VHI Plan B.....Implications of sticking with this plan or changing?

I was reading this thread and rang to ask VHI about the PMI 19 11 plan which was priced about €755, however they told me that price was €986, I said that wasnt the price on the HIA website and I was told that price was only available to a particular company (wouldn't name it) and if I want that that plan it would cost me €986 from my renewal date of 1 Jan, I asked if there was a better plan for me and I was given the option of a First Plan Plus Level 1 - has anyone else had a simillar experience?
 
I was reading this thread and rang to ask VHI about the PMI 19 11 plan which was priced about €755, however they told me that price was €986, I said that wasnt the price on the HIA website and I was told that price was only available to a particular company (wouldn't name it) and if I want that that plan it would cost me €986 from my renewal date of 1 Jan, I asked if there was a better plan for me and I was given the option of a First Plan Plus Level 1 - has anyone else had a simillar experience?

Under open enrolment, health insurers can't charge different prices to different people for the same plan, outside of a group discount and child/student rates. It's possible that the €755 includes the maximum 10% discount for a particular company, but even then that would make the individual price approximately €839.

Maybe the plan will be subject to a price increase and it will cost €986 from 1st January 2012. I don't see anything about that on the HIA website, but there's been so many updates from all the insurers lately, it's hard to keep track.
 
Under open enrolment, health insurers can't charge different prices to different people for the same plan, outside of a group discount and child/student rates. It's possible that the €755 includes the maximum 10% discount for a particular company, but even then that would make the individual price approximately €839.

Maybe the plan will be subject to a price increase and it will cost €986 from 1st January 2012. I don't see anything about that on the HIA website, but there's been so many updates from all the insurers lately, it's hard to keep track.


I would say that they are looking at your renewal date of 1st January and telling you the price at that time.

Tell them you want pmi 19 11 with a start date of 22nd December, as a separate contract to the one that you have and that you will not be renewing the initial contract on 1st January.

Let us know how you get on - don't take no for an answer. €679 is the price for certain large groups in December.
 
And if €679 is the discounted price, then €755 is definitely the correct (current) individual price.
 
Remember, if you are reducing cover as part of a changed plan then waiting periods exist if you ever want to up grade again.

I suspect (but I dont have any proof) the Health Insurance Companies are operating a kind of merry-go-round in which customers are inticed by cheaper deals but with incrementally less cover. After a number of years and some changes a gap will have opened with what I would call "Plan B Classic".
 
Hi All,

Vhi seem to be renamimg Plan B with options to Healthplus Extra. Does anyone know if the plan cover is changing as well as the name?

Doesnt seem to be on their website but I'm still not sure as its all quite vague.
 
I would say that they are looking at your renewal date of 1st January and telling you the price at that time.

Tell them you want pmi 19 11 with a start date of 22nd December, as a separate contract to the one that you have and that you will not be renewing the initial contract on 1st January.

Let us know how you get on - don't take no for an answer. €679 is the price for certain large groups in December.


if your renewal date is on the 1st of Jan you cant tell them you want a start date of the22nd-you are in a years contract .
 
if your renewal date is on the 1st of Jan you cant tell them you want a start date of the22nd-you are in a years contract .

I am not suggesting you break this "one year contract" -you let it run its course and don't renew.

I am suggesting that you take out a second plan with a start date in December and keep this one going forward.

VHI may say that you can't but where does it say that you can't ?

PMI is part of general insurance and you CAN have dual insurance - confirmed to myself by the HIA.

You cannot have double payout though for the same claim.

Don't take no for an answer. VHI will allow who they want to "break their contract".

They are moving lots of their big group schemes to start dates in December without penalty. Please don't suggest that this is not the case as I have had first hand experience for clients of mine.

I have being quoted on this in the public domain.

Patrick
 
Tell them you want pmi 19 11 with a start date of 22nd December

The price is going up on the 22 Dec, according to the HIA website, so you would need to have it sorted before then.
[broken link removed]
 
Yes you are right. Needs to have a start date of 8th or 15th December -same principle as above.
 
