AXA Global Healthcare vs Cigna Global is a comparison of two international health insurers built on opposite designs. AXA sells five fixed tiers, with overall annual limits from US$400,000 to US$8,000,000 per member, according to its individual summary of benefits. Cigna sells four tiers, from US$500,000 to paid in full, and on three of them you add optional modules to a core hospital plan, according to its plans in detail.
We read both insurers' own documents on 29 September 2026 and set 17 terms side by side, in the same rows we use for every provider comparison. Every figure links to where it is published.
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On this page
- 01How do AXA Global Healthcare and Cigna Global compare at a glance?
- 02How do all 17 terms compare?
- 03How are AXA and Cigna plans built?
- 04Is medical evacuation included?
- 05How long is the maternity waiting period?
- 06How do they treat pre-existing conditions and age?
- 07How do they cover treatment in the USA?
- 08How do claims and cancellation compare?
- 09Which published facts matter for you?
In short
AXA Global Healthcare includes medical evacuation on all five tiers, outside the overall limit; Cigna Global sells it as a module on Silver, Gold and Platinum. AXA's maternity wait is 18 months; Cigna's is 12, or 24 for treatment in the UK, Hong Kong or Singapore. AXA publishes a moratorium; Cigna publishes no upper age limit to join. This is general information, not advice on your situation.
How do AXA Global Healthcare and Cigna Global compare at a glance?
| Term | AXA Global Healthcare | Cigna Global |
|---|---|---|
| How the plan is built | 5 fixed tiers | Core hospital plan plus optional modules on 3 of 4 tiers |
| Overall annual limit | US$400,000 to US$8,000,000 | US$500,000 to paid in full |
| Medical evacuation | Included on every tier, outside the overall limit | Optional module (Silver, Gold, Platinum) |
| Maternity wait | 18 months (Prestige, Prestige Plus) | 12 months, or 24 in the UK, Hong Kong or Singapore (Gold, Platinum) |
| Underwriting | Full medical underwriting, moratorium, or previous insurer's exclusions carried over | Medical questionnaire. No moratorium published |
| Age to join | Under 80 for moratorium or switch terms. From 80, full underwriting or plan transfer, with some exclusions | No upper age limit |
Sources: AXA summary of benefits, evacuation, maternity and retiree pages; Cigna plans in detail, optional benefits, brochure and seniors page.
How do all 17 terms compare?
The full table uses the same 17 rows, in the same order, as our Cigna Global vs Allianz Care and AXA Global Healthcare vs Allianz Care comparisons, so the pages agree cell for cell.
| Term | AXA Global Healthcare | Cigna Global |
|---|---|---|
| Insurer and regulator | AXA PPP healthcare Limited or AXA XL Insurance Company UK Limited (PRA and FCA), or AXA Insurance dac (Central Bank of Ireland), depending on the policy document issued | Cigna Global Insurance Company Limited, Guernsey, regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. Singapore policies: Cigna Europe Insurance Company S.A.-N.V. Singapore Branch |
| Plan tiers | 5: Foundation, Standard, Comprehensive, Prestige, Prestige Plus | 4: Close Care, Silver, Gold, Platinum |
| Overall annual limit | US$400,000 (Foundation) to US$8,000,000 (Prestige Plus) | US$500,000 (Close Care) to paid in full (Platinum) |
| How the plan is built | Fixed tiers, outpatient optional on Foundation and Standard and built in from Comprehensive upwards | Core hospital plan plus up to four optional modules (Silver, Gold, Platinum). Close Care has built-in outpatient cover |
| Areas of cover | Worldwide, or worldwide excluding the USA | Worldwide including or excluding the USA. Close Care: your country of residence and nationality only |
| US treatment | Buy worldwide. On the excluding-USA option, emergency US treatment on every tier except Foundation | Buy worldwide including the USA. Out-of-network US treatment is paid at 20% less |
