Health Insurance while living abroad for 5 months

Amtmann

I've a health insurance policy with Avivas. For the duration of all of my policy until now I've lived in Ireland, but I will need to relocate to another EU country from early February until late June and my policy won't cover me for all of that period (just 30 days, in fact).

What are my options? Are there other Irish health insurers that will cover me, or should I seek a short-term policy with a company based in the country I'm moving to?

dudara

Not a Consumer Issue - Moved to Banking & Insurance & Pensions

dudara

jor el

Furet wrote: »

I've a health insurance policy with Avivas.

Aviva, and Vivas, are two different insurance companies.

Sounds like you need an annual travel insurance policy, which (depending on the company) could cover you for 6 months out of the country.

NuMarvel

If you're moving to another EU country, there's the European Health Insurance Card, the former E111. You can get more details here - http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Find_a_Service/entitlements/EHIC/. It basically entitles you to the same public healthcare benefits as residents of the country you're travelling to.

oldyouth

jor el wrote: »

Aviva, and Vivas, are two different insurance companies.

Not really, Aviva took over Vivas

Slice

You are covered by your Irish health insurance policy so long as you're resident in the country for more than half the year. Just make sure you have travel insurance also. Alternatively, VHI have an international health insurance policy.

NuMarvel

Slice wrote: »

You are covered by your Irish health insurance policy so long as you're resident in the country for more than half the year.

That's not the case with Aviva/Hibernian/Vivas. In their rules they define a temporary stay abroad as "A stay outside of Ireland for any period of not more than 31 days at any one time."

A member can probably pop back and forth for a combined period of 6 months, but with Aviva each period abroad can't be any longer than a month. Even then the cover is only for accident and emergencies abroad.

jor el

oldyouth wrote: »

Not really, Aviva took over Vivas

Aviva took over Hibernian. Vivas is a different company.

Get an EHIC card if you're going to be staying in any EU country. It entitles you to public health services in any EU country, a lot of which are a hell of a lot better than ours.

NuMarvel

jor el wrote: »

Aviva took over Hibernian. Vivas is a different company.

Okay, off topic, but this is how it went:

In 2007, Hibernian bought a majority stake in Vivas Health. In July 2007, it was rebranded as Hibernian Health.

Hibernian was already part of the Aviva group at the time, and in Jan 09 Hibernian was rebranded as Hibernian Aviva. Therefore Hibernian Health became Hibernian Aviva Health.

And now, based on billboard and TV ads, it looks like they're going full circle and rebranding as Aviva. So it will become Aviva Health.

So in summary, VIVAS Health = Hibernian Health = Hibernian Aviva Health = Aviva Health.

It's all on their press release pages if anyone's inclined to have a gander - http://www.hibernianavivahealth.ie/whats-new/press-releases/.

oldyouth

jor el wrote: »

Aviva took over Hibernian. Vivas is a different company. .

Vivas was acquired by Aviva. Hibernian re-branded to Aviva in line with their parent company. Vivas/Hibernian/Aviva are the same insurance group

soden12

OP - the EHIC will give a decentish level of care but it does depend on the country you're going to. IIRC you get the standard public level of care : for Western Europe that would be fine but some other European countries would have worse services than ourselves.

This is an informative link about the EHIC (its interesting that in some countries you have to "convert" your EHIC to a local piece of paper):

http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Find_a_Service/entitlements/EHIC/Healthcare_services_in_other_EU_EEA_countries.html

If you do take out a policy with an Irish insurer on the basis that you'll be away for 5 months make sure that everything is in writing.

It makes no odds what company, what organisation but make sure that everybody is fully clear about what's happening / expected : insurance is too important to rely on what a phone-drone has told you or what they've supposedly added to your notes.

broker2008

Your options are travel insurance policy, global cover from VHi but expensive or EHIC card which is a must. Your medical insurance policy in Ireland will be no assistance in this case because you are away too long.

Floripa

jor el wrote: »

Aviva took over Hibernian. Vivas is a different company.

Aviva took over hibernian... but hibernian bought vivas over a year ago so it had a health company to compete with quinn(bupa)... so Aviva owns the company formerally known as vivas..

now known as avivahealth