Laya Laya makes renewing decision as complicated as possible

[Brendan Burgess]

Last year, I was busy and nearly renewed my policy be default. What I had not realised was that the policy I had dropped cover in the hi-tech hospitals. I wrote about it here:
Warning: Laya drops cover for Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private on many popular policies

So this year, I am more alert. I have a Laya Control 600 and I have a simple question: Has the cover changed in any way? There seems to be no simple way to check this out.

1) There is a two page covering letter - which is mainly advertising stuff. There is a box saying Important Information but it makes no reference to cover changes.
2) There is a one page Membership Certificate telling me the name of the policy and the premium.
3) There is a two page Benefit Table which looks the same as last year. But I would have to check it out line by line to see if there are any changes.
4) There is a three page Insurance Product Information Document which again I would need to study carefully to see if there is anything missing.
5) There is an 8 page brochure "take a closer look at what we offer"
6) There is a 12 page brochure "Renewal Check-Up"
This has a heading "Benefit Changes since your last renewal". But it is set out as follows:
Updated GP Live and prescription service benefits.
With a listing of the policies covered.

What I want is a one page document headed
Laya Control 600 - changes to cover since you last renewed
I don't care about the changes to any other policy.

Brendan

 

[DirectDevil]

Well spotted Brendan.

What I did with LAYA in the past was to ask about 6 weeks before renewal for details of the nearest similar products in terms of cover and cost.
I remember getting fairly helpful tabulated information from them setting out the comparisons and contrasts between "nearest" products which did make life easier.
I don't know if they still do this as I dropped them. Otherwise, it becomes a very tedious operation for the "civilian" policyholder as you have to wade through piles of details.

I take the view that significant changes in cover for exactly the same product should be flagged up to the policyholder with the renewal notice.
To a degree the existing product almost acts as an inducement to believe that it's terms and conditions will be the same next year.

Contrast this with household insurance.
Our insurer dropped a particular element of the liability insurance cover a few years ago. They wrote to all policyholders at renewal time pointing this out with clarity.
Against this I had the experience of a household insurance for an elderly relative where there was accidental cover but they dropped that at renewal but did not refer to this change. Luckily I just happened to notice it but no thanks to the insurer in question.

The insurers' answer will probably be that these are annual [12 months] contracts the terms and conditions of which are communicated in the renewal notice and you have the onus to read all the documents.

I wonder if the Health Insurance Authority [https://www.hia.ie/] would have a view on this issue / practice ?