| Hospital deductible options | None, or US$160 to US$3,200 in five steps. Standard without outpatient also US$8,000 or US$16,000 | US$0 to US$10,000, seven steps |
| Outpatient | Optional on Foundation and Standard. Built in from Comprehensive (US$5,600) upwards | Optional module on Silver, Gold and Platinum. Close Care: built-in, US$5,000 |
| Maternity and waiting period | Prestige and Prestige Plus. 18 months | Gold and Platinum. 12 months, or 24 months for treatment in the UK, Hong Kong or Singapore |
| Dental | Non-routine dental from Standard upwards. Routine dental an upgrade, built into Prestige Plus. Waits not published | Optional module. Waits of 3 months (routine), 12 months (major), 18 months (orthodontic) |
| Medical evacuation | Included on every tier, outside the overall limit | Optional module (Silver, Gold, Platinum). Close Care: road ambulance only |
| Pre-existing conditions | Full medical underwriting, a moratorium, or your previous insurer's exclusions carried over | Medical questionnaire. Exclusions, or cover at extra premium. No moratorium published |
| Direct billing and claims | Pays providers directly in many cases. Says 83.2% of eligible online claims in 2025 were paid within two days | Direct payment where possible. Aims to confirm payment within 1 hour and pay claims within 5 working days |
| Maximum age to join | Under 80 for moratorium or switch terms. 80 and over on full medical underwriting or a plan transfer, with some exclusions | No upper age limit |
| Renewal | Claims do not raise your renewal premium. Inflation and age still can | Renews automatically. Premiums not based on your claims history |
| Cooling-off | 14 days from receiving your membership pack | 14 days (Guernsey-issued policies), 3-month minimum term |
| Paying monthly | Paying annually saves 5% | Annual or quarterly "slightly lower". No figure published |
Figures are the insurers' own, checked on 29 September 2026. AXA's come from its summary of benefits (October 2025), brochure (April 2026), plans page and product information documents; the 83.2% is AXA's own figure for online claims in 2025, method not published. Cigna's apply to policies starting or renewing from 15 February 2026 (plans in detail); its one-hour aim is on page 3 of its February 2026 brochure: "We aim to process your guarantee of payment within one hour". Your policy documents bind.
How are AXA and Cigna plans built?
AXA Global Healthcare sells fixed tiers: you pick one of five, and each carries a set list of benefits. Cigna Global sells a core plan, International Medical Insurance, and on Silver, Gold and Platinum you add up to four modules: International Outpatient, International Medical Evacuation, International Health and Wellbeing, and International Vision and Dental, according to its optional benefits page.
Cigna does not list its modules for Close Care, which covers your country of residence and nationality only, builds in outpatient cover up to US$5,000 a year, has no maternity cover and pays road ambulance only, per its plans in detail.
AXA's options sit inside the tiers: outpatient is an upgrade on Foundation and Standard, with combined limits of US$1,600 or US$4,000, and built in from Comprehensive at US$5,600, according to its summary of benefits. On a Cigna quote, a module's benefits are there only if the module is listed.
Is medical evacuation included?
AXA Global Healthcare includes emergency evacuation and repatriation on all five tiers, according to its brochure. Its evacuation page adds that AXA doesn't "take this out of your overall benefit allowance". On that wording, an evacuation does not reduce the annual limit.
Cigna Global sells evacuation as the International Medical Evacuation module, on Silver, Gold and Platinum. When added, evacuation, repatriation and repatriation of mortal remains are paid in full, per its optional benefits page. Cigna lists the module for those three tiers; Close Care covers road ambulance only.
How long is the maternity waiting period?
