Any Health insurance cover better then none

billyhead

I understand that it depends on the policy but would a very basic health insurance cover be any advantage over none. I was plannig to just get covered with the VHI one plan starter for next year and was wondering is it even worth it and would it be similar to remaining on the public health system?

https://www.vhi.ie/pdf/products/OnePlanStarter.pdf

angel01

I wouldn't ever depend on the public system myself. maybe shop around and see what the best deal you can get. For me, it is essential to have health insurance.

broker2008

billyhead wrote: »

I understand that it depends on the policy but would a very basic health insurance cover be any advantage over none. I was plannig to just get covered with the VHI one plan starter for next year and was wondering is it even worth it and would it be similar to remaining on the public health system?

https://www.vhi.ie/pdf/products/OnePlanStarter.pdf

It is not a great plan but if that is all you can stretch to also look at Aviva's Health Starter and Quinn's Essential Choice. Very limited access to private hospitals.

okiss

The policy that you have mentioned gives very little cover.
If you are going to get health insurance you need to have cover in a semi private room in a private hospital. If you are willing to pay an excess for this it will make the cover cheaper.
I would also look for cover with an excess of €1 for out patient visit which would include doctors consultants ect.
A lot of the lower price polices have €200 plus excess for this. The insurance allow you ie €25 for each consultant visit so you make 9 consultant visits before you can make a small claim back on this. A consultant vist could cost €120 plus each time.
I would look up the hia.ie website and answer the questions to see what policies it would offer to you. You need to do this asap and ring the company to have signed up for insurance before the 31 Dec as the cost a lot of the plans is increasing on the 1 Jan 2012.

broker2008

I wasn't going to reply but the post gives a mixed message. Some of the plans that have €1 excess for outpatient benefits start paying out from the 1st visit so 9 visits x €25 would be €224 refunded - if covered.

The 3 plans mentioned in the thread have little or no outpatient or day to day cover- there is a difference between the 2 depending on the plan. For consultant visits, you would need to visit a consultant 5 times with VHI, 6 times with Quinn and 3 times for an individual with Aviva health.

It would appear that OP is looking for basic cover at an affordable premium.

honkytonk52

hey one plan starter is better than no cover at all, if you do not have a medical card or any health insurance and if you attend a public hospital there is a €75 levy per night up to a max of 10 nights so you can potentially be charged €750 in a calender year, also if you have one plan starter you will not have to be on public waiting lists, even something a simple as an mri can be a long wait, with the insurance irrespective of who you go with you can just go and have it done and be billed to the insurer...

s_carnage

I see Quinns health insurance prices are going up on the 1st February exactly the day my renewal is due. I'm wondering if I could put in my insurance start date as 31st Jan as when I fill out the form on-line and do this there is a difference of over €200 in the premium.

broker2008

No Quinn start their plans on the first of a month. See if they will change your renewal date. Aviva's first price increase will go ahead on 15th February and business plans on 1st March.