# Quinn Health Insurance



## Estelle (17 Feb 2009)

I have been considering switching to Quinn health insurance recently. Looking through posts here I haven't seen much about them.
On other occasions when I've read up on reviews for Motor and Home insurance I've seen people complain that Quinn can be tricky when it comes to trying to get them to pay out.

Is this true of Quinn Health Insurance too? Or is health insurance different in so far as every health problem claimed for would be authorised by a doctor? I have an existing health condition so making a bad move insurance wise would be a disaster for me.

Just wondering if anyone has any negative or positive experience of them?


----------



## europhile (18 Feb 2009)

Fortunately, I never had reason to claim but I moved away from them because they no longer offer group discounts and were less than honest in explaining why.  Also, I was a bit scared of the company going under what with Anglo Irish etc.


----------



## NovaFlare77 (18 Feb 2009)

You probably won't have as much difficulty with the health insurance because most of the rates for the various procedures are agreed and reviewed with the doctors and hospitals every year/two years.

Depending on the size of the claim, they will ring the patient before making payment to make sure the bill details are correct (e.g. that you were in the private room being billed for, etc). I know that some people don't like this, as they don't want anything to do with the payment of the bills. I think it's a good idea, as in practice you don't see the bills until they are paid. I'd hope though that they would take into account the type of illness someone was treated for and not ring people that are still seriously ill or incapacitated.

I can't say much else about them, because I've never claimed. Have you checked if the same doctors and hospitals are covered with Quinn as with your current insurer?


----------



## Estelle (19 Feb 2009)

Thank you both very much for taking the time to reply. NovaFlare77 I have checked to make sure that my consultant and lcal hospitals are covered.It would be a definite deal breaker if they weren't.Wouldnt part with my doctor for gold  

Europhile: Is there likely to be a connection between Quinn and Anglo? Is there any rumour of a collapse at Quinn?


----------



## BoxTen (2 Mar 2009)

I previously had Quinn Healthcare and had a small problem with my knee.  Went along to the Beacon walk in A&E and while waiting to be seen by a consultant, the patronising secretary on the floor shimmied into me to point out that, as I had Quinn health cover, who did not pay claims to that hospital, would I be able to 'afford to pay for an MRI myself if required?'

I was pretty annoyed on two fronts but promptly changed my cover to Vivas as they were and Hibernian Health now, they were cheaper and seem to cover far more hospitals than eitehr of the other insurers.  I had no waiting periods as I wa switching insurer.

I also heard about www.myhealthinsurance.ie to compare various health insurance products and prices.


----------



## NovaFlare77 (2 Mar 2009)

BoxTen said:


> I previously had Quinn Healthcare and had a small problem with my knee. Went along to the Beacon walk in A&E and while waiting to be seen by a consultant, the patronising secretary on the floor shimmied into me to point out that, as I had Quinn health cover, who did not pay claims to that hospital, would I be able to 'afford to pay for an MRI myself if required?'
> 
> I was pretty annoyed on two fronts but promptly changed my cover to Vivas as they were and Hibernian Health now, they were cheaper and seem to cover far more hospitals than eitehr of the other insurers. I had no waiting periods as I wa switching insurer.
> 
> I also heard about [broken link removed] to compare various health insurance products and prices.


 
Just a note about Hibernian Health's hospital list. They seem to bulk it up with out-patient centres, for the likes of MRIs, CTs etc. For example, they list Charlemont Clinic and Calymon Labs, which would both be out-patient centres for the likes of scans and lab tests respectively (Charlemont Clinic would also have consulant rooms).

This in itself is fine, but when they compare to the number of hospitals covered by the other insurers, Hibernian don't include their competitors out-patient centres in the count, making it seem like they have more hospitals.

Also, that website looks a good place to start, but you'd get more indepedent advice on www.hia.ie (Health Insurance Authority). The website above is run by brokers who would receive a commission from Hibernian for every sale. I'm not in anyway trying to even imply they would be disreputable, but at the moment, the only place to get a truly independent comparison would be through the HIA. I've thought about doing something similar myself, but the number of products available is staggering (74 was my last count). I'd have to give up the day-job to maintain it .


----------



## Bill Struth (6 Mar 2009)

I had an operation a few months ago on a broken finger, and I had no problems at all with the service from Quinn Health Insurance. All I got was one short phone call to confirm the name of the consultant and that was it. Then a statement was posted to me showing the fees paid by them.


----------



## sandrat (6 Mar 2009)

do they still have a deal if you have car insurance with them?


----------



## Bill Struth (9 Mar 2009)

sandrat said:


> do they still have a deal if you have car insurance with them?


Yes, free house and travel insurance if you have car and health insurance with them.


----------



## sandrat (9 Mar 2009)

Bill Struth said:


> Yes, free house and travel insurance if you have car and health insurance with them.


 
I can't find it anywhere on the website though


----------



## NovaFlare77 (9 Mar 2009)

sandrat said:


> I can't find it anywhere on the website though


 
Here - http://www.quinn-healthcare.com/for_members.htm. Scoll down to member offers.


----------



## REMFAN (11 Mar 2009)

At a consultation to have a couple of wisdom teeth removed last year,the dental surgeon commented that Quinn are 'tricky to deal with' compared to other providers when claiming costs.


----------



## sandrat (11 Mar 2009)

tricky for the insured or the doctor?


----------



## Mairin (10 May 2010)

I went to renew my subscription but to downgrade it first.  Quinn Healthcare had already charged my credit card and the difference (E600) can not be refunded until I forward my credit card bill showing them the charge on it and it will take 4 weeks to organise the actual credit from that date!  I know that once they processed the credit card machine by 5pm on one day, the money is in their bank account by 12noon the following day.  Yet it will take approximately 6 weeks for me to get a refund.  They obviously need the money - at my expense!


----------



## annet (10 May 2010)

*Refunds*

I had a similar problem with another insurance company some time back.  That company said it would take them 21 days to refund my laser.  

So, I got in touch with the financial regulator and as far as I can remember they said it should only take them 5 days at most, but to be completely certain I'd get in touch with the regulators office.  Six weeks is really pulling it!


----------



## dub1 (10 May 2010)

I was in hospital for 2 days in 2008 and 10 days in 2009(unrelated). I never had any problem what so ever with payments etc. I also had quite a lot of outpatient recieps. Again absolutely no problem with them paying out.


----------



## NovaFlare77 (11 May 2010)

rizythomas said:


> Some Insurance companies like Quinn are difficult to understand and tricky also. Just beware of such companies.


 
Can you expand on that a bit? Do you have any examples or personal experiences of dealing with the health insurance part of Quinn? (Which is what the original poster asked about.)


----------

