# Kids on different plan to parents possible?



## babydays (23 Jul 2013)

Am about to change health insurance plan - will stay with Laya but change plan. 
Just a question - can kids be on a different plan to their parents? 

We are on Health Manager currently, renewal date is 1 August am scouring the hia comparison website (and tks to snowyb for your invaluable inputs on this site). Am thinking of going with total health choice to see a huge saving for our family (2 adults, 3 kids). 

Would it make any sense (other than saving money) to have kids on a lower level of coverage than parents? Why and if so what kind of coverage should I be looking for for the kids?

many thanks


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## snowyb (24 Jul 2013)

Hi babydays,

Yes, children can be on different plans to the adults, once its with the same company.

The main reasons for reducing cover for kids, apart from saving money, are as follows;
1. If the children don't visit gp or dentist etc that often - ie you can drop day to day outpatient cover.
2. All the children's hospitals in Ireland are public, so just public hospital cover for children is adequate.

However, there is a very good offer for children with Laya from 1st August 2013 which also happens to be your renewal date. 
 There is a price reduction for kids on 'Family Care' plan - first 2 kids price 212 each, child 3+4 price 179each
So in your case, 2 kids x 212 = 424
                       1 kid  x 179 = 179
Total price for 3 children = 603euro

Note; If you pay by monthly instalments, a 3% charge applies - total for 3 children would cost 623euro, including this 3% charge.

This plan, Family Care, includes similar hospital cover and same day to day outpatient cover as your current plan Health Manager, at a very good price.
A plan with just basic public hospital cover and no outpatient cover with Laya costs 200 per child,  so the above offer 
is excellent value with all the extras included. 
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?52&50/


The following 3 plans are worth considering for yourself and your husband;
1. Total Health Choice;  price per adult 1017pa - same hospital cover + same day to day as before. 

2. Simply Health Excess;  price per adult 1019pa - same hospital cover + same outpatient day to day cover as before.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?52&323&279/
The above 2 plans are very similar in price and in cover - only a slight difference in hi-tech excess amount per night.

3. Simply Health Connect;  price per adult 960pa - similar hospital cover + same day to day outpatient cover as Health Manager.
This is a new Laya plan being launched on 1 August 2013, details will be available on HIA.ie from that date - only a slight difference 
re excess amount for private and hi-tech hospitals.
www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/...nnect-and-health-sense-connect-on-01.08.2013/ 

Note; Again, if you pay by monthly instalments, a 3% charge applies, to the above 3 plans.

As shown above, you will make considerable savings, without losing any cover
for both adults and children.

Regards, Snowyb


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## babydays (24 Jul 2013)

Snowyb, 

what can I say?! You just saved us thousands of euro by helping me trawl through the abundance of plans available. I will never, ever miss an opportunity to compare before I renew. 

This year I saved on my car insurance, our telephone and broadband, my mobile phone and now the biggest saving of all- health insurance. 

It has also pushed me to get to know my policies which is a bonus too. 

I have switched to Simply Health Excess for the adults and Family Care Plan for the kids giving us almost the same benefits (as much as we need anyhow) as Health Manager at a fraction of the cost - down from E7, 377 to E2,640. Last year's bill was E5,787 (was due to go up to E7,377).

I  had been scared about changing plan and that our coverage wouldn't be good enough. The HAI website is excellent so thanks so much for that help snowyb.


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