Key Post: Health Insurance

M

Marion

Guest
Does Buba health insurance offer the same cover as VHI or is there some catch?
I am presently with VHI and am paying just under 1000 euro for 2adults and one child in plan b options. Buba offer the same cover for 745 euros! With Vhi going to increase by 18%, I am wondering should I change to Bupa. I have been a memeber of VHI for approx 14years and in that time I have only ever claimed for one pregnancy. It seems to be a bit of a rip off but i wouldnt be without health insurance either.

Any opinion would be very welcome.
 
VHI v. BUPA

Katie
IMHO initially there was little to choose between the two with BUPA pitching themselves just below VHI but introduced some novel options -alternative therapies etc. Most people remained with VHI -probably inertia but also could be difficult if you had a chronic condition.
Now with recently announced increases the gap has widened. BUPA haven't announced an increase as yet and IMHO plan to hold off for a while yet in the hope of attracting dissaffected VHI members. Eventually they will have to increase as they face the same rise in medical costs as the VHI but again won't be far from them.
The important issue is over "lead in time": ie will BUPA cover you immediately recognising your time with VHI or insist you must pay premiums for 6 months or so before you can claim (as per VHI rules I think)?
May be worth a change in short term but long term ??
 
Re: VHI v. BUPA

As far as I know the general trend has been for BUPA to increase their premiums a matter of months after VHI increase theirs. This means that, over time, the cost of cover with either is much of a muchness.
 
VHI/BUPA waiting periods

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote>Quote:<hr> "The important issue is over "lead in time": ie will BUPA cover you immediately recognising your time with VHI or insist you must pay premiums for 6 months or so before you can claim (as per VHI rules I think)?
May be worth a change in short term but long term ?? "<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->

VHI and BUPA have the same rules for entry and transfer - a new (to <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START-->any<!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--> health insurance) member must wait 6 months to claim generally, 1 year for pregnancy or 2 years for a pre-existing condition. Both companies are obliged by law to freely accept members from the other company with <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START-->no<!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--> waiting periods applying (so long as the member is over the initial waiting period with the first company) - this is to ensure open competition. Even if you are very sick you can transfer between companies and be covered from day 1
 
Re: VHI/BUPA - one doctor's advice

My sister has had an atrocious time trying to recoup a short hospital stay from VHI and 7 months on it's still not sorted. When she mentioned this to her doctor, she (the doctor) advised my sister to move to BUPA asap, as in her experience VHI were impossible to deal with as a result of all their red tape.

I've had cause to query issues with VHI myself in the past and found them lethargic in their responses - fixed duties for staff and no willingness to stay beyond that point.

I moved to BUPA a month ago and was covered straight away (I've worked up my 'probationary' period with VHI already) and found every single piddly query I had was responded to at the crack of a whip. I'm impressed with the service I've gotten; let's hope if I ever need to make a claim, it'll be as smooth.
 
I'm with Bupa.

I moved to Ireland and didn't have any medical insurance. Bupa covered me straight away, without having to wait any period. I was never with VHI. If VHI is some type of semi-state organisation, I certainly wouldn't want to put up with the inevitable (bankesque) crap.
 
covered immediately

are u certain u have full cover straight away with BUPA, not having had cover in ireland previously. ???
Usually one has to wait 6 months until u are covered, u have to pay the initial 6 months permiums, but cannot make a claim until your 6 mths are up (and there are other restrictions as well).
 
covered immediately

BUPA (and VHI) will certainly take your money immediately but I doubt you will be covered for illness straight away. They provide accident cover from the start (as it is unlikely someone could pull a fast one with this) but illness cover has a waiting period of 6 months and pre-existing conditions aren't covered for 2 years. This is to protect existing members from having to pay claims from new members who join just to get cover they know they will need immediately.

A quote from the BUPA website:

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote>Quote:<hr> "When you join BUPA Ireland, you have cover immediately.

If you are taking out health insurance for the first time you have immediate cover in the case of accidental injury.

However, initial waiting periods for other cover may apply as follows... "<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->

It then goes on to outline the waiting periods (starting at 26 weeks for under 55s).
 
Certain

I'm absolutly positive that I had full cover from the outset. They said that they'd waive any waiting periods.
 
Group Scheme ?

AP

Are you part of a Group Scheme, particularly that of a large influential employer ? The waiting periods are sometimes waived in instances such as this.
 
Waiting period

No, I'm not part of a group scheme.

I'm sure BUPA would rather waive the waiting period than loose a potential customer.
 
Re: waiting period

How do they know the person is not already sick and just joining to claim?

I'm sure that BUPA would rather lose several potential customers than accept someone who is already sick and just joining to claim.

Waiting periods exist to stop potential abuses which are much more likely with health insurance than any other type of insurance.

Does your policy document explicitly state that the waiting period is waived? I'm sure the waiting periods are pre-printed in the policy document so any change would have to be included as a signed endorsement to the policy.
 
Re: waiting period

I attended a BUPA presentation a few years ago when they were trying to drum up business at our company, I'm sure they waive the 6 month waiting period only if you're transferring from VHI to them.
 
Re: waiting period

Just to clarify - if you have served the "waiting period" with one health insurer and transfer to the other one, the new insurer is obliged to waive the "waiting period". It's not a discretionary matter.
 
Health Insurance - Claims Query

I am with VHI and recently sent in my claim receipts to them. These included Acupuncture treatments which they claim to cover.
I then received a letter back from them saying the wouldn't pay them because my therapist wasn't joined some TCM Association.
That was not made clear in the info as far as I am aware. Has anybody else had to deal with crap like that??
 
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