Lifetime Community Rating question

Irishgal2000

Hi, could anyone help me with this please?

I signed up for medical insurance today (16th Jan) through work as it was the open date for this fortnight. When I clicked through and confirmed it, at the end it says congrats for signing up for medical insurance - your effective date is 16/02/17. As of last year the lifetime community rating is in place charging 2% levy for your lifetime if you signed up to medical insurance after your are age 35. My 35th birthday is on the 11th Feb this year. It is my understanding as I have signed up before my 35th birthday that don't pay the 2% levy. As it says the effective date is the 16/02/17 5 days after my 35th, I started to get worried. I have contacted HR, they just told me to contact the medical insurance company. I have searched online, it doesn't state anywhere that you have to sign up for medical insurance 5 weeks in advance of your 35th birthday in order for the effective date of the medical insurance to be a prior date of your 35th birthday. Surely I should be able to sign up up to the eve of my 35th?

I contacted the medical insurance company but as I only signed up today for the medical insurance they said they couldn't give me answers. They basically said the I would be charged the 2% levy.

I think this is so unfair as I have signed 25 days prior to my 35th birthday that I shouldnt have to pay the 2% levy. If that was the case I should of signed up by the 8th January - 33 days prior my 35th.

I don't know who to contact about this now and where to go from here. Can anyone shed any light on this? Is the day you sign up counted for the no levy charge or is it the effective date?

Is there anything I can do?

Thanks

Sound Bite

Why can't you change the commencement to prior to February 11th and that would solve your issue?

Contact the insurer directly and ask them to confirm this can be done. I can't see why not.

If not, perhaps put the policy in place with another insurer.

Irishgal2000

Sound Bite wrote: »

Why can't you chance the commencement to prior to February 11th and that would solve your issue?

Contact the insurer directly and ask them to confirm this can be done. I can't see why not.

If not, perhaps put the policy in place with another insurer.

Thanks Soundbite. I will contact the insurer tomorrow and ask to change the date hopefully.

Full Marx

Which company is it? You can commence medical insurance any day you wish, if your company will only start paying for it from February you may have to pay for a few days yourself by signing up on the 10th

Irishgal2000

Full Marx wrote: »

Which company is it? You can commence medical insurance any day you wish, if your company will only start paying for it from February you may have to pay for a few days yourself by signing up on the 10th

The health insurance is Laya healthcare. Thanks very much for suggesting this, I will contact Laya again tomorrow and hr and see will either of them allow me to do that.

Boards.ie: Niamh

Moved to a new thread in the Banking & Insurance forum where you should get more answers Irishgal2000.

Quackster

Irishgal2000 wrote: »

The health insurance is Laya healthcare. Thanks very much for suggesting this, I will contact Laya again tomorrow and hr and see will either of them allow me to do that.

How did you get on? I imagine that the insurance starting on that day of the month is tied to how your company pays all its workers premiums together so they have to all renew on the same day of the month. Health insurance starts immediately you sign up unless you request a future date so why it didn't start on the 16th January is strange and is something you should chase after.

If you have no joy getting this sorted, you may have to cancel the insurance through your employer (you have a 14 day cooling-off period from the commencement date) and take out a policy directly with the insurance company instead for this year.

Irishgal2000

Hi Quackster, I got a reply back this morning. They changed the effective date back to the 16th January so I won't have to pay the 2% loading now. Great news thanks for all your help.