VHI Raising Prices Again

paddydriver

I am thinking I should maybe put this in the "Ranting" forum but this really sticks in my throat...

I have listened to their MD on the radio, Jimmy Tolan, justifying the 8% rise by saying that their rivals raised by 12% approx late last year.... but hold on Jimmy, that was in response to your other 20%+ raise early last year.

I have been very loyal to VHI and now we are having our 3rd child in last 4 years I am sticking with them as their cover has been good and it has all been sorted direct with the hospital.

We have the Family Plan with the contribution towards GP and Physio etc, but even that has been reduced to 7 visits from the 25 previously.

I am questioning my long term commitment to them now as they are taking the absolute P by raising prices again. Just seem like new year and same oul crap... Aargh.

I am loath to goto Quinn as I have not heard good things about their claims processes etc in motor insurance and I am concerned it may be same in health.

What are other people's thoughts on this?

Thanks

randomname

If this goes through, I will definitely be moving to Aviva.

NuMarvel

Regardless of price increases or not, I think you should always shop around on health insurance at your renewal, even if it's only for your peace of mind to know you're getting the best deal where ever you currently are.

The Health Insurance Authority's website, www.hia.ie, has a good comparison tool which should help people see what alternatives to their level of cover is. Be warned however, there are 150 health insurance products out there, so it may take a bit of time and patience to find the one that suits you.

It's worth it in the end though. I was with Aviva on their Level 2 plan and my renewal in December was going to be nearly €820. I had a look around and switched to Quinn's Companycare which works out at €15 cheaper per month and gives me better cover for GPs, dentists, etc.

I should add I used to work for BUPA Ireland so my familiarity of health insurance would be more than the average person's, but I have more loyalty to my wallet than to my former employer so I only switched back to Quinn because they worked out best for me.

hedgeh0g

Who are the runners?

Quinn
VHI
Aviva

What is the best paln for a couple with one kid and dental?

Currently we are with VHI but its too expensive I think, but with the increase I need to jump ship.

heebusjeebus

I just called VHI to cancel my plan but there is a bit of a waiting list as all the people who work on the cancellations are rather busy.

NuMarvel

hedgeh0g wrote: »

Who are the runners?

Quinn
VHI
Aviva

What is the best paln for a couple with one kid and dental?

Currently we are with VHI but its too expensive I think, but with the increase I need to jump ship.

What plan do you have with VHI? And is the dental included in your hospital plan or do you have VHI's Dental product seperately?

hedgeh0g

NuMarvel wrote: »

What plan do you have with VHI? And is the dental included in your hospital plan or do you have VHI's Dental product seperately?

I have a seperate plan for Dental.
I think my VHI is Plan B - I will have to check though.
Its costing approx 93 PM?

Dental plan is about 350 PA

byhookorbycrook

VHI are the only group who cover my treatment,which costs €2,500 a month,so I'll be staying put.

paddydriver

Our new arrival is due March and they will be on the policy until renewal time in August. At that stage I plan on having a clean slate on claim etc and will be carefully reviewing all options then.

Based on having a quick look around previously I could not really see a whole lot of difference, except for some opening offers etc.

What has really annoyed me this morning is to hear the MD of VHI justifying the raise by saying competitors raised last year... does this guy think we are stupid... This was the same guy that turned around and said that the health levy of ~€160 per adult would not lead to raises; few months later their prices go up over 20%.

Now that VHI are raising their prices you can be sure Quinn and Aviva will follow suit during the year.

Any more ranting and I will take it offline...:o

NuMarvel

hedgeh0g wrote: »

I have a seperate plan for Dental.
I think my VHI is Plan B - I will have to check though.
Its costing approx 93 PM?

Dental plan is about 350 PA

Having a quick look on the HIA's comparison, the cheapest closest equivalents, based on a single adult cost, are:

Avivia's Level 2 Hospital - http://www.avivahealth.ie/individual-family/level-2-hospital/ and
Quinn's Company Health Plus (No Excess) - http://www.quinn-healthcare.com/for_employers/company_health_plus.htm.

Just click the links above and you'll be able to get quotes for the two plans.

The Aviva price is valid up to the end of January. All three are reasonably similar but Aviva's plan covers more scan centres and they don't apply a credit charge to monthly instalments (Quinn does).

You will be able to keep your Dental product going, but you're currently getting a discount of 10% for being a VHI member. You'll lose that if you switch, but I'd say it would still be financially worth your while to look around.

