# 2A 2C VHI Parents and Kids August renewal - should we leave?



## emeralds (8 Jul 2013)

Husband and I have always been with VHI. Have just got this years renewal to commence on 1st August.
He and I are on Company Plan extra - €1291.75 each
Two children (aged 16 and 13) are on Parents & kids plans - €279 each.

I do not want day to day expenses cover - we have Hospital Saturday Fund policy for that which we are very happy with.

For some reason I feel nervous about switching. And for the life of me I cannot make any sense of the HIA website about comparing plans across companies.

Also we have just renewed our multi trip travel insurance with VHI - if we move company is that void?


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## emeralds (9 Jul 2013)

Spoke to VHI yesterday. After a lot of palaver about the importance of high levels of cover I switched to Company Plan for husband and I...saving approx €700 per annum. Will review this policy when it arrives in post..


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## snowyb (9 Jul 2013)

Hi emeralds, 

I was just wondering about the  decision to pick Company Plan as an alternative to changeover to at your renewal date 1/8/2013.
Was this plan suggested to you by VHI or was it your own choice of plan?

Either way, it is not a great choice of alternative plan for the price.
The main reason being you are losing hi-tech hospital cover - ie orthopaedic and all other general surgery in the
Blackrock Clinic, Mater Private and Beacon Hospital.

For a similar  price to Company Plan, you can keep the same level of hospital cover that you are on at present with VHI.
Details as follows; 
Adult Option;   Plan PMI 10 11;    price per adult;  977pa;   similar hospital cover as before(with 125 excess) + some outpatient cover(30 excess).

Child Option;  One Plan Choice; price per child;  244pa;  similar hospital cover as before(with 125 excess)  no outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?88&252&290/

2 adults x 977  =  1954  - Plan PMI 10 11
2 kids    x 244  =    488  - One Plan Choice

Total family price;  2442
The above prices include a small increase which applies from 1st August 2013 as highlighted on www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/vhi-rate-and-benefit-changes-to-pmi-plans-01.08.2013/

LAYA HEALTHCARE;
I appreciate you are reluctant to switch providers, but I just have to highlight a very good offer with Laya from 1/8/2013.

Adult Option
New plan called ' Simply Health Connect'  960(987) per adult,  same hospital cover as before + good outpatient cover(50% refund gp etc)
Price in brackets includes 3% charge if you pay by instalments.
Details will be available on HIA.ie on 1/8/2013.
www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/...nnect-and-health-sense-connect-on-01.08.2013/

Similar to Simply Health Excess - with a hi-tech excess 250 on the new plan instead of 200.
Example of similar cover;
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?88&279/

Child Option with Laya
Family Care;   price per child from 1/8/2013 is 212(218) - same hospital cover as before + good outpatient cover (50% refund gp etc)

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?88&50/

2adults x  987 =  1974  - Simply Health Connect plan
2 kids   x  218 =    436  - Family Care plan
Total family price;  2410

This is a really good price, including good outpatient cover.  With this plan, you would not need Hospital Saturday Fund as full outpatient 
cover is included.  
The total family price is cheaper than Company Plan 2432pa  - which has reduced hi-tech cover and no outpatient cover.


GLOHEALTH
Another option well worth considering is the following;

Better Plan;   adult price;  915pa   - similar hospital cover(100 excess)  no outpatient cover.
Better Plan;   kids price;    230pa  -  similar hospital cover(100 excess) no outpatient cover.

2 adults x 915 =  1830
2 kids    x 230 =    460
Total family price;  2290pa

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?88&298/



AVIVA
Here's another suggestion with Aviva at a competitive price;

Adult Option
Health Plan 05;    adult price;  946pa;  same hospital cover(75 excess) + good outpatient cover (50 excess).

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?88&307/

Child Option
Level 2 Family Health;   child price; 228pa - same hospital cover(75 excess) no outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?88&248/

2adults x 946 =  1892pa
2 kids   x 228 =    456pa
Total family price;  2348pa


There's plenty of savings to be made without compromising on hospital cover.  I included options with all 4 providers which may also
help other people reading these posts.

You can change your mind, if you wish, upto 14 days after 1st August 2013.
Also, your multi-trip travel insurance policy with VHI is not affected in any way if you change health insurance provider - on condition
that full overseas cover is included on your health insurance plan, minimum 65,000 hospital bill cover.  All the above suggestions
include full overseas cover.

Hope this clarifies your position a little clearer, without causing more confusion.

Regards, Snowyb


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## emeralds (9 Jul 2013)

You are an absolute star SnowyB...many thanks for your informative reply. I will certainly review staying with VHI - the other plans sound much more attractive!


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## snowyb (10 Jul 2013)

Hi emeralds,

I updated the above post, regarding small increase due on 1/8/2013 on plan PMI 10 11.
Still a good price, worth considering.

Snowyb


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## emeralds (10 Jul 2013)

Snowyb - does the glohealth plan you mentioned have the same benefits as the Laya one?


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## snowyb (10 Jul 2013)

The Glohealth(100 excess) and Laya(175 excess) plans would have similar hospital cover, the only difference is the excess for a private hospital, shown in brackets.

The Glohealth plan has no day to day outpatient cover, the Laya plan has really good day to day cover, 50% refund for gp visits, consultants, dental etc with a 1euro excess.

The Laya offer for 1/8/2013 is a very good price for that extra level of cover, but both plans are good plans. 

Snowyb


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## emeralds (10 Jul 2013)

Thanks so much for that info.


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