choose Cigna Global if…

You want to fine-tune the premium with a deductible, cost share and out-of-pocket cap, you value proactive chronic-condition support, and you want straightforward in-network direct billing.

Choose IMG Global if…

You would rather pay only for what you need, with dental and maternity as optional extras, or you need a flexible underwriting route, especially for group cover where MHD can disregard medical history.

Read the full breakdowns: Cigna Global guide · IMG Global (GPMI) guide.

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FAQ

Is Cigna or IMG cheaper in Africa?

It depends on your age, country, cover level, deductible or cost share, and which optional benefits you add. Because IMG is modular, leaving off dental and maternity can lower its price. The only way to know for your situation is to compare both live, which IPMIAfrica does through Nomi.

Which is better for a family wanting maternity?

IMG offers routine maternity as an optional add-on on all five tiers, with a ten-month waiting period, so you only pay for it when you need it. Cigna provides maternity by plan. With either, add maternity well before you expect to claim and compare both for your family.

Which is better for company or group cover?

IMG is often the answer for groups because its Medical History Disregarded basis can set members' medical history aside entirely, subject to a minimum number of lives that varies by insurer.

Which covers me across Africa?

Cigna's main tiers are worldwide or worldwide excluding the USA, both including Africa; Close Care covers residence and nationality only. IMG's area is confirmed at quote, so ask which countries it includes before you compare.

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 IMG names and logos are the property of their respective owners.