Laya Essential health 300 premium increase - any other policy considerations?

1cxb0tkuav6p4l

Increasing by around 120 euro for the year, slightly less cover.

Any other health insurance plans with around this level of cover worth considering?

I have no issue switching providers, VHI, Irish life etc.

Primary focus is hospital cover including at least 1 high tech hospital (normally the Beacon).

I'm sure ya'll know the primary areas where cover is important, whilst keeping the excess reasonable.

1cxb0tkuav6p4l

I had inquired about this here before and another dude had basically shared his research which resulted in the most cost effective and comprehensive policy selection.



I've compared about 12 or so plans with essential health 300 so far, and with some excess procedures aside,

Example: "20% Shortfall on Specified Ophthalmic and Orthopaedic procedures"

the plan "Signify" is a significant saving with basically similar/identical specific benefits like full cover in private hospitals.

Will update as a I go.

Insurance selection can be complicated and often overlooked.

**
"The Blackrock Clinic, the Mater Private and the Beacon Hospital procedures other than Cardiac and Special"

No cover under "Signify" for this - need to investigate exactly what these "procedures" are?

1cxb0tkuav6p4l

https://www.layahealthcare.ie/quote/#/compare/results?adults=1&children=0&curr=633,LAYA&p=635

Comparing the "Signify" plan on Laya's site, at a more cost effective premium, it actually seems to have better cover....

- Exception being, "Specialized orthopedic, ophthalmic and cardiac procedures".

Of which there is a shortfall for Signify.

To a healthy dude in early 30's, would they be relevant?



**
Between

- Laya - Signify vs Essential Health 300
- VHI - Firstcare 250 day to day
- Irishlife - Benefit 2

where,



HIA website doesn't explore or clarify specific cover.

....

Anyone know what "specialist" procedures are not covered, or the practicalities of those plans?

1cxb0tkuav6p4l

Made a few calls;

"Select private hospitals" - what does that even mean?

I checked which hospitals are covered by plan according to their website, and their listings are identical.

There's a shortfall for certain "orthopedic procedures" but failing that as I see it, cover for the 95 euro/month plan vs the 75 euro/month is essentially identical.

Trying to contact the insurance companies directly but was 20 minutes on hold so requested a bunch of call backs.

....

All the bidness savvy poster on this subforum, ya'll are not up to speed on these specifics?

1cxb0tkuav6p4l

Quick update:

Irish life - plans for consideration with similar cover + lower premiums are Benefit and Benefit-2.

The former is all hospitals covered, the latter selected private hospitals.
I wasn't completely clear on what the selected private hospitals are but, according to their website there's a significant drop off.

https://www.irishlifehealth.ie/IrishLifeHealth/media/Irish-life-Health/pdfs/hospital-lists/Health_Plans_Hospital_List_1_2_3_4.pdf

https://www.irishlifehealth.ie/IrishLifeHealth/media/Irish-life-Health/pdfs/tables-of-cover/BeneFit-TOC.pdf

https://www.irishlifehealth.ie/IrishLifeHealth/media/Irish-life-Health/pdfs/tables-of-cover/BeneFit-2-TOC.pdf

I'll get clarity on that after the bank holiday.

Laya - Signify and Signify Plus have the most comprehensive benefits in contrast to my original essential health 300.

Actually their excess is lower, with the exception of shortfalls of 20% for orthopedic and eye procedures.

Said ortho procedures are knee/hip/shoulder replacement surgeries.

Eye procedures would be cataracts + frens.

i.e. would typically apply in older age groups.

....

Additionally according to the Beacon hospital, they typically waive those shortfalls,



- though in some cases that can run into thousands so I'm gonna double check that.

**
Edit: Calls made - not standard practice to waive significant co-payments for joint replacements.

Shazamm

https://www.askaboutmoney.com/threads/20-shortfall-on-specified-orthopaedic-procedures.221673/


some answers here -



https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/health-insurance-matters-even-in-the-days-of-premium-refunds-1.4457387

1cxb0tkuav6p4l

There's a 100 euro saving for changing insurance companies.

I'm with laya, want to change to a lower premium plan with them, but don't get the savings as I'm not coming from a different insurer.

.....

So, apparently I file a policy cancellation in writing (still in cooling off period), then re-register online and save 100 large.

.....

:pac:

Am I a bad man?

Shazamm

Charlotte Nervous Navy wrote: »

There's a 100 euro saving for changing insurance companies.

