Health Insurance VHI 37 13 or Laya Flex?

Jellymonster

Registered User
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Hi, I've just returned from Australia with my partner and 6 month old. I was covered with VHI international while in Oz and before I left I had been on VHI plan b. Now that I have returned permanently, I need to swap my health insurance back to a domestic plan. Aviva seem to be insanely expensive and Glo won't recognise VHI international so that leaves VHI or Laya.
We are hoping to have another baby in the next 18 to 36 months so maternity cover is important ( I am hoping to go private all the way... I understand I'll be paying the outpatient consultant charges myself).
VHI have recommended PMI 37 13 and Laya have suggested flex 250 choice for me (and flex 250 explore for my partner). I am also considering Simplicity?
Does anyone have any experience with these policies or could recommend one over the other? I have spent about 12 hours today calling all the companies and trying to compare the hundreds of available plans via the HIA website! Argh!!!
Thanks in advance
 
Hi Jellymonster,

Welcome back to Ireland and AAM.

VHI PMI 37 13 is not recommended as it has poor cover for maternity consultant visits ( 240 less 125 excess = 115pa).

The max refund available for maternity consultant visits is 500pa. Flex 250 Choice plan with Laya has this level of consultant cover for maternity.
This is a good plan if you don't mind paying 250 per admission to a private hospital for surgery. It also includes good day to day medical cover.
Note; there are no private maternity hospitals in Ireland and there is no charge on admission to any maternity hospital or any public hospital.
This plan covers 3 levels of hospital cover; public, private and hi-tech hospitals. Private room covered in all maternity hospitals, however, a
private room is not guaranteed, based on availability on the day.

Flex 250 Explore is identical to Flex 250 Choice regarding hospital cover, only difference is there is no day to day medical cover on this plan.
No maternity consultant refund cover on this plan, more suitable for your partner.
Both plans above have an extra 10% discount off, if you buy online at the moment.

Alternative options with Laya worth considering are as follows;
Simplicity Plan; 3 levels of hospital covered, private hospital excess 100 x 2 max per year, private room in a private hospital fully covered. Good day to day cover, first 100 not allowed. Full maternity cover as before, 400 refund for maternity consultants, private room covered in all maternity hospitals, subject to availability on the day.

Simply Connect Plan; 3 levels of hospital covered, private hospital excess 150 x 2 max per year, Good day to day medical cover, 1 euro excess,
max refund 300 pa per person. Full maternity cover as before, 400 refund for maternity consultants, private room covered in all maternity hospitals - subject to availability on the day.

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Plans worth considering for 6 month old as follows;
1. Laya Simply Connect; price per child 239; 3 levels of hospitals covered, good day to day medical cover, max refund 300 pa.

2. VHI One + Plan; price 131pa; 3 levels of hospitals covered, no day to day cover. Note; all children under 6 have free GP visits in Ireland now, so day to day cover is not required.
Also, VHI allow a child only to be insured if you wish, an adult is named on the policy but only the child is insured. The One + Plan is on a half price offer at the moment, which is very good value.

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All prices and offers are available until 29th Feb 2016.
Hope this helps with making decisions.

Regards, Snowyb
 
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Thank you Snowyb for your reply... It was really helpful! I did a little more research and had decided Laya Simplicity was probably the best plan for us.

Then I hit a problem. When I moved to Australia, I swapped from plan B to VHI international instead of cancelling my insurance to ensure I wouldn't need to re-serve waiting periods etc.

Laya tell me that they recognise VHI International but if I change to Simplicity, I will be subject to their upgrade rule. The problem is trying to figure out exactly what VHI international covers when it comes to hospital care in Ireland (it doesn't specify type of room in public/private hosp etc etc). For this reason, were I to swap back to a domestic policy with VHI, they base the upgrade rule on the policy I had prior to International (i.e plan b). Laya however will only base the upgrade rule on International and have decided it would only cover public hospital treatment!

So I'm totally confused! I'm quite healthy and as far as I know, I have no pre existing illnesses but I feel if I swap to Laya, I'm covered for very little for the next 2 years but if I stay with VHI, I don't get quite as good a plan.

What would happen if I stayed with VHI for one year and then swapped to Laya?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! It's an odd situation.
 
Jellymonster,

It would make perfect sense to stay with VHI for the next 2 years(after 2 years, there would be no restrictions with Laya).
The VHI plan PMI 37 13 is well worth considering, as it covers the 3 levels of hospital available in Ireland - public, private and hi-tech hospitals.
I was not recommending it in my previous post, solely based on the cover for maternity consultants in comparison to the cover on Laya plans.
As Laya plans are not really an option based on their criteria in relation to the VHI International policy, the VHI plans will continue to offer full
hospital cover as before.

The following 2 plans are worth considering with VHI as follows;
1. PMI 37 13; price 1079pa; public, private and hi-tech hospital cover, 100 private hospital excess on admission or day case.
Full maternity cover, maternity consultant cover 240 -125excess = 115.

2. PMI 35 13; price 1238pa; public, private and hi-tech hospital cover, 100 private hospital excess on admission or day case.
Full maternity cover, maternity consultant cover 350.
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Each adult can be on a different plan if you want.


Child Option
The VHI One + Plan is still a very good option for your child, price 131 (half price offer).
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Note; the above childs plan will double in price from 1st March 2016, to avail of this offer, the last date to renew in Feb is 22/2/2016.
If you miss this date, the following 2 plans will be half price from 1 March 2016.
1. One Plan Family; price 138 per child; public,private and hi-tech hospital cover. 125 private excess.
2. Parents and Kids Excess; price 143 per child; public,private and hi-tech hospital cover. 75 private excess.
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I don't have any experience of VHI International plans, so it was very interesting to learn of the 2 providers criteria when a person returns home.
My previous post and opinions were based on the assumption that both companies had made the recommendations taking that criteria into account at the time. While VHI had, the full story with Laya only emerged after you expressed an interest in buying.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Thanks again Snowyb. Ended up going with PMI 26 12. €500 can be claimed back for pre/post natal care plus €100 for foetal screening and 1€ excess on day to day expenses.

Thanks for all your valuable advice! Much appreciated.
 
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