Health Insurance Health Insurance - Affordable and focused on serious illness

[Techie]

Hi Folks,

I am looking to take Health Insurance for the first time in Ireland. Two adults age 32,31 respectively, One child of 5 years old and our second child is due to born in May 2018.

We consider our-self as a health family, non-smoking and very less GP visits in an year. We're attending the National maternity hospital in public for our second child. Also I could afford the day to day medical expenses and consultant fees which don't go beyond one grand. The only thing which I am afraid of is to cover the hospital expenses on Private and Hi-Tech hospitals for procedures/surgeries/cardiac/diabetes/cancer/accident related issues where the cost could go up more than 30 grands which becomes not affordable for me !!

I don't mind attending the public hospitals if any of the illness I've listed could be treated immediately. I have been told that I might need to wait for months or years to get some illness treated on public hospitals. but how can a patient with serious illness could wait for months or years ? So I don't understand how the public hospitals works here.

Coming back to the point I also don't mind spending few extra hundreds on 'excess claim' if that will have a significant impact on bringing down the yearly premium. I had a look around hia website and there are just too many policies to compare. Just wondering if any one has recommendations on any specific policy which would workout for us ? Many thanks in advance!

Thanks,
Techie

 

[snowyb]

Hi Techie,

The following selection of plans are worth considering including public + private hospitals, and one including public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals.
Adult Options;
1. Laya Control 300 Create; price 1042pa; all public, private(including private room fully covered) and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private/hi-tech excess 300 per admission, day case excess 125 per procedure. Good day to day cover on this plan, refund per gp, dental, physio etc is 30 euro, consultant 80 per visit etc.

2. Laya Essential Health 300; price 895pa; all public, private and some hi-tech cover. Private excess 300 x 2 max per year. Day case excess 125
per procedure. Limited day to day cover on this plan.

3. VHI One Plan 250; price 916pa; all public, private and some Beacon hospital cover, private excess 250 x 2 max per year. Day case excess
150 per procedure. Limited day to day cover.

4. VHI One Plan 500; price 769pa; all public, private and some Beacon hospital cover, private excess 500 x 2 max per year for private admissions.
Day case excess 150 per procedure. Limited day to day cover.

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Child Options;
Your second newborn will be covered free of charge from birth until the next renewal date with all companies.

Options for 5 yr old child;
Note; VHI are best value for children at the moment, with half price offers until 28th Feb 2018.
VHI allow children to be insured on their own, so you can still choose Laya for the adults if you want.

1. VHI One + Plan; price 148pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Private/hi-tech excess 125 for admissions and day case.
limited day to day cover on this plan.

2. VHI One Plan 250; price 128pa; all public and private hospitals covered. Private excess 250 x 2 max per year for admissions. Day case
excess 125 per procedure.

3. Laya Control 300 Create; price 249pa; all public, private(including private room), and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private/hi-tech excess
300 per admission, day case excess 125 per procedure. Good day to day cover refund of 30 per gp visit, 80 per consultant visit, etc. This may
be useful when your 5 yr old finishes under the free gp scheme for under 6s.

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Regards, Snowyb