Better Prepared: How brokers can help multinational clients navigate health insurance with confidence

Health insurance education is becoming an increasingly important consideration for employers, particularly when supporting globally mobile workforces. Employees who do not understand their health care benefits may struggle to make informed decisions or access the right care at the right time. Brokers play an important role in helping employers address these challenges by improving health insurance understanding among employees and supporting clear benefits communication.

Our research shows that the challenge starts even earlier than choosing a policy. The Cigna Healthcare International Health's 2026 Global Well-being Survey found that among 12,000 respondents worldwide, only 34% said they understand health insurance terms [1]. This knowledge gap can make it more difficult for employees to navigate care confidently and access the right support.

Between complex health care systems, varying regulations, and industry jargon, navigating international health insurance can be especially challenging. In the face of this complexity, brokers have an opportunity to provide clarity, guidance, and strategic support.

Why health insurance education matters for global workforces

For organisations, health insurance education means helping employees better understand their benefits through clear communications, simplified terminology, practical resources, and guidance when choosing coverage.

For employees who live and work across multiple countries, understanding health care benefits can be particularly challenging. Different health care systems, coverage requirements, provider networks, and insurance terminology can make it harder to access care and make informed health care decisions. As organisations expand internationally, improving health insurance education is becoming an increasingly important part of helping employees get the most value from their benefits.

Brokers can play an important advisory role by helping employers provide practical guidance on navigating health care. For multinational organisations, this can help create a more consistent experience for employees across countries while supporting greater confidence in health care decision-making.

Preparing clients with guidance that builds confidence

When it comes to recommending the right plan, it’s easy to let conversations revolve around just the basics: premiums, deductibles, budgets. While price always matters, building true client loyalty requires digging deeper. Being able to anticipate questions and adapt to unique situations is what allows you to deliver a plan that actually works for them. Here are the core questions brokers should always be ready to answer:

"Will international health insurance benefits packages help us attract and retain talent?"
A strong benefits package can play an important role in supporting attraction and retention, particularly in competitive markets. In fact, research from the Association of British Insurers found that more than half of job seekers consider health insurance an important factor when choosing an employer [2]. Employees increasingly expect benefits that support their health, well-being, and mobility across borders [3]. International health insurance can help create a more consistent employee experience while demonstrating a commitment to supporting employees wherever work takes them.

"How can we improve employee understanding of their health insurance benefits?"
Improving health insurance education starts with making information more accessible, relevant, and easy to act on. Research suggests that only 4 in 10 adults have the level of health insurance education needed to manage everyday health decisions effectively, highlighting the need for greater support and clearer communication [4]. Employees are more likely to engage with their benefits when communications use clear language, explain key terms, and provide practical guidance on how and when to access care. By improving employees' understanding of their coverage, employers can help build confidence in health care decision-making.

"Why should we invest in improving health insurance education?"
When employees know how to access care, navigate coverage, and make informed health care decisions, they are more likely to engage with their benefits, including preventive care that may prevent health issues from becoming more complex. Health insurance education is an important part of supporting workforce well-being. Research from The Cigna Group has found that higher health insurance education is associated with increased employee vitality, energy, and engagement [5].

Clear and simple

A well-designed benefits programme can only deliver value if employees understand how to use it. Yet navigating health insurance can be challenging, particularly for globally mobile employees who may be unfamiliar with local health care systems, coverage requirements, or pathways to access care.

The impact of improving health insurance education extends beyond understanding alone. For brokers, this presents an opportunity to help employers see health insurance education as a way to support workforce well-being.

By helping employers simplify complex concepts, improve benefits communication, and support employee health insurance education, brokers can help increase confidence in health care decision-making, which ultimately may result in healthier, more productive workforces.

Want to help your clients learn more? Our Better Prepared series of short videos is designed to support these conversations by explaining key health insurance concepts in clear, accessible language, helping your clients’ employees better understand their coverage and make more informed health care decisions.

Sources

1. Cigna Healthcare International Health. (2026). Cigna Healthcare International Health Study. https://www.cignaglobal.com/global-well-being-and-vitality
2. The ABI. (2023). Access to health insurance through work increasingly important to UK workers. https://www.abi.org.uk/media-hub/news-post/access-to-health-insurance-through-work-increasingly-important-to-employee
3. Cigna Healthcare International Health. (2026). Cigna Healthcare International Health 2026 Globally Mobile Edition. https://www.cignaglobal.com/global-well-being-and-vitality/turning-global-mobility-into-performance-edge
4. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (n.d.). Understanding health information (health literacy). https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/supporting-your-health-care/understanding-health-information-health-literacy
5. The Cigna Group. (2026). High health insurance literacy associated with improved vitality, work productivity, and health outcomes. https://newsroom.cigna.com/health-insurance-literacy-is-associated-with-improved-vitality-productivity-and-health-outcomes