The plans above are most comparable to what you currently have, but you might be able to get cheaper again if there are things covered on Plan B that you feel you don't need. For example, would you be willing to pay an excess in private hospitals in return for a lower premium? Is maternity relevant to you anymore?

Have a look through the HIA website to see what advice they have (I don't work there, I just think they're website is handy). Don't forget that if you decide to switch insurer or plan, then you can switch with no new waiting periods and you are allowed to join any plan, even if it's got Company or Corporate od the like in the name. You can also switch back at any time with no new waiting periods.

billyhead

Are these prices for a single adult with no previous Health problems which I am. I am 28 and hvae not been insured on Health insurance for the last 5 years. I was wondering would either of these be the best policy for me. I am perfectly healthy but you never know what could happen down the line:D

NuMarvel wrote: »

Having a quick look on the HIA's comparison, the cheapest closest equivalents, based on a single adult cost, are:

Avivia's Level 2 Hospital - http://www.avivahealth.ie/individual-family/level-2-hospital/ and
Quinn's Company Health Plus (No Excess) - http://www.quinn-healthcare.com/for_employers/company_health_plus.htm.

Just click the links above and you'll be able to get quotes for the two plans.

The Aviva price is valid up to the end of January. All three are reasonably similar but Aviva's plan covers more scan centres and they don't apply a credit charge to monthly instalments (Quinn does).

You will be able to keep your Dental product going, but you're currently getting a discount of 10% for being a VHI member. You'll lose that if you switch, but I'd say it would still be financially worth your while to look around.

The plans above are most comparable to what you currently have, but you might be able to get cheaper again if there are things covered on Plan B that you feel you don't need. For example, would you be willing to pay an excess in private hospitals in return for a lower premium? Is maternity relevant to you anymore?

Have a look through the HIA website to see what advice they have (I don't work there, I just think they're website is handy). Don't forget that if you decide to switch insurer or plan, then you can switch with no new waiting periods and you are allowed to join any plan, even if it's got Company or Corporate od the like in the name. You can also switch back at any time with no new waiting periods.

soden12

Wait until later on in the year and Quinn et all will raise their prices as well.

They should be made apply for their increases at the same time each year and apply them at the same time in order to let people make an informed decision.

paddydriver

soden12 wrote: »

Wait until later on in the year and Quinn et all will raise their prices as well.

They should be made apply for their increases at the same time each year and apply them at the same time in order to let people make an informed decision.

You hit the nail on the head there! - I nearly now pay more for my families health insurance than I do for my ESB and Gas combined.... and they ain't fancy policies. Yet... when ESB or Gas want to change their prices they have to apply for them. Yet, VHI can just hike on another rise as they wish. Just watch Quinn and Aviva follow - rock solid certainty.

broker2008

Quinn and Aviva have already announced and implemented their price increases for 2010. If they increase again one would expect VHI to increase again also.

broker2008

billyhead wrote: »

Are these prices for a single adult with no previous Health problems which I am. I am 28 and hvae not been insured on Health insurance for the last 5 years. I was wondering would either of these be the best policy for me. I am perfectly healthy but you never know what could happen down the line:D

Depends what you are looking for, semi private room in a private hospital would be Plan B, essential plus or level 2 type cover. Cost ranging from €710 up to €900 plus.

If private room in a public hospital is ok, level 1 hospital for €520 per year.

broker2008

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

VHI are the only group who cover my treatment,which costs €2,500 a month,so I'll be staying put.

What treatment is only covered by VHI?

paddydriver

broker2008 wrote: »

Quinn and Aviva have already announced and implemented their price increases for 2010. If they increase again one would expect VHI to increase again also.

TBH I have lost track at this stage of all the rises - that's what is so bad about them. Didn't VHI raise their prices by approx 20% early last year; then Quinn and Aviva added on later in 2009. Now VHI go up again... so next up will be Quinn and Aviva again.

VHI are always first to raise them, the others get some press out of it and a few thousand new customers.... then hike the price.

NuMarvel

paddydriver wrote: »

TBH I have lost track at this stage of all the rises - that's what is so bad about them. Didn't VHI raise their prices by approx 20% early last year; then Quinn and Aviva added on later in 2009. Now VHI go up again... so next up will be Quinn and Aviva again.

VHI are always first to raise them, the others get some press out of it and a few thousand new customers.... then hike the price.

It used to be the way that BUPA would increase prices in Feb/March, VHI in September then VIVAS in October. But strictly speaking, like other types of insurance, there's nothing to say that one of the health insurers won't have a second price increase within 12 months.

Like I say, always shop around even within your own health insurer. All health insurers have a range of company plans that everyone is entitled to join, but they don't mention them unless asked.