After many years of inertia I have changed plans.
Last year I had HealthPus Excess(plan B Excess). After a 40% increase this year I have changed to PMI 19 11.
It is very difficult to understand whether one plan is better or worse than another, even using the comparison site.
Anyway I have decided to go with PMI 19 11. I hope it is a good decision. I am up about €400 in the price from day 1.

Got my renewal notice from VHI. I expected E755 per adult(as discussed with VHI on phone) but the price quoted was E986 like pj111 in an earlier post.

Duel insurance not allowed and not allowed to change start date to 15 Dec to avail of lower rate etc


So I am looking to change to AVIVA.
 
Got my renewal notice from VHI. I expected E755 per adult(as discussed with VHI on phone) but the price quoted was E986 like pj111 in an earlier post.

Duel insurance not allowed and not allowed to change start date to 15 Dec to avail of lower rate etc


So I am looking to change to AVIVA.

Did they specifically say you cannot have 2 policies at the same time ?

Email and write to them to say that you will be cancelling your policy from 31st December.

Buy another policy online once they confirm your instruction and then within 14 days change to the plan of your choice - you would have until January 5th to this.

You will also avoid VHI's new rule of having to serve a waiting period for any increase in benefits even if you have NO Pre Existing conditions.

Patrick
 
Did they specifically say you cannot have 2 policies at the same time ?

Email and write to them to say that you will be cancelling your policy from 31st December.

Buy another policy online once they confirm your instruction and then within 14 days change to the plan of your choice - you would have until January 5th to this.

You will also avoid VHI's new rule of having to serve a waiting period for any increase in benefits even if you have NO Pre Existing conditions.

Patrick

They specifically did say that I cannot have 2 policies at the same time according to their legal dept. I rang the HIA and they agreed with VHI.

I have checked with AVIVA and have decided to join their scheme, at a cost of E811.
 
I had the same experience as Billo, they will not allow me to renew from the 15 Dec, Billo what plan did you get with Aviva? and how does it compare?
 
G7979

I had the same experience as Billo, they will not allow me to renew from the 15 Dec, Billo what plan did you get with Aviva? and how does it compare?

I was advised by other people with Aviva and went with Business Plan Select Plus at E811.
It is difficult to compare as it looks very similar to most other plans.
Take a look on the comparison site below. Some aspects look better, others not so good .

[broken link removed]
 
One doesn't see all the benefits under the HIA. Aviva much stronger on scan centres and the way they pay them. Wth the exception of Beacon, where VHI can treat Hermitage and Galway as hi tech hospital in some categories.

Where AVIVA have an outpatient excess of €150 or €250 they are for benefits that VHI do not cover. They will always pay out whatever is better for the customer so they pay €70 for unlimited visits to the consultant and not €55.

This time next year, you call Aviva and register your claim, just send in the receipts and a cheque is issued within 3 days - no form filling.

I will be onto the HIA in relationn to the dual insurance bit.

Patrick
 
Thanks for the info Patrick

I also went with the same plan Billo, for €811 - completely different experience, I told the man in the sales dept my renewal date was the 1 Jan and he advised me to take the policy from the 31 Dec as the price for the plan would rise on the 1st Jan to €911.

Basic customer service that was so lacking with the VHI call centre!
 
G7979,

I hope you were not relying on my expertise to choose that plan, as I know very little about it. The whole health system is mostly double dutch to me.
Luckily for me,so far, I have very rarely been in a hospital or even to the doctor, but who knows what the future may hold,so I am relying on others for advice and hoping for the best in the future.
I still think it is safer to have health insurance than not, but one has to shop around.

Rgds
 
Hi billo, no, just used the plan as a reference point - far too many to choose from for me also, I looked at 3 with Aviva and 2 with Quinn and decided to go with Business Plan select plus, single, no dependants and relatively healthy seemed like all I needed from a health plan
 
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