Now Health SimpleCare international health insurance for expats in Africa
SimpleCare is Now Health International's value-focused, digitally serviced international plan, with three levels that run from hospital-only cover to broader outpatient and dental benefits. IPMIAfrica explains the structure and how it fits expats in Africa.
- Annual maximum is US$1m on SimpleCare CORE and US$1.5m on both SimpleCare 100 and 250.
- SimpleCare 100 and 250 share the same ceiling; the difference is outpatient breadth and the dental benefit on 250.
- Area choices are a regional area or worldwide excluding the USA, and which applies depends on your residence.
- Regional brochures and handbooks hold the sub-limits, exclusions and conditions, and those documents take precedence.
- Now Health's five-working-day claims payment figure is a published service target, not an average or a guarantee.
Three levels and the gap between them
SimpleCare is the lower-cost sibling of Now Health's WorldCare range, built for people who want international private medical insurance (IPMI) with digital servicing and a price closer to the entry end of the market. It is a separate product from WorldCare, with its own documents and its own area rules.
| Plan | Annual maximum | Published structure |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleCare CORE | US$1,000,000 | Hospital-focused cover for inpatient treatment, surgery, cancer and evacuation and repatriation. Outpatient treatment is excluded. |
| SimpleCare 100 | US$1,500,000 | Inpatient cover plus lower-level outpatient benefits, including GP visits, prescribed drugs and physiotherapy. |
| SimpleCare 250 | US$1,500,000 | Broader outpatient cover plus routine and complex dental benefits. |
The annual maximum is the ceiling for the plan, not the limit on every benefit. Regional brochures and handbooks hold the sub-limits, exclusions and conditions, and those documents take precedence.
How to read the three levels
The clearest line in the range is drawn under CORE: it does not cover outpatient treatment at all. That is a deliberate product limitation, and it is what makes CORE cheaper. If you expect to use a GP, collect prescriptions or see a physiotherapist and want the plan to pay, compare SimpleCare 100 and 250 instead. If the published dental benefits matter, 250 is the level to look at.
Beyond that, the two upper levels share the same annual maximum, so the difference between them is the breadth of outpatient cover and the dental benefit rather than the ceiling. Our guide to inpatient versus outpatient cover walks through how to decide whether paying for outpatient benefits is worth it for your household, which is the central question SimpleCare poses.
Area options and deductibles
Depending on where you live, the published area choices are a regional area or worldwide excluding the USA. Annual deductible choices are available on the plan. Because the options and the plan documents vary by the region the plan is issued in, the brochure and handbook selected for your country of residence are the ones that govern your cover.
In practice that means two questions at quote: which region your residence places you in, and what the regional area includes if you choose it rather than worldwide excluding the USA. Our cost guide for Africa explains how a deductible shifts the premium and what size of deductible is realistic.
See your real SimpleCare price in about a minute
Nomi quotes Now Health SimpleCare and WorldCare with 20+ other international insurers live for your country in Africa and ranks them on price.
Claims, pre-authorisation and digital tools
- Now Health states a target of paying eligible claims within five working days. That is a service target, not an independently verified average and not a guarantee.
- The secure online portfolio lets members view documents, submit claims and pre-authorisation requests, and track their progress.
- The mobile app supports provider search, appointments and claims.
- A virtual membership card is available.
Other exclusions, underwriting terms, benefit sub-limits, eligibility and pre-authorisation requirements are set out in the current regional policy documents rather than on the product page, so read them with the quote.
Using SimpleCare from Africa
For readers in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania and Mauritius, SimpleCare's area choice is the main thing to understand. The published options are a regional area or worldwide excluding the USA, and which of those is available depends on residence. A regional area may be the cheaper route, but it only works if the region as Now Health defines it includes every country where you would realistically seek treatment. In countries where a complex diagnosis may mean travelling, worldwide excluding the USA is the safer reading. Our guide to regional versus worldwide cover explains the trade-off.
Limits are published in US dollars. Servicing is digital by design: the online portfolio for documents, claims and pre-authorisation, the app for provider search, appointments and claims, and a virtual membership card. That suits members who are comfortable managing cover from a phone and do not need a concierge. IPMIAfrica quotes SimpleCare alongside WorldCare and the rest of the market so you can see what the lower ceiling and the CORE outpatient gap actually save.
Who SimpleCare suits
SimpleCare suits someone who wants international cover at the value end of the market, is happy to manage it digitally, and either does not need outpatient cover (CORE) or wants a modest, clearly defined outpatient and dental layer (100 and 250) without paying for WorldCare's higher ceilings.
It is worth comparing alternatives if you want very high annual limits, a wide outpatient benefit, or a concierge-style service. Browse all insurers we cover and see how SimpleCare's price compares when the cover is matched like for like.
Frequently asked questions
What are the SimpleCare plan levels?
Does SimpleCare CORE cover outpatient treatment?
Which area of cover can I choose from Africa?
Does SimpleCare include evacuation?
How quickly does Now Health pay claims?
How does IPMIAfrica compare SimpleCare?
SimpleCare against the whole market
Ask Nomi for a live comparison of 20+ international insurers, ranked on real price and explained in plain English.
This page is general information, not personal or medical advice, and is based on Now Health International's published SimpleCare product page, plan comparison and document library; current regional documents and the terms issued by Now Health govern the cover, and exact terms, limits and underwriting are confirmed by the insurer at quote. Prices are indicative. Now Health International and SimpleCare are trademarks of their respective owners.