Health Insurance: Moving to the UK

PH4T

I have been with Aviva for the last 5 years but I am moving to the UK for work later this year. I plan on staying 2-3 years.

I called Aviva there and they said if I am out of the country for more than 180 then I should cancel my policy with them. They didn't have any information about joing Aviva in the UK.

What are my best options for Health Insurance when moving to the UK?

daithijjj

There are a number of different types of policy. The best known is probably private medical insurance (PMI), which basically pays for private consultations and treatments, allowing policyholders to bypass NHS queues. Some employers will offer this insurance to staff, and it can also be bought individually. The main drawback is that it can prove expensive for comprehensive cover – particularly as you get older.



Cheaper, and far more widely bought, is critical illness insurance, which is often sold to those taking out a mortgage along with basic life insurance. Rather than pay directly for private treatment, this insurance is designed to pay out a tax-free cash sum on the diagnosis of certain life-threatening diseases. The idea is that this money will enable policyholders to pay off the mortgage, reduce their working hours or take extended leave while they recuperate.



Most critical illness policies cover about 30 conditions, and all should cover cancer, heart disease and stroke. But within these broad definitions there are numerous exclusions. Certain types of breast, prostate and skin cancers, for example, which are not considered "life-threatening" are routinely excluded on most policies.



Another option is an income-protection policy. Rather than cover specific ailments, this pays out a regular income to those who are unable to work through ill health. Provided a doctor has signed you off sick, these policies should pay up, regardless of the nature or severity of the illness. As well as covering cancer and heart disease, these policies help those with back problems, stress or depression.



The final option is a "cash plan". These schemes are relatively cheap, but the benefits are more limited. However, those who contribute to one of these plans can claim a contribution to regular medical bills, such as dental charges, opticians fees, physiotherapy and so forth.

Edit. I lived in the uk for 13 years, i chose not to take out health insurance but i do know that bupa and prudential would be the most popular.

Edit 2. Just checked there and aviva are doing a first 3 month free medical plan if you want to use the same company, t&c's. (08000 680 077)

Rock Steady Edy

Most people in the UK don't have private health insurance because:
i) there is no risk equalisation so it gets increasingly and prohibitively expensive the older you get
ii) you don't need to pay to see the local GP
iii) Doctors and consultants aren't paid as much as here as the motivation for doing their job is much more about helping people rather than going into the profession because its very well paid because its supported by a private health insurance system and
iv) the public health system is better resourced and probably less wasteful over there than it is here.

50% of the population here has private health insurance because it's more affordable and they are scared of the consequences if they don't. In the UK, it's probably 5-10%. It's a different mindset.

PH4T

Rock Steady Edy wrote: »

ii) you don't need to pay to see the local GP

Once you start working in the UK are you entitled to use the NHS straight away?

BuffyBot

Yes. Even if you're not working. The NHS is free, and available, to all.

daithijjj

PH4T wrote: »

Once you start working in the UK are you entitled to use the NHS straight away?

Yes, like buffybot says, everything is free at the point of delivery. The only cost really is for a prescription, for example if you were asthmatic and needed an inhaler every 8 weeks, the prescription would cost £7-8, thats a standard fee. You may be entitled to get free prescriptions, when you visit the doctor for the first time ask for a HC11 form. (pdf link to this form below fyi)

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Documents/2009/HC11Nov09.pdf

MatureStudent

You also need to consider the consequences of cancelling your policy and then taking out a new one when you come back, in terms of waiting periods and anything that is diagnosed in the meantime.

PH4T

MatureStudent wrote: »

You also need to consider the consequences of cancelling your policy and then taking out a new one when you come back, in terms of waiting periods and anything that is diagnosed in the meantime.

There is no way around that though is there?

MatureStudent

I don't know about Aviva, but VHI have a policy designed for people leaving the country for more than 6 months. I enquired about it some time ago and was assured you can simply transfer back when you return home, with no new waiting periods. Its expensive and you don't get tax relief on it, but if you intend to come back it might be worth thinking about. Personally I would never want to depend on the public system here. If you have experienced it you probably know exactly what I'm talking about, if you haven't I suspect you wouldn't believe just how bad it can be.