I'm with laya, want to change to a lower premium plan with them, but don't get the savings as I'm not coming from a different insurer.

.....

So, apparently I file a policy cancellation in writing (still in cooling off period), then re-register online and save 100 large.

.....

:pac:

Am I a bad man?

did it work?

1cxb0tkuav6p4l

Like a boss.

There's actually better day to day cover with my new policy.

Exception being excess for hip/knee/shoulder replacements, which I won't have to worry about for hopefully at least another couple decades.

Broker mentioned heads up, when the time comes into effect that this should become an issue, make sure to upgrade cover 2 YEARS in advance of any planned major surgery, as that's the waiting period for cover to kick in.

.....

But otherwise yeah, the website comparison tools, a little shopping around, just made a pretty cool annual saving with better day to day cover.

And yeah, better to cancel the existing policy within the cooling off period vs changing cause they're shameless about compromising your saving if you just switch policies, but put in place some nice incentives if you're not with them as a provider (i.e. you've cancelled).

+ lastly being aware of the 13 week period you have to renew a policy as the HIA mandates pre-existing conditions continued cover provided you're less than 13 weeks without private insurance but skip that....??

And it's 26 weeks waiting period with NO COVER OF ANY KIND.

And 5 year waiting period for pre-existing condition treatment (I know from experience they'll go through your medical history with a fine tooth come when it comes to this also, so be mindful).

But that aside,

......

:pac::pac::pac:

Paulzx

Charlotte Nervous Navy wrote: »

There's a 100 euro saving for changing insurance companies.

I'm with laya, want to change to a lower premium plan with them, but don't get the savings as I'm not coming from a different insurer.

.....

So, apparently I file a policy cancellation in writing (still in cooling off period), then re-register online and save 100 large.

.....

:pac:

Am I a bad man?

Used to do that with Laya each year. Your renewal doesn't offer you the 10% online discount and the only way to get it with was to just take out the policy as a new customer with them.

Last year i asked them about it over the phone and they applied it for me. Much less messing around. The discount isn't a "new" customer discount per se. Its an "online" discount that they sneakily don't apply to your renewal

Shazamm

Charlotte Nervous Navy wrote: »

Like a boss.

There's actually better day to day cover with my new policy.

Exception being excess for hip/knee/shoulder replacements, which I won't have to worry about for hopefully at least another couple decades.

Broker mentioned heads up, when the time comes into effect that this should become an issue, make sure to upgrade cover 2 YEARS in advance of any planned major surgery, as that's the waiting period for cover to kick in.

.....

But otherwise yeah, the website comparison tools, a little shopping around, just made a pretty cool annual saving with better day to day cover.

And yeah, better to cancel the existing policy within the cooling off period vs changing cause they're shameless about compromising your saving if you just switch policies, but put in place some nice incentives if you're not with them as a provider (i.e. you've cancelled).

+ lastly being aware of the 13 week period you have to renew a policy as the HIA mandates pre-existing conditions continued cover provided you're less than 13 weeks without private insurance but skip that....??

And it's 26 weeks waiting period with NO COVER OF ANY KIND.

And 5 year waiting period for pre-existing condition treatment (I know from experience they'll go through your medical history with a fine tooth come when it comes to this also, so be mindful).

But that aside,

......

:pac::pac::pac:

have you lost out on anyting doing this>

Shazamm

Paulzx wrote: »

Used to do that with Laya each year. Your renewal doesn't offer you the 10% online discount and the only way to get it with was to just take out the policy as a new customer with them.

Last year i asked them about it over the phone and they applied it for me. Much less messing around. The discount isn't a "new" customer discount per se. Its an "online" discount that they sneakily don't apply to your renewal

but........if you are considered a new customer then........do you lose your time built up.......?

Did they clarify this?

boardy1

Are you considered a new customer then?

Paulzx

Shazamm wrote: »

but........if you are considered a new customer then........do you lose your time built up.......?

Did they clarify this?

Once you have previous health insurance you have already served your notice periods irrespective of which company you go with. The time built up counts across the board and transfers with you to any company.

The only time you will be required to serve additional waiting periods is if you increase the level of your cover and this only applies to the parts of your cover that have increased. Anything that is equivalent to your previous level of cover does not require a waiting period

Shazamm

Now

So when you join, you get more ways to look after your health, always. Like...

Healthy 10% discount on selected schemes* when you buy online


https://www.layahealthcare.ie/getmore/