With children excluded from many healthcare centres, paying over the odds for insurance cover they can neve access is pointless, writes FIONA REDDAN
WITH THE COST of health insurance continuing to soar, one possible source of savings is to review cover for your children. As medical services for children are largely confined to public hospitals across the country, is private healthcare actually necessary for the small people in your life? And if you feel it is, should you be switching policies to avail of some of the latest deals?
With children excluded from many healthcare centres, paying over the odds for cover they can never avail of is pointless. In Ireland, paediatric services are largely confined to public hospitals, so, while you may wish to have cover for private hospitals for yourself, it may be wiser to switch your children to a cheaper, less comprehensive plan.
When looking around for a suitable policy for your children, the good news is that while insurers may be stuck on pushing the cost of private health cover in one direction only – up – the one area they appear willing to cut rates in is the cost of cover for children.
At Quinn Healthcare for example, the cost of its Essential Plus (Excess) plan has been reduced by 30 per cent for a child or student, down to €183 from €260 as of July 1st. So, for three children, savings of €231 can now be made. If switching from a plan with no excess however, you should be aware that an excess means that you must pay a certain amount of any claim yourself, so this can eat into any savings you may make.
Over at the VHI, free children’s cover is available to all those joining its new One+ plan between August 1st and September 30th, and the offer is open to those renewing, transferring, or taking out a new health insurance policy. The offer means that a family of two adults plus three children can now get cover at a total cost of €1,440, compared to €2,010 once the special offer ends.
Aviva is also offering special savings for children at the moment. Under its Level 2 Hospital plan, which offers cover for hospitals as well as out-patient costs, you can save €95 per child if you take out a policy after August 30th. Normally, a child’s policy costs €190, but is now available at just €95.
Savings for your children can also be made by considering a corporate plan. While names such as Company Health or Company Care Starter might put you off, by law you are entitled to become a member of any plan that is on the market.
For example, Quinn’s Essential Plus Starter costs €220 per child. However, by opting for the insurer’s Company Health plan, you could get a policy for just €167. Both plans offer cover for out-patient expenses, as well as for private hospitals, although such benefits on the corporate plan are limited. But, given that children are unlikely to attend private hospitals in any case, paying extra for this option may be unnecessary.
When it comes to students, you may find that some insurers are cheaper than others. At Quinn Healthcare for example, both students and children are charged the same price, while the HSF covers children up to the age of 21 who are living at home as part of its plans.
Given that students are charged the full Government levy of €148, however, compared to €44 per child, it is not surprising that they are more expensive elsewhere.
According to VHI Healthcare, a student is defined as a person who is a dependent of a subscriber/policy holder and is of or over 18 years and under 21 years and is receiving full-time education. Students are charged slightly higher premiums than children, but less than adults. For example, under its Plan B Parents Kids policy, children cost €197.18 a year, while the price for students rises to €328.62.
Similarly at Aviva Health, the cost of a child on its Level 2 Hospital policy is normally €190 (currently on offer at a special rate of €95), compared to €320.60 for students, who are defined as anyone between the ages of 18 and 22 in full-time education.
If you’re expecting a new arrival, you can also make savings – provided that you pass on your baby’s details to your insurer when they are born, you will be entitled to free cover for them until your next renewal date. This is the case at the VHI, Aviva and Quinn.
If you are content to stay in the public system for the healthcare needs of your children, but want to get some kind of cover for those expensive visits to the GP, there are some insurance options available which cover outpatient costs only.
At the VHI, its HealthSteps Silver product, which costs €70 per child, offers a range of benefits such as €25 back per GP visit, up to a maximum of seven visits, and €25 per dental visit. The more expensive Gold option, which costs €120 per child, offers €35 back per GP visit.
Aviva also has specialist outpatient plans. Under its Day-to-Day Plan A for example, you can get €30 back per GP visit, three times a year, while its Day-to-Day 50 plan increases the amount of eligible visits to 15. You can also get money back on prescriptions on this plan, up to a total of €25 a year. The A plan costs €84 per child, and the 50 plan €118.
Another option is to consider the schemes available from HSF. These offer cash back on a range of medical costs including GP visits, prescriptions and physiotherapy, and children are included as part of the policy. For example, the 2650 plan, which costs €318 per family per year, offers €13 back for GP visits and €7 on prescriptions.
However, there are limits and a family can only claim for 10 GP visits a year (regardless of which person is the patient), while prescription claims are limited to four a year.
If you do decide to switch your children to cheaper, less comprehensive plans, remember that if at a later stage you upgrade their plans, they will have to endure waiting periods for the higher level of services on offer under the new plan.
Finally, if you are considering switching your children’s policies, remember that in general, at least one parent or guardian, who is over 18 years of age, must also be insured with the same insurer in order to get cover for a child. So, while your family doesn’t have to be on the same policy, at least some of them must be with the same insurer.
INSURING YOUR CHILDREN: THE OPTIONS
Semi-private in a public hospital
QuinnCompany Health €167
VHIFirst Plan starter €172
AvivaHospital Plan Level 1 €190
Private in a public hospital/Semi-private in a private hospital
VHIOne+ €0*
AvivaLevel 2 Hospital €95**
QuinnEssential Plus (Excess)€183
Outpatient only
VHIHealthSteps Silver €70
AvivaDay-to-Day Plan A €84
HSF***Scheme 950 €114
*Until September 30th, thereafter it will cost €190
**From August 30th
***HSF schemes are on a family basis and include cover for two adults and children under 21 living at home
