The International Schools Review Forum

Would you take a job without international insurance and without annual tickets as a family? How good would the contract have to be to forgo these two things?

I'm not sure I would take it. Is it a reputable school? Is it a local hire contract? What part of the world? Do they help you with visas? It's hard to make a decision without more info.

I think it depends on where the school is and how much it would cost you to fly home and back. It also depends on the size of your family and what airfare prices do. We have flown my daughter to China for as little as $800 and as much as $1700. I would hate to count on the $800 only to find out it was going to cost us $1700.

As for insurance, if my memory serves me right we spent several hundred dollars for a one month bridge policy between our former school and our current school. Though as I write it, that seems like a lot. Write some of the big companies to find out what it would cost you.

I would be willing to forego any insurance, as the cost of most medical procedures outside of the West are pretty darn cheap...but the airfare...no way! That part of the contract is a must in my opinion. I agree with Overhere in that the cost of flights flucuates too much to not have a guaranteed flight allowance for all family members.

The Family getst ickets in bound and after the 2 year contract is complete.
Local health care is excellent, I just worry about serious illness that would require returning to the USA. Can you get a policy for catastrophic illness/injury only? Thoughts?

Depending on where the school is you might not need to go back to the states. We taught in Europe and had local insurance as well as EU insurance and that was more than enough. We are now in Asia and if a major illness happens we are off to Bangkok. It might not be cheap but I would think it would be cheaper than having to go back to the states.