Alternative to VHI

take everything

Can anyone recommend alternative health insurance to VHI.
Getting sick of the annual gouging (over a 1000 euro this time)
Probably can dispense with day to day expenses (GP, dentist visits etc) tbh but would like to keep good private/public hospital cover (preferably without an excess).
I've talked to VHI but no good alternatives.
Any other suggestions.
Thanks.

km79

take everything wrote: »

Can anyone recommend alternative health insurance to VHI.
Getting sick of the annual gouging (over a 1000 euro this time)
Probably can dispense with day to day expenses (GP, dentist visits etc) tbh but would like to keep good private/public hospital cover (preferably without an excess).
I've talked to VHI but no good alternatives.
Any other suggestions.
Thanks.

I was about to start a similar thread . Laya cover has increased again this year to unaffordable levels. With them 6 years got nothing back. Started looking at HSF plans today. Anyone any experience with them? It's a bit of a risk giving up the hospital cover I suppose ....

NuMarvel

If you haven't checked it out already, have a look at the Health Insurance Authority's website - www.hia.ie. It has a plan comparison tool, which helps you find comparable alternatives to your current plan.

FYI, there are alot of different plans on the market, so it might take you some time to sift through all the details. But it should be worth your while in the long run

take everything

NuMarvel wrote: »

If you haven't checked it out already, have a look at the Health Insurance Authority's website - www.hia.ie. It has a plan comparison tool, which helps you find comparable alternatives to your current plan.

FYI, there are alot of different plans on the market, so it might take you some time to sift through all the details. But it should be worth your while in the long run

Yeah thanks.
I'll take a look but just wondering what others are on.
As i say, core cover in public/private hospitals (preferably without an excess) is what i'm looking for.
Should be able to do without the GP/dentist stuff etc.

broker2008

take everything wrote: »

Can anyone recommend alternative health insurance to VHI.
Getting sick of the annual gouging (over a 1000 euro this time)
Probably can dispense with day to day expenses (GP, dentist visits etc) tbh but would like to keep good private/public hospital cover (preferably without an excess).
I've talked to VHI but no good alternatives.
Any other suggestions.
Thanks.

They all have cheaper options with lower benefits. Laya have a new plan out as an example.Cuts the benefits to shreds though.

okiss

What policy do you have with vhi as I might be able to suggest some other plans to you?
If you are willing to pay an excess of €50 to €150 if you have a hospital visit it will bring your cost down.
What is the max you want to pay a year?
A few years ago I found a better policy for my friend for not much more than they were paying.

okiss

Cheaper plans will not have the same cover as the more expensive plans.
What plan are you on with vhi?
What is the max you are willing to pay for health insurance?
I found better plans for a number of people I know so if you give me some information I will see if find a better plan for you.

take everything

Yeah i've talked to VHI about alternatives. Was looking at maybe getting it down to around 700 or so. They don't seem to have anything. Not interested in paying an excess for hospital though.
As i say i was looking at trimming day to day (non-hospital) stuff.
So basically i want good hospital (public and private) cover for as cheap as i can get.

broker2008

take everything wrote: »

Yeah i've talked to VHI about alternatives. Was looking at maybe getting it down to around 700 or so. They don't seem to have anything. Not interested in paying an excess for hospital though.
As i say i was looking at trimming day to day (non-hospital) stuff.
So basically i want good hospital (public and private) cover for as cheap as i can get.

What plan did they offer? What plan were you on? When is actual renewal date? The more info you give the better alternative you will be offered. Is there specific cover or hospitals required?

okiss

I have looked up the hia website and the following plans fit in your budget of €650 - to apox €800. All of these plans have an excess of €50/€125 per hospital visit.
I would look these up on the hia site where you can see what procedures they cover and what hospital they cover also. Some of the cheaper plans might only cover a few private hospitals.

Laya Healthcare Aspire - €645
Laya Essential Select - €715.58
Laya Essential Connect €740.00
Laya Health Sense Excess €811.15

If you want a plan with no excess there is Laya Healthwise Plus No excess for €878.21

Truman Burbank

take everything wrote: »

Yeah i've talked to VHI about alternatives. Was looking at maybe getting it down to around 700 or so. They don't seem to have anything. Not interested in paying an excess for hospital though.
As i say i was looking at trimming day to day (non-hospital) stuff.
So basically i want good hospital (public and private) cover for as cheap as i can get.

They'll all get you somewhere - whether it's the excess on the in-patient side; the excess on the out-patient side; or getting rid of the excess (for either or both) and adding it to the premium.

ONLY get a corporate plan. You are entitled to buy any plan for sale, including every single company corporate plan for employees. I have no idea why anyone would purchase a non-corporate (i.e regular) health insurance plan = the ones the ones they try to sell us on their homepages. I can only assume it's because consumers don't know, thou (politely) it's been heavily, and frequently, covered in many a column inch and radio report.

