Health Insurance 1 adult/2 kids, insurance needed for emergencies

[Ndiddy]

Hi,
Let our VHI policy lapse 20 Dec 2017 and need to sign up before it is 13 weeks. Always had full coverage with work ( ie VHI Company plans) but new company doesn’t cover it and looking for better value.

Kids are 1.5 and 3.5 so covered by GP scheme but knock on wood they hardly ever get sick. I usually go to GP myself maybe 2-3 a year but have enough cash to cover any day-to-day expenses, occasional consultant visits, and ok with higher excess. Looking mostly to cover hospital and major issues. We live closest to Beacon out of 3 hi-tech hospitals.

Thinking of Laya Control 600 Connect for myself and One +Plan but looking for advice on “downgrading” of policies. If we have enough cash cushion for most smaller matters, are there any other reasons we shouldn’t downgrade and pay less in premiums? Thanks for any advice.

 

[gnf_ireland]

If you only go to the GP 2-3 times a year, having day to day cover is not that important to you. However, if something does happen it can be expensive if you require lots of physio etc.

You then have a choice around which of the hi-tech hospitals you want access to. If its only the Beacon, then you probably have a better choice of plans available to you. If its Blackrock & Maher private, the choices are a lot less.

The final decision you need to make is around the excess, the higher the excess the lower the price. You are basically betting on the fact you will not be in hospital in the year, and therefore you will save on it. Over a number of year, and if you have a partner, that probably works out ok depending on your health. However, you can be unlucky and end up in hospital the week afterward for any reason.

Remember the kids can be on a different plan to adults, and the cost of kids plans is very different to adults also. Again its more about access to consultants/hi-tech hospitals in a timely manner than day to day costs

I took the option of having the high excess but wanted access to Blackrock Clinic as I am very close to it. I injured my foot recently, and took the choice to go to A&E in Blackrock rather than wait 4-6 hours in Loughlinstown or Maher Minor Injuries clinic (rang both to see what the wait times were in advance). I was in and out of Blackrock in less than 90 minutes, including x-ray, but paid 350 for the privilege (150 A&E, 100 x-ray and 100 for the boot cast for the foot). Add a follow up consultant visit at 200 and an MRI on the foot at 265, and you are over 800 euro before physio etc. The plan I am on will cover minimal of that. I do fully accept I could have done the MRI elsewhere but I accepted the cost for convenience.

BUT even if I had a much better plan, they would probably only have covered around 500 of the cost. I saved 500 by going for a cheaper plan in the first instance, so I am still quid's in and its the first time I have needed to go near A&E or a hospital in 20 years, and hoping its another while before I go back.

So its all down to personal choice - once you know what type of cover you want, I am sure someone on here will happily recommend a few plan options to you !

The final thing I would add is when you upgrade your plan, you have wait times for pre-existing conditions to keep in mind.

 

[snowyb]

Ndiddy,

As you say, with a cash cushion and if you're happy to pay 600 per admission, its fine to switch to that type of plan.

The following option is worth considering, to reduce the risk of the 600 excess and covering the day to day expenses.
For a difference in price of 170 approx which would be the amount refunded if you had 3 gp visits and 1 consultant visit, Control 300 Create
is a good alternative.

Control 300 Create; price 1042pa; all public, private(including private room fully covered) + 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private/hi-tech excess
300 per admission, day case excess 125 per procedure. Good day to day cover included with a 1 euro excess, refund of 80 per consultant visit,
30 per gp visit, physio visits, dental, etc. Note x-rays, ultrasounds would also come under day to day and the 1 euro excess would be an extra
advantage in this regard.
Note; MRI, CT and PET scans are fully covered directly and are treated seperately.

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Children;
1; VHI One + Plan is a good option upto Feb 28th 2018 including 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Excess 125 per admission or day case.

A cheaper alternative option with Laya means you just pay for the first child and the rest of the children are free.
2. Essential Health 300; price 234pa; all public, private and Beacon hospital covered, cardiac and orthopaedic covered with Mater Private and
Blackrock Clinic. Private excess 300 x 2 max per year, day case excess 125 per procedure.

3. Essential Connect Family; price 238pa; all public, private and some hi-tech hospital cover, private/hi-tech excess 300 max per family per
year. day case excess 300 per family per year.

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Regards, Snowyb