AXA Global Healthcare waits 18 months wherever you give birth. Cigna Global waits 12 months, or 24 months for treatment in the UK, Hong Kong or Singapore.
| Term | AXA Global Healthcare | Cigna Global |
|---|---|---|
| Tiers with routine maternity | Prestige, Prestige Plus | Gold, Platinum |
| Waiting period | 18 months | 12 months; 24 months for treatment in the UK, Hong Kong or Singapore |
| Routine maternity limit | Up to US$16,000 (Prestige), US$19,200 (Prestige Plus) | US$7,000 (Gold), US$14,000 (Platinum) |
Sources: AXA maternity page and summary of benefits; Cigna February 2026 brochure, page 14, and plans in detail.
Cigna's optional benefits page adds that maternity waits "may be 12 or 24 months depending on your insurance entity". As a labelled example, for a birth in Singapore or Hong Kong, Cigna's published wait is 24 months and AXA's is 18. Both waits run from the day cover starts.
How do they treat pre-existing conditions and age?
AXA Global Healthcare publishes three underwriting routes on its retiree cover page:
- Fully underwritten: AXA asks for your medical history and tells you any exclusions it applies.
- Continuing medical exclusions: if you switch from another insurer, AXA "may continue applying these exclusions to your new plan".
- Moratorium: conditions from the five years before joining are excluded until you have been a member for two years in a row and trouble-free from that condition for two years.
Cigna Global uses a medical questionnaire. Its member FAQ says it "may decide to add special exclusions to your plan", and its product information document says it may cover certain pre-existing conditions "at an additional premium". Cigna publishes no moratorium and no carry-over route in the documents we read.
Age runs the other way. Cigna's seniors page states "No upper age limit". AXA requires you to be under 80 when cover starts to join on moratorium or switch terms; from 80 it accepts full medical underwriting, a plan transfer or group-leave terms only, with some exclusions (footnotes 7 and 8, retiree page).
How do they cover treatment in the USA?
AXA Global Healthcare and Cigna Global cover planned US treatment only on cover that includes the USA. Without it, AXA still pays emergency inpatient and day-patient treatment in the USA on every tier except Foundation: up to US$16,000 on Standard, US$24,000 on Comprehensive, US$32,000 on Prestige and US$48,000 on Prestige Plus, per page 8 of its summary of benefits. Emergency outpatient treatment in the USA is on Prestige Plus only, up to US$3,200.
Cigna's plans in detail sets an out-of-area emergency hospitalisation cap for members without worldwide including USA cover: US$100,000 on Silver, US$250,000 on Gold, paid in full on Platinum and US$40,000 on Close Care. With US cover, Cigna pays 20% less for US treatment outside its network.
How do claims and cancellation compare?
AXA Global Healthcare says "in many cases, we can pay the costs directly for you", according to its brochure. Cigna Global says many network providers "can bill us directly", and it aims to process a guarantee of payment within one hour and claims within 5 working days, per page 3 of its February 2026 brochure. Ask about the hospitals you would use.
Cooling-off: AXA refunds your premium if you cancel within 14 days of receiving your membership pack and no claims have been paid (AXA PPP, AXA XL and AXA Insurance dac product information documents). Cigna's Guernsey-issued policies give 14 days from the start date, then you owe premium for the first three months (Silver product information document).
We publish no prices. Our expat health insurance cost guide explains what moves a premium.
Which published facts matter for you?
AXA Global Healthcare and Cigna Global publish different terms on these points:
- Maternity: AXA offers it on Prestige and Prestige Plus after 18 months; Cigna on Gold and Platinum after 12 or 24 months, depending on where treatment happens and the insuring entity.
- Evacuation: AXA includes it on every tier, outside the overall limit. Cigna's is a module on Silver, Gold and Platinum, present only if added.
- Medical history: AXA publishes a moratorium and a route that carries a previous insurer's exclusions across. Cigna publishes a medical questionnaire and no moratorium.
- Age: Cigna publishes no upper age limit. AXA's moratorium and switch terms close at 80.
- US emergencies without US cover: AXA pays up to US$16,000 to US$48,000 by tier, none on Foundation. Cigna's out-of-area cap runs from US$100,000 (Silver) to paid in full (Platinum).