So, to answer your question:
VHI - It's like getting blood out of a stone trying to unearth corporate schemes on-line
AVIVA - They are listed under 'Tailored Plans' but you then have to subtract the regular plans from the long list, to get the list you want, then call them on the employer line and give all your details to them, for them to give you the prices. Also, they will not tell you the nearest corporate equivalent of your current plan if you ask. Remind them that the call is being recorded :eek:. They'll tell you they can't "recommend" or "suggest"; You tell them you're not looking for a recommendation or suggestion, only the nearest to what you are now happy with, or what you would like to buy. You may as well be banging your head against a wall. It is excruciating, have a go. I dare you! There are about 13 corporate plans
LAYA - Easy. All 12 corporate plans on-line with prices, and in-patient comparison grids (not for all 12 in a row but you can work it out). It's under 'For Employers'. They will also help you if you call and say you want to look into purchasing a corporate plan and what specifically is important to you.
GLO - Had a look at this a week ago and they had no listings, I could unearth, for corporate plans. Pretty bad form. I have no idea, having gone thru their regular plans why anyone would go with them. The 'add-ons' = one great big red herring of distraction.

My choice would be Laya. If you're not interested (per-se) in out-patient costs, they you pay less of a premium to have an out-patient excess of about €220 (or €440 for more than one person), versus an excess of €1 and a higher premium. On the in-patient side, when you mean "good" cover for public and private hospitals, I'll assume you mean a private room in a public hospital, and a semi-private room in a private hospital? This will obviously keep your costs lower than a private room in a private hospital, when you're into big bucks territory. As OKISS said, there is an excess. Day case cover is very important. That's standard, usually with an excess. What you really need to decide is if you want cover in one of the 3 Dublin Hi Tech Hospitals for day cases. In no particular order.....

(1) LAYA SIMPLY HEALTH €846.28 plus 3% dd fee (for the best combination of in-patient and out-patient benefits I can find for this price anywhere to include day case Hi-Tech and low out-patient excess. Semi-private private hospital with hospital-dependent excess; €1 out-patient excess).

(2) LAYA SIMPLY HEALTH STARTER €770.70 plus 3% dd fee (Private in a private hospital including day case; no Hi-Tech day case; €1 out-patient excess)

(3) LAYA HEALTH SENSE EXCESS €811.15. Same as (1) above but with a €220/440 out patient excess, i.e. you get the Hi tech day case but add a sizeable out-patient excess with less money back from these too.

Compare all 3, and lesser cost ones/different insurers, on The HIA site

You can also be admitted, following a day case in a Hi Tech hospital to be an in-patient. The Blackrock Clinic, for example, has been waiving their €175 per night excess (for obvious reasons).

Please advise if these are above your budget.

Truman Burbank

http://www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?260&279&278/

Note that The HIA puts 'excess' at the end of 2 of these plans (so we'll be confused even more trying to look them up). Great website thou.

broker2008

Truman Burbank wrote: »

take everything wrote: »

Yeah i've talked to VHI about alternatives. Was looking at maybe getting it down to around 700 or so. They don't seem to have anything. Not interested in paying an excess for hospital though.
As i say i was looking at trimming day to day (non-hospital) stu
So basically i want good hospital (public and private) cover for as cheap as i can get.

They'll all get you somewhere - whether it's the excess on the in-patient side; the excess on the out-patient side; or getting rid of the excess (for either or both) and adding it to the premium.

ONLY get a corporate plan. You are entitled to buy any plan for sale, including every single company corporate plan for employees. I have no idea why anyone would purchase a non-corporate (i.e regular) health insurance plan = the ones the ones they try to sell us on their homepages. I can only assume it's because consumers don't know, thou (politely) it's been heavily, and frequently, covered in many a column inch and radio report.

So, to answer your question:
VHI - It's like getting blood out of a stone trying to unearth corporate schemes on-line
AVIVA - They are listed under 'Tailored Plans' but you then have to subtract the regular plans from the long list, to get the list you want, then call them on the employer line and give all your details to them, for them to give you the prices. Also, they will not tell you the nearest corporate equivalent of your current plan if you ask. Remind them that the call is being recorded :eek:. They'll tell you they can't "recommend" or "suggest"; You tell them you're not looking for a recommendation or suggestion, only the nearest to what you are now happy with, or what you would like to buy. You may as well be banging your head against a wall. It is excruciating, have a go. I dare you! There are about 13 corporate plans
LAYA - Easy. All 12 corporate plans on-line with prices, and in-patient comparison grids (not for all 12 in a row but you can work it out). It's under 'For Employers'. They will also help you if you call and say you want to look into purchasing a corporate plan and what specifically is important to you.
GLO - Had a look at this a week ago and they had no listings, I could unearth, for corporate plans. Pretty bad form. I have no idea, having gone thru their regular plans why anyone would go with them. The 'add-ons' = one great big red herring of distraction.

