Insurance Question

G2DG

Apologies if this question has been covered already. I have searched but may have used the wrong search words. Please feel free to point me in the right direction.

My wife is expecting. We got the positive result on Christmas Eve.

We are both covered by health insurance with Aviva on the First Focus 300 plan.

There does not seem to be much maternity cover on the policy. It is due for renewal in 3 weeks time. All going well my wife be 10 weeks at that stage. When we renew can we change her policy to one with more maternity cover or will this be an issue has she is already pregnant.

We're not quite sure about the differences between public and private and this time last year this wasn't on our radar but now it most certainly is.

All feedback greatly appreciated.

Toots

Congratulations!!

Maternity cover has a 52 week waiting period, so seeing as your wife is already pregnant there's no point upgrading your cover because the waiting period will apply for the upgraded features. My friend got caught out with this last year

sillysocks

It probably depends a lot on whether you want public or private. I had health insurance but went public so didn't use the insurance at all apart from one private scan which was only about 100 eur anyway. With public everything is covered with no surprise bills.

As last poster said unless you have cover now it's not worth upgrading just for this pregnancy.
If you're considering private just give the insurance company a call to double check if they give you any cover.

olaola

If you currently have health insurance, you are covered for any 'existing conditions' if you move.

"Once you serve these waiting periods you will not have to serve them again if you switch to another insurer, as long as you haven't had a break in cover of more than 13 weeks. If you switch insurers while you are serving new customer waiting periods, the amount of time served with the first insurer will be taken into account and you will finish off your waiting periods with the new insurer. You will only have to serve additional waiting periods if you switch to a plan with higher benefits. See our section on switching for further details. "

http://www.hia.ie/consumer-information/waiting-periods/new-customer-waiting-periods

I would definitely look into all options (including Domino, if it's available to you) and look into changing plans, as you could be saving yourself a good few bob!!

And congrats!

G2DG

Thanks for the replies. I'll check it at renewal date anyway. There is some cover already there but only couple hundred euro from what I can see.

mirrorwall14

If you move to a policy with increased benefits for maternity then you cannot avail of them because a waiting period will apply. If you have a look at the older threads on public v private you'll see that it's one area of our health service which is actually great and public is not too big a deal

G2DG

Olaola,

Thanks. I thought there might be some chance since we were already covered. I did ring the broker. My wife's a teacher so it's done through Comhar Linn (I think)
They advised to just see out the current policy and we could discuss it then at renewal but didn't offer much more advise.

G2DG

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

If you move to a policy with increased benefits for maternity then you cannot avail of them because a waiting period will apply. If you have a look at the older threads on public v private you'll see that it's one area of our health service which is actually great and public is not too big a deal

Yeah I'm seeing that. I was thinking people can be coaxed into going private through hearing horror stories.

Another thought. Is my wife classified as a new customer when at the point of renewing a policy if she's changing policy. I presume the answer is yes.

Millem

G2DG wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I'll check it at renewal date anyway. There is some cover already there but only couple hundred euro from what I can see.

G2dg is the maternity cover that you have not the standard. We are renewing on 1st feb and I found they pretty much all have the same cover. If you go private you will be paying thousands in consultant fees regardless. I think we are going to move to glo health better active plan(currently with laya). You get to add two things on....we are picking travel insurance and the other one I am undecided but may add enhanced maternity. You get money back from breastfeeding consultants, homestead coming to your house for 2 visits etc!! Now I think thise add ons come into immediate effect but will let you know as they are ringing back on Monday. Also they are giving 5% off if you renew on a Saturday I'm January. Under 3 year olds are free.


The other one we are thinking about is glo best smart but under 3s are not free. You also get 2 personalised packages. your newborn will be free until your renewable but we have a 2 year old!

I did domino scheme in holles street and will do it again but I wouldn't mind home instead helping me in my house or money back for breastfeeding consultation

Sorry just read there that for add on maternity you need to get it 3 months before you are pregnant I am going to ask anyway as Internet says you add on two packages but glo and cornmarket told me add on two.

G2DG

Millem wrote: »

G2dg is the maternity cover that you have not the standard.

TBH I'm not too sure.

But that's all interesting reading and I'll certainly look into Domino scheme. But first, must make brunch for a wife who's morning sickness is wearing off!!!!!!

lazygal

I went on my husband's insurance when we got married and got pregnant very shortly afterwards. We were covered immediately, went fully private and everything was paid for bar consultant fees. There was no waiting period for me at all, but maybe that depends on the policy.

mirrorwall14

lazygal wrote: »

I went on my husband's insurance when we got married and got pregnant very shortly afterwards. We were covered immediately, went fully private and everything was paid for bar consultant fees. There was no waiting period for me at all, but maybe that depends on the policy.

But were you a new customer or transferring to a joint policy? The OPs original maternity benefits will apply but increased cover has a waiting period of a year asfaik. It's to stop what the OP is trying to do, not bothering to increase cover until they are actually pregnant

lazygal

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

But were you a new customer or transferring to a joint policy? The OPs original maternity benefits will apply but increased cover has a waiting period of a year asfaik. It's to stop what the OP is trying to do, not bothering to increase cover until they are actually pregnant

I was new, husband had the policy for years. It was automatic after we got married.

mirrorwall14

lazygal wrote: »

I was new, husband had the policy for years. It was automatic after we got married.