More comparisons: all insurers side by side: compare international health insurance companies. Head to head: Cigna vs Bupa · Cigna vs Allianz · Bupa vs Allianz · AXA vs Allianz · AXA vs Bupa. Full reviews: AXA Global Healthcare review · Cigna Global review. Country guides: Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Dubai.
How we compared them
Every figure comes from AXA Global Healthcare's and Cigna Global's own documents, read on 29 September 2026 and linked beside it. Where an insurer publishes nothing, we say so. Individual and family plans only; no prices, scores or winner.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between AXA Global Healthcare and Cigna Global?
AXA Global Healthcare sells five fixed tiers with medical evacuation included on every one. Cigna Global sells a core hospital plan with optional modules, including evacuation, on Silver, Gold and Platinum. AXA publishes a moratorium; Cigna publishes no upper age limit to join.
Does Cigna Global include medical evacuation like AXA?
No. Cigna Global sells medical evacuation as an optional module on Silver, Gold and Platinum, so it is on a policy only if you add it. AXA Global Healthcare includes evacuation and repatriation on all five tiers, outside the overall limit.
What is the maternity waiting period on AXA and Cigna?
AXA Global Healthcare waits 18 months, on Prestige and Prestige Plus only. Cigna Global waits 12 months on Gold and Platinum, or 24 months for treatment in the UK, Hong Kong or Singapore, and says waits may depend on the insuring entity.
Does AXA or Cigna offer moratorium underwriting?
AXA Global Healthcare does: conditions from the five years before you join stay excluded until you have been a member for two years and trouble-free from that condition for two years. Cigna Global publishes no moratorium and uses a medical questionnaire.
Is there an age limit to join AXA or Cigna?
Cigna Global publishes no upper age limit. AXA Global Healthcare requires you to be under 80 when cover starts to join on moratorium or switch terms, and from 80 accepts full medical underwriting, a plan transfer or group-leave terms only, with some exclusions.
Who underwrites AXA Global Healthcare and Cigna Global plans?
AXA Global Healthcare plans are insured by AXA PPP healthcare Limited, AXA XL Insurance Company UK Limited or AXA Insurance dac, and AXA does not publish which applies to whom, so ask which is named on your quote. Cigna Global is underwritten by Cigna Global Insurance Company Limited in Guernsey, except Singapore policies, underwritten by Cigna Europe Insurance Company S.A.-N.V. Singapore Branch.
Sources
- 01AXA Global Healthcare, international health insurance plans (footnotes 1 and 3)
- 02AXA Global Healthcare, individual summary of benefits, PB109262b, October 2025
- 03AXA Global Healthcare, individual sales brochure, PB126642a, April 2026
- 04AXA Global Healthcare, pregnancy and maternity insurance
- 05AXA Global Healthcare, medical evacuation and repatriation
- 06AXA Global Healthcare, retiree health insurance (footnotes 7 and 8)
- 07AXA Global Healthcare, Standard plan product information document: AXA PPP healthcare Limited
- 08AXA Global Healthcare, Standard plan product information document: AXA XL Insurance Company UK Limited
- 09AXA Global Healthcare, Standard plan product information document: AXA Insurance dac
- 10Cigna Global, plans in detail (benefits from 15 February 2026)
- 11Cigna Global, optional benefits
- 12Cigna Global, Health Options sales brochure, February 2026
- 13Cigna Global, seniors health insurance
- 14Cigna Global, member FAQ
- 15Cigna Global, Silver insurance product information document, February 2025
This page is general information about insurance products, not personal financial advice. Benefit limits, waiting periods, underwriting terms and exclusions vary by plan, by the insurer named on your policy and by your own underwriting. The terms that apply to you are those in your policy documents. Figures are as published by AXA Global Healthcare and Cigna Global and were checked on 29 September 2026. Speak to a licensed adviser about your circumstances before buying.