Health Insurance Waiting Time on new health insurance policy

[Sako243]

Hi

I have a question regarding waiting time on a new insurance policy. My wife and I recently joined Irish life ( May 2020) and decided to go for the benefit plan as it seems to have a good enough range of hospitals including 1 high tech hospital.

With insurance companies having so much small print I said I would ask the good folk here about waiting times.

Before I took out the policy I wanted to ensure I did not have to serve a waiting period and to be fair I received a mail from corn Market with the waiting time waived. It was a chain email and the decision was made by an Irish life employee.

My question is are we now fully insured for any conditions that may arise within the first 26 weeks? It may be a straight forward yes but I am always dubious with insurance companies

Thanks

 

[kitty81]

I would imagine, the waiting period that was waived was just the 26 week initial waiting period. That is common enough practise.

You will be covered for an admission for a condition, where the signs and symptoms appeared AFTER your policies start date.

What wont be waived is the 5 year 'Pre Existing' waiting period. If a condition was present or signs and symptoms of a condition present before the start date of your policy, you won't have cover for it for 5 years.

There is also a 52 week maternity waiting period which won't have been waived either.

And finally, a less of a burden really, but you could also have a 26 week Government levy waiting period. If you end up as a public patient in a public hospital during the first 6 months, your insurance may not cover the €80 a day (max 10 days).

Maybe you are familiar with these but I felt it important to point out as with just the initial waiting period waived, does not automatically give you full cover from the get go.

If you held another health insurance policy leading into this new one, all the waiting periods can be reduced accordingly

 

[cpt_boom]

I would imagine, the waiting period that was waived was just the 26 week initial waiting period. That is common enough practise.

This is interesting. So I guess anyone taking out a new policy (i.e. with no cover in previous 13 wks) should ask for this? They are in effect giving twice the length of cover (with exceptions including pre-existing, maternity as mentioned). If only one provider will waive the waiting period, it may make sense to go with them even if they aren't as competitively priced. You could always switch to the cheaper provider next renewal.

Are you more likely to be offered this via a broker, as the OP was?

 

[kitty81]

It would not necessarily only be allowed through a broker. You can ask for this at the point of sale direct with the private health insurance company.