Health Cover - which should i consider for first time..VHI?

girly

Registered User
Messages
11
Hi,

Im 20 will be 21 in november..I no longer have a medical card and i was just lookin 4 some advice on wat health cover i should consider & wat plan (my brother & sis are with VHI)
 
You should have a read of some of the existing threads on private health insurance. In particular make sure that you are sure that you need/want such cover first. Then shop around. The HIA publications [broken link removed] and [broken link removed] might help in this context.
 
I am 49.I was in VHI for a number of years in the past mainly for my wife while our 3 children were being born.We discontinued private health cover 13 years ago.We saved what we would normally be paying in premiums each year.So we now plan a holiday on those saved premiums.I was in hospital once in that period for blood transfusion opted for public ward not expensive. Many would regard our attitude as suicidal,what if etc.Heard a person being interviewed on Matt Coopers programme on Today F.M about 4 months ago who advocated our attitude [an economist]He just adviced to join when one is 54 years as if you join when you are 55 you might have to wait for a number of years in order to claim.
On the recent surgeons programme done by R.T.E. it was interesting to note that both public and private patients formed the same queue on the waiting lists for heart surgery,brain surgery.Private health insurance did not mean you were able to jump the queue.
Obviously paying for such surgery is a factor.Private health insurance does not guarantee a private room in a public hospital.
I am not advocating you do not join a private health insurance scheme I just wanted to offer another perspective.I was a member of a salary protection health scheme for 20+years paid approx 15000 euro in premiums.While I was glad of having the health not to avail of its benefits.It peeved me to pay 15000 euro for peace of mind.
 
I agree - it is worth at least considering the alternatives and then deciding for yourself whether or not private health insurance is right for you. Don't just buy it because others do or because many people assume that it is a "good thing". See my post here as well for example. But do read up on the matter (here and elsewhere) and make an informed decision applicable to your own specific circumstances.
 
Back
Top