Hey there! My name is Annie and I am due with our first child in mid-July. My husband and I are both Canadian. He is here on a student resident ARC and I’m connected to that ARC for the purpose of jointing family (also work on a work permit). I’ve been told that I will have to arrange for health insurance for the new baby to cover the first 4-6 months of our child’s life. I assume that this is until the baby can be formally and legally attached to this ARC as well.
Does anyone have any experience with this? And if so, could you please provide me with the name of an insurance company that I should be contacting? I live in Taichung, but I assume I could use an insurance provider from anywhere on the island…
Thanks in advance!
Yes you contact the NHI. Foreign residents new to Taiwan cannot get NHI coverage until they have been in Taiwan on an ARC for 4 months.
This happened to be the case for my son when he moved back here after living in Australia. This also applies to ROC NAtionals who moved back to Taiwan after living abroad and re joining the NHI scheme. They also need to wait 4 months.
You should have in anycase arranged other private insurance as the NHI does not cover all medical expenses here anyway. Another unfortunate expat couple got bills for just under 2 million NT$ as their child had complications. Some companies may not want to insure you now as you so so close to child birth.
Also take into account that it takes time to register your childs citizenship with your government and to get the child on your ARC will also take time. Go to the NIA and ask them what is the procedure to add your child to your ARC.