# health insurance renewal time



## Mar123 (7 Jun 2012)

It's that time of year again. My parents policy is up for renewal,at present they are on Aviva plan level 2 hospital, I was looking on the hia comparison site, and thought that company care plus might provide more bang for their buck, but feel they would like to save more money. Can anyone recommend a policy for a couple in their sixties.
Likewise our own policy is up for renewal, we were on the Teachers Plan with VHI, this has jumped from €750 to over €1100 euro, and I don't feel the policy provides value for money compared to other policies. Again I'm drawn to company care plus, or family health smart with Laya, but they are still alot of money, and at this stage I'm just becoming overwhelmed with all the comparisons, so if anyone could recommend good plans suitable for families, I would be grateful.


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## snowyb (7 Jun 2012)

Hi Mar123,

What are both your actual renewal dates?

I would recommend 'Simply Health Excess'  plan with Laya Healthcare.
Adult:  846pa
Child:   303pa
This is a good value all round plan for both hospital cover and outpatient cover.

I would also recommend your own choice 'Company Care Plus', in particular for your parents,  if they prefer a plan with no inpatient hospital excess and extra outpatient benefits.   
Otherwise 'Simply Health Excess' would suit them.


Snowyb


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## pj111 (8 Jun 2012)

Healthwise Plus No Excess would be more suitable for your parents than Simply Health Excess and more similar to Level 2 Hospital. The price on the HIA website is not the price that your parents would be charged though for Level 2 Hospital.


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## serotoninsid (8 Jun 2012)

Isn't there an issue with X years locked out of cover for a pre-existing condition when you switch policy.  Is this not even more of an issue for older people - who are likely to have pre-existing conditions of one type or another?


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## pj111 (8 Jun 2012)

Waiting periods are transferable even for pre existing conditions when you switch as long as it is same level of cover. There can be upgrade waiting periods where cover is enhanced.


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## Mar123 (11 Jun 2012)

Thanks for all the advice, my parents have looked at, and will probably go with Company Care Plus. Based on the recoomendation here, I had a good look at Simply Health Excess, still mulling it over, but think we might go with it,


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## serotoninsid (18 Jun 2012)

pj111 said:


> Waiting periods are transferable even for pre existing conditions when you switch as long as it is same level of cover. There can be upgrade waiting periods where cover is enhanced.


Thanks for clarifying that.  My parents have been fearful of changing as they always thought they would be locked out of cover when it came to pre-existing conditions.  This has meant that they have resisted looking at moving away from VHI.


Coincidentally, their renewal letter has just come in.  They're on the 'Health Plus Access' package - for the two of them, this is coming in at €2,728. They are allegedly on some 'group' rate - but given that vhi has hundreds of policy variants, i'm skeptical as to whether this really brings any real, tangible reduction in the premium.

Would anyone know what packages the other providers offer - that would be  classed as a similar level of cover to VHI's 'Health Plus Access' product?


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## snowyb (19 Jun 2012)

Hi Serotoninsid,

3 options with Laya(Quinn) Healthcare:

Company Care Plus    1059 per adult
Healthwise Plus No Excess   878 per adult
Simply Health Excess     846 per adult

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?67&198&277/


2 options with Aviva:

Level 2 Health Excess 883 per adult
Level 2 Hospital  1291 per adult
Note:  Aviva charge a 2000 payment for hip and knee surgery in a private or hi tech hospital. This payment does not apply to this type of surgery in public hospitals.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?67&249&23/


Also Laya Healthcare have no age related waiting times for  outpatient claims. 
Snowyb


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## fuliz (29 Jun 2012)

Keep an eye on www.hia.ie, news section. New health insurer, GloHealth.ie will be out very soon with special offers.


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