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International health insurance v Irish health insurance

  • 28-07-2015 4:47pm
    #1
    jobeenfitz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,443 ✭✭✭


    I have decided to move to Benalmadena, South Spain for seven+ months from October, come back here for three or four months of summer and then return to Spain again next autumn.

    I have health insurance with VHI. I am thinking of changing over to International insurance.

    Does anyone know will this cover me if I go back to an Irish policy or will I be penalised because of the new laws, having a gap in my Irish health cover?


Comments

  • #2
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 84,762 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    It's not too clear if you had cover here and then leave and then return, you should call one of the providers and get an opinion. There can be a 13 week break in cover without any penalty. I am unsure if the 2% loading per year would equate to 1% if you pay for 6 months cover, not a great deal of info from HSE...

    http://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/FAQ.pdf
    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/health_insurance/private_health_insurance.html

    The Spanish public health system is great, you should get a EHIC card which will allow you access to the public health system as if you are a Spanish citizen, takes about 10 days to receive it from the HSE here, worth having even if you have private cover, apply here...

    http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/EHIC/apply/Apply_for_EHIC.html


  • #3
    LostArt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,824 ✭✭✭LostArt


    jobeenfitz wrote: »
    I have decided to move to Benalmadena, South Spain for seven+ months from October, come back here for three or four months of summer and then return to Spain again next autumn.

    I have health insurance with VHI. I am thinking of changing over to International insurance.

    Does anyone know will this cover me if I go back to an Irish policy or will I be penalised because of the new laws, having a gap in my Irish health cover?

    If you break your cover for more than 13 weeks then you will have to re-serve waiting periods and will have the LCR loadings applied. (You do receive credits for previous periods of Irish insurance though, so you may not actually have a loading)


  • #4
    jobeenfitz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,443 ✭✭✭jobeenfitz


    LostArt wrote: »
    If you break your cover for more than 13 weeks then you will have to re-serve waiting periods and will have the LCR loadings applied. (You do receive credits for previous periods of Irish insurance though, so you may not actually have a loading)

    I probably would have loading because I had no insurance unitl I was 40 which is now 12 years later so I am thinking I might be penalised for six years from 34 to 40?

    I have the European health card but I am hearing from people living in South of Spain there has been problems with using these cards of late.


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