Hi Super8,
The plan you are on, Laya Essential Health 300, is a very good plan that ticks a lot of boxes. The following 3 nearest alternative plans will each have a
compromise involved.
1. VHI One Plan 250; price 896pa(no price change for November 2019). all public, private and limited Beacon cover, private hospital excess 250 x 2 max per year for admissions, 150 per day case in private hospitals. Compromise is just 60% cover for hip or knee replacement surgery in private hospitals - shortfall would be 5,000 or 6,000 per operation. Depending on your age, this may not be a big risk. I would not recommend this plan for a person say aged 60+ or someone with orthopaedic issues.
2. Irish Life Benefit plan; price 971pa(new price from 1/11/2019), all public, private and Beacon hospital covered, private hospital excess 200 x 2 max
per year for all admissions, 125 excess per day case. Compromise is a 2,000 co-payment for hip or knee replacement surgery in any private hospital.
Again, depending on your age, it may not be a deal breaker.
NOTE; I included this plan as an option because of the child offer of 170 per child on Nurture Plan. At least one adult must be with Irish Life, any plan,
for a child to be insured.
3. Laya Control 450 Connect; price 998pa; (new price from 1/11/2019) all public, private(including private room fully covered), 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Compromise on this plan is the private or hi-tech inpatient excess of 450 per admission. Day case excess is 150 per procedure. While similarly priced as your current plan, this has more hospital cover but with a higher admission excess. Full cover for hip and knee replacement
surgery on this plan, no shortfall, no excess to pay in any private or hi-tech hospital.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...vY2siOmZhbHNlLCJwbGFuX2RldGFpbF9pZCI6LTF9fV0=
Regarding the 2 teenagers starting new cover, the following options are worth considering. Note, VHI are most competitive on price for this age group.
If you are based in Dublin, VHI Swiftcare Clinics are convenient as a private A+E option for sports injuries etc. They are only open to VHI members.
Children/teenagers can be insured on their own with VHI, without an adult on the policy.
Irish Life have a cheap offer for a selected list of hospitals both public + private, if the list covered suits your location.
I included a Laya option for comparison purposes. Note; A child price applies for the year, once they are age 17 at renewal date.
Also, there is no excess to pay in any public hospital.
Details as follows;
1. VHI One Plan 150; price 197 per child; all public and private hospitals covered, limited Beacon hospital cover; private hospital excess 150 per
admission or day case. Limited day to day cover.
2. Vhi One + Plan; price 225 per child; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Private/hi-tech excess 125 per admission or day case.
Limited day to day cover.
3. VHI Company Plan Plus Level 1.3; price 300 per child; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private/hi-tech excess 150 per admission,
day case 50 per procedure. Good day to day cover on this plan, refund of 50% for consultant visits, gp, dental, physio etc. 50% refund for VHI
Swiftcare Clinic visit.
4. VHI PMI 07 11; price 311 per child; same cover as option 3 with a max private excess of 150 x 1 per year for all private/ hi-tech admissions.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...vY2siOmZhbHNlLCJwbGFuX2RldGFpbF9pZCI6LTF9fV0=
5. Irish Life Nurture Plan; price 170 per child; 52 public hospitals covered, 20 private hospitals covered, it is important to check these lists to ensure
that the hospitals covered suit your location. The private hospital day case list shows the correct 20 hospitals covered. Private hospital excess
300 x 2 max per year for all admissions, day case excess 75 per procedure. Limited day to day cover.
6. Irish Life 4D Health 2 plan; price 315 per child( new price from 1 Nov); all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private/hi-tech excess
150 per admission, day case 75 per procedure. Good day to day cover included, refund of 50% for consultant visits, gp etc.
7. Laya Simply Connect Plus; price 286 per child; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private/hi-tech excess capped at 150 x 1 max
per year for all admissions. Day case excess 50 per procedure. Good day to day cover included, refund of 50% for consultant visits, gp, etc upto
1000 max per year. (ie 50% of 2000 = 1000).
hia.ie/comparison-tool/#/plan-comparison?plansAndProfiles=W3siaWQiOjEsImFnZSI6MTcsIm1pbk1heFByaWNlIjpbMCw2NTAwXSwibWluTWF4RXhjZXNzIjpbMCw2MDBdLCJwbGFuVHlwZSI6MSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZCI6WzkyNyw5MjYsMTIwM10sInBsYW5zIjp7ImRhdGEiOltdLCJsb2FkaW5nIjp0cnVlfSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZERhdGEiOltdLCJhcHBsaWNhdGlvbiI6eyJ0b2dnbGVfc2Nyb2xsTG9jayI6ZmFsc2UsInBsYW5fZGV0YWlsX2lkIjotMX19XQ%3D%3D
Hope this helps with your decision making process.
Regards, Snowyb