Health Insurance

Insurance is one of the most important – and sometimes most overlooked – issues to sort out when you move to a new country. Whether it’s compulsory insurance forms, or those that are optional but provide you with some useful security, it’s well worth surveying the insurance landscape ahead of a move. Japan has a highly developed insurance industry which, as in many countries, consists of both legally required and voluntary forms. Here’s a brief look at what you need to consider.  Health Insurance  This is compulsory for everyone in Japan. All long-term residents in Japan for three months or longer need to sign up for the statutory healthcare scheme, which is typically employment-based health insurance. Short-term visitors to Japan will need to have private health insurance in place to secure a visa.  Public health insurance covers at least 70% of public healthcare costs in Japan. If you want to cover additional costs, or have access to private healthcare services in Japan, you can take out private insurance to avoid out-of-pocket costs.  Car Insurance  If you drive a vehicle in Japan, you will need a minimum of compulsory liability insurance to cover accidents to third parties and damage to their…