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Cycling Ireland Race Insurance and Health Insurance

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  • 03-03-2014 11:46am
    #1
    Briando
    Registered Users Posts: 691 ✭✭✭


    I'm in process of looking in to renewing my health insurance and what plan to go with and if I need to beef up my cover for A&E and the like.

    I'm healthy (touch wood) so my only real concern is having insurance to cover myself in the case of going down hard during an open race or a club league race and having to go to a public A&E and the delays in getting sorted out. (I've had a few crashes before but never broken bones yet, just road rash and soft tissue injuries)

    If I end of in a bad crash I always though I'd go to somewhere like the VHI Swiftcare Clinic, does you CI insurance cover you in the this case?

    What happens if you are unlucky and end of breaking and arm of a collar bone and require surgery, what does your CI insurance cover you for in this instance?

    Thanks for any insights you can share on this.

    -B


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    #2
    lennymc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,458 ✭✭✭lennymc


    http://www.cyclingireland.ie/page/membership/insurance


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    #3
    funkyjebus
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭funkyjebus


    Briando wrote: »
    I'm in process of looking in to renewing my health insurance and what plan to go with and if I need to beef up my cover for A&E and the like.

    I'm healthy (touch wood) so my only real concern is having insurance to cover myself in the case of going down hard during an open race or a club league race and having to go to a public A&E and the delays in getting sorted out. (I've had a few crashes before but never broken bones yet, just road rash and soft tissue injuries)

    If I end of in a bad crash I always though I'd go to somewhere like the VHI Swiftcare Clinic, does you CI insurance cover you in the this case?

    What happens if you are unlucky and end of breaking and arm of a collar bone and require surgery, what does your CI insurance cover you for in this instance?

    Thanks for any insights you can share on this.

    -B

    Just had a quick look, the CI personal accident insurance appears to cover your medical expenses up to a limit of €2500 (but subject to €100 policy excess). It does not seem to exclude using private healthcare centre (ie VHI swiftcare).

    Most health insurance policies only cover in patient procedures and most A&E visits would be considered out patient (unless they admit you if you needed surgery etc, then it would be covered by both your health ins and by your PRSI). You can get a plan that will cover A&E, but if you are young a healthy, then the premium would not be worth it.


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    #4
    Kebel
    Registered Users Posts: 421 ✭✭Kebel


    @ OP be careful / do not make any assumptions around what the value of the CI insurance might be, before making any changes to your Private Medial Health Insurance.

    I had a nasty accident c.2 yrs ago whilst out training. CI Insurance picked up a chunk of the costs that my Private Medical Health Insurer did not cover, but be warned, there is an upper limit of €2,500 which only covered part of my treatment. I spent a few days in hospital which was fully covered by my Private Medial Health Insurers, but they only reimbursed part of my aftercare / out patient follow up treatment, which was not cheap. Furthermore after my initial treatment, as part of my rehabilitation, I required (and continue to require ongoing) extensive physiotherapy, which was not covered by my insurance. I believe that the CI Insurance may have changed since my accident, and that physio is now covered, (make you own checks please) however this is / was somewhat academic in my case as I had breached the upper limit for the claim with my other treatments in any event. In summary I am substantially out of pocket, and heaven only knows how I might have faired if I didn't have private medical insurance to offset a lot of the costs.

    On a related note I was c.three months out of work, but fortunately was paid during this time, but was only able to return to work on a phased basis, and on the basis that I have a desk based / non physical job - if I was in a job that required lifting etc or was required to drive, there is no doubt that I would not have been back to work as "quickly". I believe there is a provision for loss of earnings in the CI insurance but as above fortunately that was not an issue for me, so you will need to make your own enquiries re that.

    Not knocking the CI insurance, it does what says and for the vast majority of "ordinary" accidents it will probably suffice / help off-set potential costs, but for more significant injuries, the amounts it pays out are relatively small. For what it is worth the claim process was relatively painless (no pun intended) and efficient.

    In conclusion being injured / sick is neither nice or cheap so I would therefore urge you to carefully consider the potential implications of making any changes to your Medical Insurance.

    K
    　
    　


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