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Cigna Global vs IMG Global (GPMI) for expats in Asia

Cigna Global is a tiered international private medical insurance (IPMI) plan with fine premium control; IMG's Global Prima is a modular plan where dental and maternity are optional and the underwriting menu is unusually wide. IPMIAsia compares them for expats and families living in Asia.

Last updated: 20 October 2026 · Reviewed by IPMIAsia

In short: Choose Cigna Global if you want to fine-tune the premium with a deductible, cost share and out-of-pocket cap, chronic-condition support and in-network direct billing across Asian hubs. Choose IMG Global if you want dental and maternity as optional add-ons you pay for only when needed, or a flexible underwriting route, especially for a company scheme where MHD can set medical history aside. Which is cheaper depends on your details.

Key takeaways

Cigna's cost share runs from 0% to 30% after the deductible, with an out-of-pocket maximum capping a bad year.
IMG's dental add-on carries a 6-month wait (accidents covered immediately) and routine maternity a 10-month wait, so add them ahead of time.
Cigna publishes worldwide, worldwide excluding the USA and Close Care; IMG confirms the area of cover at quote.
IMG's Medical History Disregarded basis applies to company or group schemes that meet a minimum number of lives, not to individuals.
IMG issues a Guarantee of Payment once planned treatment is pre-authorised at least five working days before admission.

At a glance

	Cigna Global	IMG Global (GPMI)
Plan structure	Silver / Gold / Platinum, plus Close Care	Bronze / Bronze Plus / Silver / Gold / Platinum
Dental and maternity	By tier or module	Optional add-ons: dental 6-month wait, maternity 10-month wait
Area of cover	Worldwide or worldwide excluding USA; Close Care is residence and nationality only	Confirmed at quote
Underwriting	Medical underwriting, disclosure-based	Widest range: FMU, Moratorium, CPME and MHD for groups
Cost control	Deductible, cost share of 0 to 30% and an out-of-pocket cap	Deductible options
Chronic support	Nurse-led Chronic Condition Management	Covered per plan; handled through underwriting
Claims	In-network direct billing with the Cigna ID card	Guarantee of Payment direct billing; pre-authorise 5 working days ahead

Where each one wins

Cigna's edge is fine-grained control and chronic care. The premium is set by three levers working together: a deductible, a cost share of 0% to 30% after it, and an out-of-pocket maximum that limits what the cost share can add up to in a year. That lets you hold a higher tier at a price closer to a lower one. The nurse-led Chronic Condition Management programme adds proactive support for ongoing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, which no amount of tier-shopping buys elsewhere.

IMG's edge is modularity and underwriting breadth. Dental and routine maternity sit outside the core as optional add-ons on every tier, so you do not pay for them unless you need them. Dental carries a 6-month waiting period (accidents covered immediately) and routine maternity a 10-month wait, so they need adding ahead of time. On underwriting, IMG lists one of the widest menus in the market: Full Medical Underwriting, Moratorium, Continuing Personal Medical Exclusions and, for eligible company or group schemes that meet a minimum number of lives, Medical History Disregarded, where members' pre-existing conditions are not excluded at all. If IMG cannot offer the route you applied for, it may offer an alternative.

On claims, both deliver cashless hospital treatment by different routes. Cigna's in-network outpatient visits can often be billed directly on the ID card. IMG issues a Guarantee of Payment to the hospital once planned treatment is pre-authorised, which should happen at least five working days before admission.

Reading the comparison from Asia

Area of cover is where the two differ in how much they publish. Cigna's menu is explicit: worldwide, worldwide excluding the USA, or the narrower Close Care covering your country of residence and nationality only. IMG confirms the area at quote. For an expat in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam or the Philippines, the practical question for both is whether the USA can be left out and whether the area covers treatment in a regional hub such as Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok. Close Care would not, unless that hub is your country of nationality. Our guide to regional versus worldwide cover in Asia sets out the trade-off.

For families, IMG's optional maternity is the detail to plan around. A couple expecting to start a family in the next couple of years can add the module ten months before they need it and leave it off until then; Cigna provides maternity by plan. Our maternity cover guide explains why the waiting period matters more than the headline benefit.

For employers in Asia arranging cover for a team, IMG's MHD basis is often the first thing to ask about, subject to the minimum number of lives. Cigna's plan limits are in US dollars with deductible options tied to the plan currency; IMG's currency is confirmed with the area at quote. IPMIAsia prices both through Nomi so the modular savings on IMG and the cost-share savings on Cigna can be compared for your own age and residence. See the Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia pages for the local context, and the full breakdowns of Cigna Global and IMG Global.

Which should you choose?

Choose Cigna Global if…

You want to fine-tune the premium with a deductible, cost share and out-of-pocket cap, you value proactive chronic-condition support, and you want simple in-network direct billing across the Asian hubs you use.

Choose IMG Global if…

You would rather pay only for what you need, with dental and maternity as optional add-ons, or you need a flexible underwriting route, especially for a company or group scheme where MHD can set medical history aside.

Read the full breakdowns: Cigna Global guide · IMG Global (GPMI) guide.

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FAQ

Is Cigna or IMG cheaper in Asia?

It depends on your age, country, cover level, deductible or cost share, and which optional benefits you add. Because IMG is modular, leaving off dental and maternity can lower its price, while Cigna's cost share and out-of-pocket cap can lower its own. IPMIAsia quotes both live through Nomi so you can see which wins for you.

Which is better for a family wanting maternity?

IMG offers routine maternity as an optional add-on on every tier with a 10-month waiting period, so you only pay for it when you need it. Cigna provides maternity by plan. Either way, add maternity well before you expect to claim and compare both for your situation.

Which is better for company or group cover?

IMG is often the answer for groups because its Medical History Disregarded basis can set members' medical history aside entirely, subject to a minimum number of lives that varies by insurer. Compare both for group size, member health and price.

Which publishes a clearer area of cover for Asia?

Cigna publishes worldwide, worldwide excluding the USA and the narrower Close Care. IMG confirms the area of cover at quote. With either, check that regional hubs you might use for treatment, such as Singapore or Hong Kong, are inside your area.

General information, not personal or medical advice. Based on each insurer’s plan documentation; exact terms, limits and underwriting are confirmed at quote. Prices are indicative. Cigna and IMG names and logos are the property of their respective owners.