The Different Types of Dental Veneers
March 24, 2015
The Different Types of Dental Veneers When choosing to have a veneer fitted you should choose the material you want your...
Affordable Health Insurance From MediCompare
By working with several leading health insurers in the UK, we are delighted to help you find competitive quotes and policies to suit your needs. The main benefits of a private health coverage include:
Access to private consultant and hospital of your choice
Avoid lengthy NHS queues
Pick the level of cover you need
One of the most frustrating things about NHS treatment is being appointed a Consultant or clinic that is far away, causing your travel expenses to add up over time. With access to private coverage, you are able to select a Consultant and clinic of your choice and one that is located closer to your home or work. Perhaps there is a Doctor who is a specialist in the area you are looking for and you have been recommended him or her by a friend. Well, you can go and see that very specialist and get to the route of your condition. Furthermore, if there is a hospital or surgery round the corner from you, it makes practical sense to get an appointment from that clinic, rather than being assigned to an NHS hospital way across town.
The NHS waiting times and queues are not getting any better with patients waiting for weeks and months to be seen for toothache or back pain. But how can you live with this pain for so long?
With health insurance in place, you can see a private specialist on the same day or week so that you can get that pesky pain fixed in no time. Plus, it will be in a location much more convenient to you, giving you more control over your medical treatments.
Whilst cover might seem too expensive and unobtainable for many, the great thing is that you can pick the amount of cover you need and set your budget accordingly. If you find that you are in good health, you can always opt for less cover so that is it more affordable for you and your family.
Individual Health Insurance Plans, Families and Businesses too!
Our team can help any individual find the best premium possible for any age, gender or health condition. However, the products we offer extend far beyond just individual plans to also providing discounted rates for those that insure their families under one policy and we have business health insurance plans available too.
Generally, the lowest premiums are available for non-smokers and those with healthy lifestyles such as going to the gym and exercising regularly. Other clever ways to reduce the cost of your insurance include paying for your insurance in one annual lump sum as most people pay their premiums in monthly instalments, but there can be additional 20% charge for this convenience. Whilst every policyholder must pay a compulsory excess, by choosing to pay a higher voluntary excess can save hundreds off your policy as it considers that you are willing to fit more of the bill in the event that you need to claim.
What is Included in Private Health Insurance?
The type of plans that are available vary significantly, from low-cost plans to zero-deductible full coverage plans. The following is usually includes in a healthcare plan:
- Exclusive drugs – If your treatment needs drugs that are unavailable on the NHS, your policy may cover them if they have been approved by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
- Hospital stay and specific nursing care – In most policies you can expect your stay in hospital to be covered, along with any nursing care that is needed during your visit.
- Inpatient care – Inpatient treatment is when you need a hospital bed for the day, or overnight. This will also include tests and surgery.
- Outpatient care – Outpatient care is when you do not need to spend a night at the hospital, or will not need a hospital bed. In this case you might only being seeing a consultant, or having diagnostics. Policies with less cover may limit the amount of outpatient care available in your plan, so this could be capped.
- Some policies also offer:
- Private ambulances
- Nursing home care
- 24-hour help line
- Complementary therapies
- Private hotel rooms
- Accommodation of a relative or child is in hospital.
What is Not Included In Private Health Insurance?
Health insurance generally covers curable and short-term procedures, making it ideal for dental work, physiotherapy and optometry. However, it does not usually cover things that are are ongoing, long-term or chronic illnesses that are likely to reoccur or give you trouble for the rest of your life. Typical exclusions are conditions such as asthma, kidney dialysis, colitis, arthritis, diabetes, epilepsy and allergy attacks. Similar chronic conditions not covered include those that have been the result of high risk activities such as extreme sports, lung disease caused by smoking, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Insurers will not tend to cover those surgeries and therapies used by individuals to enhance their physique or look such as face implants, hair transplant, botox or breast implants. The only reason that these might be covered is if they were part of reconstructive surgery or required for medical reasons e.g deviated septum, breathing issues or back pain.
Finally, policymakers will not cover pregnancies and childbirth costs. (Source: MoneyAdviceService)
What is Private Diagnostic Insurance?
This only covers the tests and treatments required to find out what is wrong with you and causing your symptoms. Once diagnosed, it will not cover you for any additional treatment required to fix or improve your health as this will require a separate policy. It is a common misconception that private diagnostic insurance is cheaper however, this is not always the case, so it is worth checking this with your insurer when you apply for a quote.
Why would I need individual health insurance if my company provides it as a benefit?
Private health insurance can help ‘top-up’ the difference between what your corporate insurance provides, and what you might personally need. Taking a close look at what your company provides will allow you to make sure you are covered for what counts. You can top-up your corporate plan to include:
- Dental insurance
- Maternity Insurance
- Optical Insurance
- Extreme sports (skydiving, bungee jumping)
- Global travel insurance
I have NHS coverage – why would I need private coverage?
The NHS has certain guidelines about what is covered, how long it takes to be seen, and the types of facilities available for treatment. Having private health insurance means that you can cover the gaps between what is needed in your personal situation, and what the NHS offers. Sometimes the NHS has the best option and your provider will recommend it at no extra cost.
What are the different types coverage?
Health insurance generally falls in to two main categories.
- Fully underwritten insurance – insurers ask for a full medical history.
- Moratorium insurance – limited information about medical history.
A fully underwritten policy will generally give you wider coverage, but you will pay more for this. A moratorium policy will be cheaper but will come with complete, or ‘blanket’ exclusions on many pre-existing conditions.
On top of these two categories, many providers are now offering mix and match policies to make sure the policy is tailored to what you or your family needs. These modular policies help you save money in places that you don’t need coverage, and help bolster coverage where you do.
How much does private health insurance cost?
The average cost of private health insurance in the UK last year was £1,120 for cover for the entire year. Obviously, the price you pay will depend on the insurance provider and amount of cover you require. Young people without pre existing medical conditions and low claims history will be more likely to enjoy low insurance premiums, compared to much older applicants. A 33-year-old living in Oxford with a basic level of cover pays around £300 per year according to the four biggest insurers.
Most healthcare policies also have a tiered pricing structure and requesting treatment in the more expensive areas will hike up your costs. Therefore, you should consider how far you are willing to travel and avoid high tiers such as London if you want to save on costs.
What to consider before applying
How much cover do you require? If you choose a very low cost or basic plan, then the chances are it may only pay hospital admission costs, and not out-patient costs used for things like physiotherapy or ear, nose and throat specialists.
Can you join with someone else? You can save a lot of money by combining your policy with someone else such as a spouse, sibling, family member or colleague. It is worth speaking to those around you to see if there is an opportunity to go in together.
What do I need cover for? It may not be worthwhile spending up to £1,000 on cover if you feel that you are in good health. Instead, you may be better applying for a specific plan which allows you to pay tiny amounts of £10, £50 or £100 and then spend up to 6 times the value on routine procedures like dental, physio and eye appointments. This could be far more cost-effective and it allows you to skip the queues and still go the private route for your treatments.