MSH International: a broker-administrator whose individual policies are insured by Groupama Gan Vie

MSH International is not an insurer. Its documents present it as a French insurance brokerage company, registered with ORIAS and supervised by the ACPR, which designs, distributes and administers international health policies.

For individuals, the First'Expat+ (first-euro or first-dollar cover) and Relais'Expat+ (top-up to the Caisse des Français de l'étranger) policies are group insurance policies taken out by an association, ASFE, and open to individual, voluntary enrolment. Medical expenses are insured by Groupama Gan Vie; assistance and repatriation are organised by Chubb. MSH administers enrolments and reimbursements.

MSH's business with companies (group policies for posted or expatriate employees) is not covered in this profile: only the individual offerings are described here.

Pricing is based on nested areas, named after gemstone levels (Quartz, Pearl, Sapphire, Diamond): the narrowest covers the whole world, France included, excluding countries with high healthcare costs; the widest adds the United States. The overall annual limit at the Quartz level is €500,000¹, and increases with the higher levels.

Enrolment is open to adults under less than 76 years⁷ at the date of enrolment, and under less than 71 years⁶ for the area including the United States. A spouse or partner is subject to the same thresholds; minor children can be added. Acceptance is subject to a medical questionnaire: the medical adviser may apply a premium loading, an exclusion or refuse the application.

• HEALTH core plan: hospitalisation, routine medical care and basic assistance.
• HEALTH+ option: adds optical and dental; HEALTH+CHILD option: adds maternity.
• HOSPI plan limited to hospitalisation, and full assistance as an option, with repatriation to the country of residence or expatriation organised by Chubb.

The policy can be taken out with no deductible, or with a deductible per person and per insurance year starting from from €350², the levels available depending on the area and the level chosen. On the US market, co-payments per hospitalisation are added.

Hospitalisation and routine care have no waiting period. However, maternity is subject to a waiting period of 10 months⁵, optical to 6 months⁴, and psychiatric care as well as infertility treatment to 12 months³. Dental waiting periods vary according to the type of treatment.

No price schedule is published: the premium is set on quotation, online, according to the area, age, family composition, options and deductible. Reimbursements can be made in the currency chosen by the insured person.

We were unable to consult the commercial page of the MSH website, or the online ORIAS register. The brochures are not dated; we rely on the versions posted online this year. The terms of direct billing with hospitals and the list of general exclusions have not been verified.

1. Which area actually corresponds to the country of residence? A country classified in a higher area changes the price, the limit and the age limit at the same time.
2. Does their age at the date of enrolment leave some margin? The threshold is assessed at enrolment, and it is lower for the United States.
3. Is a pregnancy planned in the short term? The option must be taken early enough for the waiting period to have elapsed.
4. Under the CFE top-up plan, is membership of the fund maintained? Relais'Expat+ only reimburses amounts beyond what the CFE covers.