That's really interesting. You had no insurance in your own right before then? Maybe it's a marriage thing

Millem

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

That's really interesting. You had no insurance in your own right before then? Maybe it's a marriage thing

you defo need to wait the 52 weeks now for pregnancy. Lazygal maybe you just got lucky or gave birth 52 weeks after joining.

Lucuma

G2DG wrote: »

Apologies if this question has been covered already. I have searched but may have used the wrong search words. Please feel free to point me in the right direction.

My wife is expecting. We got the positive result on Christmas Eve.

We are both covered by health insurance with Aviva on the First Focus 300 plan.

There does not seem to be much maternity cover on the policy. It is due for renewal in 3 weeks time. All going well my wife be 10 weeks at that stage. When we renew can we change her policy to one with more maternity cover or will this be an issue has she is already pregnant.

We're not quite sure about the differences between public and private and this time last year this wasn't on our radar but now it most certainly is.

All feedback greatly appreciated.

I just had a quick look for you there at the policy
http://www.avivahealth.ie/health-insurance-plans/first-focus-300/

it says it only pays 400 to a public hospital for maternity. If you decide to go private the room costs 1000 per night (in CUMH anyway) so assuming your wife is in for 3 nights (normal labour) or 5 nights (c-section) you'd be left with a hefty bill if Aviva will only give 400 towards that cost.
It also doesn't mention that the epidural etc is covered.

Normally health Insurance covers all the hospital costs if you go private so it covers: the cost of the private room for 3 or 5 nights, the cost of epidural or other anaesthetic, the cost of the Paedatrican if they have to examine your child, the cost of the delivery etc.

In addition then you have to pay the consultant fees yourself - generally around 3 grand - and health Insurance usually gives 300-400 euro back to you against this.

I have the top level of health Insurance you can get with VHI for maternity - and that's what was covered for me (I went private).

If you can't upgrade your cover or if you get caught with the waiting list thing, you'll have to go public.

But Aviva should be able to give you a straight answer on this immediately?

G2DG

Lucuma,
That's what I was thinking but thanks for the feedback. I will get it checked for certain at renewal in couple of weeks.


I do find it strange that paying for extra maternity cover is something you pay for a year to an insurance company that make it that you can't avail of it for a year no matter what.

It's sort of like paying a no claims bonus insurance but it doesn't start until you pay again for your no claims bonus next year. I know I'm not comparing like with like here but it is certainly a little frustrating.

I was unaware of the waiting period this time last year when we were taking out insurance and had absolutely no plans of a family. What a difference a year makes!!

The whole health insurance industry annoys me anyway!!

Millem

G2DG wrote: »

Lucuma,
That's what I was thinking but thanks for the feedback. I will get it checked for certain at renewal in couple of weeks.


I do find it strange that paying for extra maternity cover is something you pay for a year to an insurance company that make it that you can't avail of it for a year no matter what.

It's sort of like paying a no claims bonus insurance but it doesn't start until you pay again for your no claims bonus next year. I know I'm not comparing like with like here but it is certainly a little frustrating.

I was unaware of the waiting period this time last year when we were taking out insurance and had absolutely no plans of a family. What a difference a year makes!!

The whole health insurance industry annoys me anyway!!

Oh gosh! I thought it would if covered 3-5nights! I would rule out going private or semi!! Look at domino. I always had vhi and never used it for my maternity as did domino

Rang cornmarket baby needs to born 52 weeks after taking out policy for extra add on maternity

G2DG

Millem wrote: »

Oh gosh! I thought it would if covered 3-5nights! I would rule out going private or semi!! Look at domino. I always had vhi and never used it for my maternity as did domino

Have been trying to look into Domino but doesn't seem to be available in Mullingar (closest Hospital to us)

It looks to be Dublin and Drogheda only or can anyone see a definitive list. Or better again is there a thread covering this as I'm conscience of taking this off topic a little.

bee06

G2DG wrote: »

I do find it strange that paying for extra maternity cover is something you pay for a year to an insurance company that make it that you can't avail of it for a year no matter what.

It's sort of like paying a no claims bonus insurance but it doesn't start until you pay again for your no claims bonus next year. I know I'm not comparing like with like here but it is certainly a little frustrating.

I was unaware of the waiting period this time last year when we were taking out insurance and had absolutely no plans of a family. What a difference a year makes!!

The whole health insurance industry annoys me anyway!!

The whole point of insurance is to cover something that might happen, not something that will definitely happen. If you crashed your car and then selected the no claims bonus protection would you expect it to apply to the fact you already crashed your car?

G2DG

This is why I mentioned I know I am not comparing like it with like. But I was trying to make the point that if you pay for maternity cover insurance for a year, you can't actually use if you do need it.

Using the same example as above it's like paying your no claims bonus insurance and then if you were in an accident the insurance company tells you the no claim bonus insurance is not covered until next year if you sign up for it again. You only pay this year to allow you to use and pay for it again next year! We just want your money we don't want to actually cover you for it for another 12 months.

I understand why the insurance industry is doing this I just think it's a little odd paying for something you can't avail of!!