My choice would be Laya. If you're not interested (per-se) in out-patient costs, they you pay less of a premium to have an out-patient excess of about €220 (or €440 for more than one person), versus an excess of €1 and a higher premium. On the in-patient side, when you mean "good" cover for public and private hospitals, I'll assume you mean a private room in a public hospital, and a semi-private room in a private hospital? This will obviously keep your costs lower than a private room in a private hospital, when you're into big bucks territory. As OKISS said, there is an excess. Day case cover is very important. That's standard, usually with an excess. What you really need to decide is if you want cover in one of the 3 Dublin Hi Tech Hospitals for day cases. In no particular order.....

(1) LAYA SIMPLY HEALTH €846.28 plus 3% dd fee (for the best combination of in-patient and out-patient benefits I can find for this price anywhere to include day case Hi-Tech and low out-patient excess. Semi-private private hospital with hospital-dependent excess; €1 out-patient excess).

(2) LAYA SIMPLY HEALTH STARTER €770.70 plus 3% dd fee (Private in a private hospital including day case; no Hi-Tech day case; €1 out-patient excess)

(3) LAYA HEALTH SENSE EXCESS €811.15. Same as (1) above but with a €220/440 out patient excess, i.e. you get the Hi tech day case but add a sizeable out-patient excess with less money back from these too.

Compare all 3, and lesser cost ones/different insurers, on The HIA site

You can also be admitted, following a day case in a Hi Tech hospital to be an in-patient. The Blackrock Clinic, for example, has been waiving their €175 per night excess (for obvious reasons).

Please advise if these are above your budget.

There are instances where company plans are not suitable for individuals. The HIA website does not go into this detail.

cookie1977

I joined glo about 2 weeks ago on their "better" plan. Coming from Aviva Hospital level 1 for 2 adults and 2 children (1 under 3). I've found their plans offered great cover over Aviva's (especially aviva's new Hospital level 1 cover which only offers full cover for semi private room in a public hospital). Only paying 148euro a month.

Darsad

I have just switched this week from VHI to another provider and managed to get better cover for less. I made my decision based on the info in www.hia.ie
which is a fantastic web site.
What really grated was that after 20 yrs and no claims VHI did not care that I had chosen to leave and made little effort to persuade me to stay. I can only assume that it is their policy to let certain customer profiles leave.

cookie1977

Darsad wrote: »

I have just switched this week from VHI to another provider and managed to get better cover for less. I made my decision based on the info in www.hia.ie
which is a fantastic web site.
What really grated was that after 20 yrs and no claims VHI did not care that I had chosen to leave and made little effort to persuade me to stay. I can only assume that it is their policy to let certain customer profiles leave.

They're not allowed to offer individual special deals to customers hence they couldn't offer you anything to stay other then the widely available plans and offers they already have.

gifted

We got our renewal letter yesterday from the VHI...it was €1856 for 2 adults and 2 kids ages 3 and 2. This year we have 3 kids on it and it went up €1300...yup €1300 :eek:...over €3100 this year...F**king thieving k*8ts..:mad:

caitrionaanne

gifted wrote: »

We got our renewal letter yesterday from the VHI...it was €1856 for 2 adults and 2 kids ages 3 and 2. This year we have 3 kids on it and it went up €1300...yup €1300 :eek:...over €3100 this year...F**king thieving k*8ts..:mad:

Had you availed of an offer last year for the kids maybe? If so then most of that cost would be that the offer isnt there anymore. So it wouldnt have been solely a price increase? What plan are u on?

Love the way the any price increase by VHI is like public scandal and when the others have an increase of double the level of VHI, there isnt even a little mention!!!!!

LostArt

caitrionaanne wrote: »

Had you availed of an offer last year for the kids maybe? If so then most of that cost would be that the offer isnt there anymore. So it wouldnt have been solely a price increase? What plan are u on?

Love the way the any price increase by VHI is like public scandal and when the others have an increase of double the level of VHI, there isnt even a little mention!!!!!

To be fair the other insurers have never had an increase anywhere near VHI's combined increases in the last year

NuMarvel

caitrionaanne wrote: »

Love the way the any price increase by VHI is like public scandal and when the others have an increase of double the level of VHI, there isnt even a little mention!!!!!

There's a couple of different factors to that I'd guess. For one, they're a publicly owned body, so that will always garner more attention and comment. Which in turns leads to an element of "Why aren't the Government doing something?" (even if it might be inappropriate for the Government to do anything). And two, they're still the largest insurer, larger than the other insurers combined, so their decisions affect more people.