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Health insurance - break in cover

  • 05-01-2016 9:05pm
    #1
    Diamond Doll
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,344 ✭✭✭


    My understanding is that you won't be penalised for a break of cover of less than 13 weeks (is this correct?)

    I was on an excellent plan but have been off it a few weeks now. It'll possibly be a while before I can afford a good one.

    I was thinking of going for literally the cheapest plan I can possibly find, even if it covers feck all, just to avoid waiting periods when I do get back on a decent plan again.

    Does this matter, that I'd be going from a premium plan to a very basic one, am I still covered regarding continuity of cover?

    Also can anyone recommend me the cheapest insurers/plans?

    Thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    NuMarvel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,279 ✭✭✭NuMarvel


    Diamond Doll wrote: »
    My understanding is that you won't be penalised for a break of cover of less than 13 weeks (is this correct?)

    I was on an excellent plan but have been off it a few weeks now. It'll possibly be a while before I can afford a good one.

    That's correct. If you have a break in cover of less than 13 weeks, then health insurers must recognise the time you served under your previous health insurance plan. That applies whether you are switching insurers or rejoining your previous one.
    Diamond Doll wrote: »
    I was thinking of going for literally the cheapest plan I can possibly find, even if it covers feck all, just to avoid waiting periods when I do get back on a decent plan again.

    Does this matter, that I'd be going from a premium plan to a very decent one, am I still covered regarding continuity of cover?

    The waiting periods for new customers won't apply, but an upgrade waiting period may apply when you bump up your cover in the future. This means an insurer may apply a waiting period to additional cover offered by your new plan (cover offered by both your new and previous plans is unchanged). The application of the upgrade waiting period varies from insurer to insurer, but you can find more information here - http://www.hia.ie/consumer-information/switchingupgrade-waiting-periods.
    Diamond Doll wrote: »
    Also can anyone recommend me the cheapest insurers/plans?

    Thanks.

    The HIA website is probably your best bet. They have a product comparison tool here - http://www.hia.ie/ci/health-insurance-comparison.


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