EDIT: I saw this in today's Examiner:

"Yesterday’s VHI price increase does not relate to its company schemes, but a spokesperson said an announcement on a March increase for those plans was imminent. "

Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/home/vhi-older-clients-will-pay-more-109080.html#ixzz0bq3wkmcC

byhookorbycrook

broker2008 wrote: »

What treatment is only covered by VHI?

Tysabri,only VHI cover it and public patients don't get it at all.

NuMarvel

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Tysabri,only VHI cover it and public patients don't get it at all.

Hook, I've had a look at Aviva's list of covered procedures on their website and the infusion of tysabri is covered by them. This is what's covered:

"Infusion of Tysabri as a single disease modifying therapy in highly active relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis".

It's on page 15 of the attached PDF - http://www.hibernianavivahealth.ie/vivas-files/docs/providers/AllProceduresAVIVA.pdf.

I can't find anything on the Quinn website about what procedures they cover, but I would say it's a fair bet that a procedure code covered by VHI and Aviva is also covered by Quinn.

It maybe the case that your consultant isn't fully covered by the other insurers, but the treatment itself seems to be covered by Aviva at least.

EDIT: If anyone's interested, the status of consultants can be checked on Quinn's and Aviva's website: Quinn - http://www.quinn-healthcare.com/memberinfo/findconsultant.htm and Aviva - http://tools.hibernianavivahealth.ie/healthcare_info/search_providers/index.php

RubyXI

I have first plan level 1 with vhi and am paying around €640 but i'm thinking of switching to Quinns Credit Union Starter as it's around €100 less for what looks like similar cover. I'm trying to find out what i need to do to cancel vhi and if i'll have to pay or give notice or what. have emailed them so hopefully they'll let me know.

byhookorbycrook

unless Quinn have changed,they def don't ,had never heard of it when I rang last yr.

cearnaigh

i joined quinn a few years ago from the vhi (saved over 400 quid in process)..like another poster above, i was skeptical about thier claims payout process but my own personal experience has been great...my wife and daughter have both been in in hospital since we joined them (minor enough things) but both claims were paid without problem...add to that last easter around the same time my daugher was just out of hospital we got an easter colour competition form through the post. In saying that, i constantly check the prices come renewal (even though a quinn person had already contacted me before renewal to ensure everything was ok) and they are always that bit cheaper so my experience with them has been very poisitive

Sarn

I have been with all three health insurers at this stage, although fortunately have only had to make a claim off VHI. I review my policy on an annual basis going with the cheapest equivalent option, as a result I've not been with VHI for some time now. While the process is slightly time consuming the money saved is better off in my pocket.

The only reason VHI are still in business is customer inertia. With their recent price hike I can see them losing even more customers.

cearnaigh

Sarn wrote: »

The only reason VHI are still in business is customer inertia.

suppose some people feel that if they have paid vhi premium for years, that they at least deserves something back off vhi when they are older, which is fair enough if they can afford to pay the extra premium every year....

pink100

Thinking of changing from VHI to another health insurance company..I am with VHI years but I have heard they are putting up their prices. Due to medical reasons in family we need to have health insurance so wondering which is best and even most reasonable..:)

Takk

pink100 wrote: »

Thinking of changing from VHI to another health insurance company..I am with VHI years but I have heard they are putting up their prices. Due to medical reasons in family we need to have health insurance so wondering which is best and even most reasonable..:)

Banking & Insurance & Pensions forum

Zaph

Moved from Forums

Toots

Threads merged.

NuMarvel

pink100 wrote: »

Thinking of changing from VHI to another health insurance company..I am with VHI years but I have heard they are putting up their prices. Due to medical reasons in family we need to have health insurance so wondering which is best and even most reasonable..:)

Hi Pink. There are loads of different plans out there (over 150) so the best for one person may not be the best for you, and vice versa.

The Health Insurance Authority is an agency set up by the Government to monitor the health insurance market and they have a product comparison tool on their wesite - www.hia.ie. Have a look at that and see what the comes back with. Like I say though, there are loads of plans, so take a bit of time to look at all the options and to think about what cover you want.

They also have guides about what to think about when you're picking a health insurance product and what your rights are when you're switching.

Alternatively, tell us what plan you have with VHI and what kind of cover you want to have and we can come up with what we think are viable alternatives.

pink100

I am with VHI Family plan B...

Find it so confusing and worrying especially if you have to claim for something and you have missed the small print somewhere..People worry about the changeover from one company to the next in case they have missed out something..cheers guys for the replies..:)