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Frilly Frocks

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Hi Snowyb,

I'm wondering if you could shed some light as I am aging out of my parent's plan so I have to switch.

I am looking for plans which are equivalent to the plan I am on. I am currently insured under MPF Premium (ESB).

Similar plans where taking on a small excess will reduce cost might also be an option.

I'd appreciate your advice.
Kind regards,
Frilly Frocks.
 
Hi Frilly Frocks,

Welcome to AAM.

Just a couple of quick questions, when is your renewal date and what age are you?

Regards, Snowyb
 
Hi Snowyb,

I appreciate your getting back to me so quickly!

I have been on the same plan since birth paying with weekly installments so neither myself nor my parents have ever renewed it and I'm 28 :)

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Frilly Frocks.
 
The following 3 plans are good alternatives worth considering, details as follows;

1. VHI Company Plan Plus Level 1.3; price 1251pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Inpatient excess 150 per admission to a
private or hi-tech hospital. Day case excess 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro
excess, refund of 50% for gp visits, consultants, dental etc. upto a max refund of 1000 per year.

2. Laya Simply Connect; price 1265pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered; Inpatient excess capped at 150 x 2 max per year for
all private hospital admissions. Day case excess 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro
excess, refund of 50% for gp visits, consultants, dental etc. upto a max refund of 500 per year.

3. Irish Life 4D Health 2 plan; price 1315pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Inpatient excess 150 per admission to a
private or hi-tech hospital. Day case excess 75 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro
excess, refund of 50% for gp visits, consultants, dental etc.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...Mb2NrIjpmYWxzZSwicGxhbl9kZXRhaWxfaWQiOi0xfX1d

The following link shows a comparison between the 3 mpf esb plans, yours is the middle one, premium plan.

FAQs - ESB MPF

Comparison between 3 plans
www.esbmpf.ie


Regards, Snowyb
 
Thank you very much for all this information Snowyb.

A colleague of mine advised me to contact Cornmarket for a quote also. They recommended the Irish Life Nurses and Teachers choice 2 at a discount of 1259 through them. They also recommended the VHI PMI 14 10. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this in comparison to the others you have outlined. Are they any better given that it would be a specific plan for teachers?
Many thanks,
Frilly Frocks.
 
If there is a discount for the VHI PMI 14 10 plan, I would go with that plan as it has a lower inpatient excess of 75 per admission compared to
150 per admission with Nurses and Teachers Choice 2 plan.
If there is no VHI discount, I would choose Nurses and Teachers Choice 2 plan with the discount @ 1259pa.

If the Irish Life 4D Health 2 plan is on offer at a discount, I would pick that plan as it is identical to Nurses and Teachers Choice 2.
If no discount is available, stick with Nurses and Teachers Choice 2.

Finally, comparing Nurses and Teachers Choice 2 plan to Laya Simply Connect plan. Simply Connect plan is a better option for hospital cover as
the private hospital inpatient excess is capped at 150 x 2 max per year for all admissions, day case excess 50 per procedure.
Whereas Irish Life plan inpatient excess is 150 per admission, day case excess 75 per procedure.
Day to day cover for gp, dental etc is better on the Irish Life plan as the max yearly refund is 4000pa.
There is a max refund of 500 per year with Simply Connect.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...vY2siOmZhbHNlLCJwbGFuX2RldGFpbF9pZCI6LTF9fV0=

Hope this helps with your decision.
Snowyb
 
Thank you for all your help Snowyb. It is much appreciated! As I am ringing around at the moment, I'm wondering if I should consider downgrading to a cheaper, lower cover policy instead in response to the coronavirus crisis...

On another note my parents were also asking if you would be able to recommend an alternative plan for them. They are on the MPF Premium Plus plan and are not sure if this level of cover is ever really required?
 
Frilly Frocks,

For yourself based in Carlow, I would consider a plan that covers all the public and private hospitals only. The following 3 plans are worth
considering if you want to reduce hi-tech cover and day to day cover, details as follows;

1. Irish Life Benefit plan; price 965pa; all public, private and Beacon hi-tech hospital covered; private hospital inpatient excess is capped at 200 x 2
max per year for all admissions, day case excess 125 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Limited day to day cover.

2. Laya Signify Plan; price 938pa; all public, private and Beacon hi-tech hospital covered; private hospital inpatient excess is capped at 250 x 2
max per year for all admissions, day case excess 125 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Limited day to day cover.

3. VHI One Plan 250 plan; price 926pa; all public, private and Beacon hi-tech hospital covered; private hospital inpatient excess is capped at
250 x 2 max per year for all admissions, day case excess 125 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Limited day to day cover.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...Mb2NrIjpmYWxzZSwicGxhbl9kZXRhaWxfaWQiOi0xfX1d

Parents Options
The ESB plan that your parents are on at the moment, fully covers a semi-private room in a hi-tech hospital. and also a private room in all private
hospitals, plus a private room in all public hospitals, which costs 2666 each. A similar plan with VHI would cost 3600 approx each VHI HealthPlus Premium. The main reason for having a plan like this is for using Mater Private a lot.
All other hospitals are covered on lower priced plans, including full cover for a private room in a private hospital.

The following 2 Laya plans are worth considering as alternative options, details as follows;

1. Laya Simplicity plan; price 1370pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private inpatient excess is capped at 100 x 2 max per year
for all admissions, day case excess 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, refund of 50%
for gp visits, consultants, dental, physio etc but the first 100 not allowed. There is full cover for hip and knee replacement surgery in all private
hospitals on this plan.

2. Laya Connect Simplicity plan; price 1367pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private inpatient excess is capped at 150 x 2 max
per year for all admissions, day case excess 100 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro
excess, refund of 50% for gp, consultants, dental, physio etc upto a max refund of 1000 per person per year. There is full cover for hip and knee
replacement surgery in all private hospitals on this plan.
There is also a facility to transfer any unused day to day allowance over to your spouse. if both people are on this plan.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/#/plan-comparison?plansAndProfiles=W3siaWQiOjEsImFnZSI6MjYsIm1pbk1heFByaWNlIjpbMCw2NTAwXSwibWluTWF4RXhjZXNzIjpbMCw2MDBdLCJwbGFuVHlwZSI6MSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZCI6WzE1NTQsMTIxMF0sInBsYW5zIjp7ImRhdGEiOltdLCJsb2FkaW5nIjp0cnVlfSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZERhdGEiOltdLCJhcHBsaWNhdGlvbiI6eyJ0b2dnbGVfc2Nyb2xsTG9jayI6ZmFsc2UsInBsYW5fZGV0YWlsX2lkIjotMX19XQ==

Regards, Snowyb
 
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