Health Insurance Switching from Laya Essential Health 300 to VHI FirstCare 500 Day to Day?

Hello, would really appreciate any thoughts on this. We are both in our early 40s with no major health issues thankfully. We tend to have more day to day expenses for which the Essential Health 300 has little or no cover. Is the reduction in inpatient benefits so drastic between these plans that this is a bad idea? We would like to have access to the VHI Clinics, as well as save some money.

Just to mention also we have two children with VHI as I needed a plan for them which covered therapies for their additional needs - PMI 2410 - which I'd recommend to anyone whose children need ongoing speech or occupational therapy.

Thanks so much!

Hi superfuff,

I notice that snowyb would have given you a lot of advice in the past, but, unfortunately they do not frequent AAM any longer. My knowledge on health insurance is nothing compared to theirs As I'm insured with VHI I also don't have much knowledge about the Laya cover.

Having a look at the two polices you mention would lead me to believe that the Laya policy is better on the hospital cover, but, light on the day-to-day expenses. The VHI policy has a lot of high excesses on hospitals. Whilst VHI one appears to be better on the expenses, the overall budget is capped at €1,000 as compared to €6,500 on the Laya one.

Dermot Goode of www.totalhealthcover.ie does mention on some recent podcasts that €1,400/€1,500 would be the average good policy at the moment.

From my reading of the comparison the VHI clinics does show that the cover is better than the Laya cover.

The VHI PMI2410 policy (mine also) is an excellent policy but a lot more expensive than the VHI FirstCare 500 day-to-day.

Thanks for your time Sue Ellen, appreciate it!