Health insurance waiting period - any point in even asking for it to be reduced?

Fionne

My situation is that I've had a VHI policy for about 15 years but it's Private patient in Public Hospital only. I want to move to a policy that includes Private Hospitals as if I needed healthcare, it's impossible to access any service in public hospitals at the moment and for the forseeable future with Covid causing havoc. I had to get an MRI done earlier this year and had to go to the Mater Private for it and see a consultant there as, 5 months later, I still haven't received an appointment date for a consultant in the CUH (I'm in Co Cork) private consultant's clinic.

Is there any point in even asking if they would waive some of the 2 year waiting period to use the new higher cover? I'm gonna try Irish Life as well and maybe Laya.

Henry Ford III

You can certainly ask.

coylemj

It's too late now but what I'd have done in your situation (before the MRI scan) is to talk to the people in the Mater Private and ask them to see if the VHI would partially cover the MRI. You'd need to have had that approval sorted before you got the scan.

I can't see any insurance company reducing the waiting period. As they would see it, they only reason for asking is because you know you have some treatment or scan around the corner that you're going to claim for and that's why you're upgrading your policy. Which is precisely why the waiting periods are there in the first place.

Fionne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291405#Comment_118291405

They did cover the MRI in the Mater Private as it happens so that's not the issue. The issue is that it's become impossible to get into any of of public hospitals in Cork, even as a private patient. Basically, my VHI policy isn't worth the paper it's written on at the moment as I may as well just be a public patient and not be paying them at all.

I understand the logic behind waiting periods but with the public system in the shambles it is in, it would be nice (if admittedly unrealistic) to think they might allow a little leeway.

I guess asking is the only way to find out. All they can say is no.

AngryLips

The only time I've seen insurers waive waiting periods is as part of a lucrative company group scheme and, for group schemes in general, that's still the exception rather than the rule. Health insurance that only provides cover for public hospitals is not really worth the money you're paying because it is only covering the cost of a service you're entitled to anyway through the public system. It's not entirely useless as a product, some people get it as a cheap way to avoid age loadings when they turn 35. But at the very minimum you should aim for semi-private cover in a private hospital.

coylemj

OP, your best bet is to upgrade your plan within the VHI and see how far you get. You'll have some goodwill to fall back on after 15 years with them but if you move to one of the other insurers and ask for a waiver on the waiting period, they will view you as a carpetbagger and give you short shrift.