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Nanjing Expat Healthcare & Medical Insurance

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu province and the second-largest city in Eastern China. The greater Nanjing area has a population of over 30 million people. Due to its size, Nanjing offers a vast array of expat health insurance and high-quality medical care for any necessary treatment. Of course, trying to navigate the world of health insurance in a city with so many available options for coverage can be a bit daunting. To make your life easier, you can click here to get a no-obligation health insurance comparison.

Nanjing is situated in the Yangtze River Delta region and has prominence throughout Chinese history as well as in modern-day Chinese culture. It served as the capital of multiple Chinese dynasties and governments from the third century to 1949. Because of this, Nanjing is a major center of education, culture, politics, research, tourism, and transport. It is also a major economic center with top exports in electronics and automobiles. Nanjing is recognized as one of the four great ancient capitals of China. It houses many important historical sites. Most notably Sun Yat Sen’s mausoleum and the Presidential Palace. 

Nanjing’s climate is humid subtropical. It has four distinct seasons and is pretty humid year round. It has very hot and humid summers and is traditionally referred to as one of the “Three furnace like cities.” Typhoons are not common here, but do occasionally happen in the late summer. Nanjing has an average temperature of 15.91 degrees Celsius. Geographically, Nanjing sits on the banks of the Yangtze river and is surrounded by mountains.

Hospitals and Medical Facilities in Nanjing

Because Nanjing is such a large city, expats have no need to worry about getting top quality, international medical care. There are many options in terms of hospitals and clinics catered towards expats. An example of this type of facility is Nanjing BenQ Hospital, International Medical Center. This is an international hospital that offers services in English, Japanese, and Mandarin. They specialize in pediatrics, orthopedics, and gynaecology. Furthermore, you do not need to book an appointment to get treatment. 

Another great choice hospital for expats is Global Doctor Nanjing Clinic. Similar to Nanjing BenQ, they offer multilingual services in English, Mandarin, and Japanese but also in Spanish and Korean. This hospital specializes in general medicine, family medicine, and emergency treatment. No appointment is needed. Both of these options are convenient and have great international medical care.

Expats should also recognize that some hospitals in Nanjing only accept certain insurance providers, so to avoid higher costs, they should do some research before choosing a provider or receiving treatment. Listed below is a full list of hospitals and clinics recommended for expats in Nanjing.

  • Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School
  • Nanjing BenQ Hospital, International Medical Center
  • Jiangsu Province People’s Hospital, VIP Department
  • Nanjing First Hospital International High-end Medical Center
  • Global Doctor Nanjing Clinic
  • Nanjing United Family Clinic
  • Guze Clinic
  • Nanjing Taikang Xianlin Drum Tower Hospital

Health Issues for Expats in Nanjing

According to the World Health Organization, top concerns for expats in Nanjing are the low air quality and low water quality due to elevated pollution levels in the city. The air pollution and water pollution levels are both categorized as high. If one is exposed to high levels of air pollution over a sustained period of time, their respiratory system can become inflamed and irritated. This can negatively affect your health. One way to prevent this is to wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth on days where pollution is very high and there is a severe AQI. These are things that affect expats and locals alike and should be considered when deciding to live there. 

As mentioned before, there is water pollution in Nanjing. Because if the lower water quality in Nanjing, it is inadvisable to drink water directly from the tap. Though the tap water is not safe to consume, it is safe for washing and handling food. It is advisable if one is going to spend a significant amount of time anywhere in China, they get a water filter. They are relatively cheap and easy to upkeep, in addition, you save money and the environment by not only buying bottled water. Overall, as long as one is careful about where they get their food and water from, Nanjing is a very safe city to live in.