Health Insurance Health Insurance query

Thompb84

Registered User
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1
Hi, I was previously on a health insurance policy with my parents so I know very little about insurance policies etc.
I am looking to try set up a new policy that covers both my girlfriend (32) and myself (31)
Both healthy non smokers, girlfriend currently pregnant with first child.
So Im just looking to see if anyone has any advice ona policy to go for as I am a bit clueless.
Thanks
 
Hi Thompb84,

Welcome to AAM. I'm not sure what kind of budget you have in mind, but there are several options available according to the level of cover included. Just to mention, first of all, there is a 52 week waiting time applied for maternity cover for any plan so it won't cover this pregnancy.
Whatever plan you choose, the new baby can be added to the policy within 13 weeks of birth, for free - until your next renewal date.

To explain briefly, there are 3 levels of hospital cover available under health insurance. Details as follows;
1. Public hospital cover; examples Beaumont Hospital, St James Hospital, Mater, Temple St and Crumlin Childrens Hospital etc etc.
2. Private hospital cover; examples Bons Secours Glasnevin, St Vincents Private Elm Park, Santry Sports Clinic, Hermitage Clinic Lucan and others.
3. Hi-tech hospital cover; examples Blackrock Clinic, Mater Private hospital, Beacon Hospital.

Similarly there are;
1. basic plans - public hospital cover only - price range 400 -500 + per person.
2. mid-level plans - public and private hospital cover included - price range 600 - 900 approx.
3. Plans including all 3 levels - public, private and hi-tech hospital cover - starting at 661 + ( price depends on the excess payable on each plan,
the higher the excess the cheaper the price)

As you are both young and healthy, you could just opt for a basic plan, and at any stage in the future, you can upgrade to a private cover plan
if you want.
Alternatively, one of you could opt for a plan from the Flex Explore range with Laya, which includes public, private and hi-tech hospital cover with an excess of 500 or 250. You can both be on different plans if you choose.

Options worth considering as follows;
1. Future Protect; price 495; public hospital cover only,
2. Flex 500 Explore; price 661pa; public, private and hi-tech hospital cover included. 500 excess payable if admitted to a private or hi-tech hospital, no excess payable in a public hospital. Extra 10% discount online at the moment.
3. Flex 250 Explore; price 854pa; public, private and hi-tech hospital cover included. 250 excess payable if admitted to a private or hi-tech
hospital, no excess payable in a public hospital. Extra 10% discount online at the moment.
4. Simply Connect; price 999pa; public, private and hi-tech hospital cover included. excess 150 per private admission. no excess payable in a
public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 50% refund for gp visits etc.
5. Glohealth Kick Off Plan; price 540pa (reducing to 510 from 1st March 2016) public hospital cover only, with a unique feature to upgrade to a private cover plan Kick Off Upgrade Plan 840 if surgery in a private hospital is required at any time in the future.
6. Assure Protect; price 420pa new plan launching on 1 March 2016, public hospital cover only, full details not available yet.
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7. VHI One Plan 250; price 819pa; public, private and some hi-tech hospital cover, 250 private excess,
8. Kick Off Plus; price 825pa; public, private and some hi-tech hospital cover, 300 private excess.
9. Nurture Plan; price 890pa; public, private and some hi-tech cover. 300 private excess.
10. Zest Plan; price 890pa; public, private and some hi-tech cover, 300 private excess.
11. Bloom Plus Plan; price 900pa; public,private and some hi-tech cover, 300 private excess.
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A selection of plans to choose from, according to your budget.

Regards, Snowyb
 
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Thanks snowyb this is useful. I have just been onto Glohealth who were talking about the kickoff plan. I think I may be missing something.

They told me that for €637 (Kick off plan) they will insure me for public hospitals. I said I don't understand what that is, why would I need insurance for a private hospital (it being public and all) he explained that public is not free and I would get a bill which they would cover. Sound right?

The more interesting part of the conversation is that for this €637 I have the right to upgrade anytime (kick off upgrade) with no waiting period. So I pay this (relatively) small amount until I have a problem and only then do I upgrade. This sounds good... (too good?) so why wouldn't everyone chose this? The analogy is you buy 3rd party motor insurance then after you have an accident you choose to upgrade to comprehensive insurance. Methinks I may be missing something, could someone help me understand or indeed tell me that my understanding is sound.
 
Queenspawn,

Regarding the Kick Off plan with Glohealth, this is a new type of plan ie the first of its type. It launched in December 2015, and would be
particularly suited to young people, in good health who wouldn't use health insurance that often, with the bonus feature to upgrade to
Kick Off Upgrade plan if private hospital is required with no waiting.

If you are a new customer, pre-existing conditions would be subject to a 5 year waiting time before these conditions are covered. If you have no
pre-existing conditions, new conditions will be covered after the standard 26 weeks waiting for all new customers. After the 26 week wait, if you upgrade to Kick Off Upgrade plan, there is no further waiting applied for private hospital cover. The normal upgrade wait, is usually 2 years for any pre-existing condition, so with this plan there is no waiting applied.

There have been a few discussions about this plan on this site in December 2015, when it launched, raising all the relevant questions like yours.
As its a brand new plan, there is no previous experience to compare with. It came to my attention, in December, on the Pat Kenny Newstalk show.
It was recommended by health insurance broker, Dermot Goode, who highlighted the fact it was the first plan of its type on the market.
It might be worth putting that question to Glohealth direct, ie. 'Is there a catch involved?'

On a seperate note, regarding your query re public hospital cover. If you are admitted to any public hospital using health insurance, there is a
pricing system which applies to the health insurance provider - 900 per night plus other costs. These costs are covered by the provider.

If you don't use your health insurance and if you don't have a medical card, there is a nightly charge of 75 euro per night in a public hospital.
Max per year 75 x 10 nights = 750.
Since Jan 2014, there is just one waiting list in public hospitals, regardless of having health insurance or not. This is becoming an issue as the
waiting lists are getting longer, 2 years is not an unusual wait time for surgery. So having the option of choosing a private hospital is a big
advantage as an alternative if required. Waiting times are much shorter, few months compared to 1 - 2 years, depending on the type of surgery.

So your thinking and understanding is correct. As Kick Off plan is a new idea, it will probably take a while to take off. It would be very helpful
to people trying to cut costs without compromising on private cover.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Snowyb you are a star when I last lived in Ireland I was a regular on this forum mainly under a different name. You are a credit to the AAM community.

I did ask Glohealth (recorded by me) if "there is anything else I need to know about this policy" they gave me a little more information but no catches. The conservative in me says go for the nurture package with €300 XS. The consumer in me says go for Kick off. If I discover anything interesting I'll post here.
 
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