# Renewing Health Insurance



## kenmare (12 Feb 2014)

My current policy with Laya (€1003) is due for renewal 1/4/14. From 1/3/14 that policy is going up to €1650. Is it possible to cancel current policy before 1/3/14 and then reapply for same policy again at existing rate?


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## Meath Lady (12 Feb 2014)

Hi,
I'm not sure about the answer to your question but I am in a similar situation with a renewal on 1st March. My policy has gone up from 1037 euro p.p. with laya to 1646 p.p. Policy I had was Company Care Plus. I am not willing to pay this increase. I am looking at Total Health Complete with Laya costing 969.euro p.p or Aviva Corporate Health Plan 06 @1119 per person. Have a look as these may suit you. If Snowy b is still around he/ she might advise as he/ she has advised me in the past and I have been delighted with advice.


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## Kano (19 Feb 2014)

Meath Lady said:


> Hi,
> I'm not sure about the answer to your question but I am in a similar situation with a renewal on 1st March. My policy has gone up from 1037 euro p.p. with laya to 1646 p.p. Policy I had was Company Care Plus. I am not willing to pay this increase. I am looking at Total Health Complete with Laya costing 969.euro p.p or Aviva Corporate Health Plan 06 @1119 per person. Have a look as these may suit you. If Snowy b is still around he/ she might advise as he/ she has advised me in the past and I have been delighted with advice.



I am in the same boat ,same policy ,Company Care Plus.
A 600 euro increase is ludicrous and its very hard to compare alternatives as there are a ridiculous number of policies on the market ,seem to be more and more policies being created every year .
Going to try and sort an alternative in the coming week ,will post here with my findings.


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## suzie (19 Feb 2014)

Have a look at laya connectchoice its practically the same if not better(=beacon cover) with the only difference being consultant cover of 50% rather than 75%


S.


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## Sue Ellen (19 Feb 2014)

You may have availed of it already but if not the Create Your Scheme option might be worth a browse https://www.layahealthcare.ie/create/#/createscheme?planID=600&adults=1&children=0&students=0


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## Kano (24 Feb 2014)

suzie said:


> Have a look at laya connectchoice its practically the same if not better(=beacon cover) with the only difference being consultant cover of 50% rather than 75%
> 
> 
> S.



Yes that doesnt look like a bad policy .
Only hospital care difference seems to be for  Private Hospital Private Room. Company Care Plus has a shortfall of only 50 euro per night ,its 165 per night on Connectchoice.
Odds of getting a private room in a private hospital are very slim I'd imagine though.
€125 excess per claim with Connectchoice too.
Might be a runner


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## Meath Lady (24 Feb 2014)

Let me know if you have found anything else close to Company Care plus at a reasonable cost. have to choose this week and its a minefield.


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## sadie (25 Feb 2014)

Did you look at Connectcare from Laya. 300 cheaper than Company Care plus but with very similar benefits, only difference is 50% instead of 75% on a couple of the outpatients stuff.


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## Meath Lady (25 Feb 2014)

Thanks I will check that out now. Health Insurance authority recommended  Total Health Complete 969 euro. Many of the policies look much the same. Its all so confusing.


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## Kano (26 Feb 2014)

Meath Lady said:


> Thanks I will check that out now. Health Insurance authority recommended  Total Health Complete 969 euro. Many of the policies look much the same. Its all so confusing.



Yes ConnectCare,ConnectChoice and Total Health Complete are all very similar ,just a few slight differences with excesses and shortfalls in hi-tech hospitals.


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## sadie (26 Feb 2014)

Read the post above 'Tabular View Laya costs' or whatever, as it seems to have dearer prices listed in that spreadsheet. These are probably the prices of Laya plans it goes up to in March. Better get in there before 1st March so!


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## Meath Lady (26 Feb 2014)

`The health insurance Authority recommended Total Health Complete. I think that doesn't increase until 2nd March and would seem pretty much the same as Connect Choice and Company Care Choice.  They also suggested cancelling current policy now which is Company care Plus and opening a new policy Company care Plus before 1st March to avoid increase. However I think Laya might only renew policies on certain dates. Appreciate all the input.


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## Kano (13 Mar 2014)

I moved to Connectcare myself .
Brought the renewal date forward from March 1st to Feb 28th to avoid the price increases.

Almost identical cover to Company Care Plus but with a small excess .

The main bonus of Company Care plus is the fact that the shortfall on a private room in a private hospital is only 50 euro .
Would be a nice option but as I'm in Cork the only private hospital is the Bons ( Mater private is covered) and I wouldnt go there if it was the last hospital in Ireland .


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## Billo (14 Mar 2014)

Kano said:


> Brought the renewal date forward from March 1st to Feb 28th



How did you do that ?


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## Kano (19 Mar 2014)

Billo said:


> How did you do that ?



I just took out a new policy from Feb 28th .
It will be due for renewal on Feb 1st 2015.


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## fraggle (19 Mar 2014)

Next year, if you don't move it forward again, you will take the hit on possibly 2 price increases.


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## DrMoriarty (19 Mar 2014)

The costs of premiums have risen so dramatically that I now renew our (very basic) cover only after the year's policy has lapsed, just before the end of the 13-week period beyond which you are deemed to lose continuity of cover and have to wait 2-5 years to be covered for pre-existing conditions.

Now I just have to make sure that if anyone in the family needs medical treatment, they fall ill outside that three-month window (or postpone their treatment, if it's not urgent).


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## Jano (19 Mar 2014)

I understood that if you delayed by up to 13 weeks you can only avoid the 2 year waiting period for pre-existing conditions if you pay the 'arrears'?


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## Kano (20 Mar 2014)

fraggle said:


> Next year, if you don't move it forward again, you will take the hit on possibly 2 price increases.



How do you figure that out ?
I have done this trick a number of times in the past ,it was actually Laya that first told me about it


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## DrMoriarty (20 Mar 2014)

Jano said:


> I understood that if you delayed by up to 13 weeks you can only avoid the 2 year waiting period for pre-existing conditions if you pay the 'arrears'?


Nope, not with LAYA at any rate, and I _think_ it's a general (regulatory) rule for all insurers. Naturally, you're not covered for any expenses incurred during those 13 weeks...


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## fraggle (20 Mar 2014)

Kano said:


> How do you figure that out ?
> I have done this trick a number of times in the past ,it was actually Laya that first told me about it



I'm just saying that if you are paying 1000, and the renewal is 1200, then you might cancel and renew 1 month early to pay only 1000.

Next year (1 month earlier than normal), your renewal might have gone from 1200 to 1400.... but to you that is from 1000 to 1400.
So unless you cancel can renew early again, you are going to get hit 'twice' in one go.


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## DrMoriarty (20 Mar 2014)

...but still save money.

€1000 + €1200 + €1400 = 36 months; avge cost = €100/month

€1000 + €1000 + €1400 = 35 months; avge cost = @€97.14/month


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