‘IT’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO SHOP AROUND’

Many families potentially lose thousands by not reviewing their health insurance, particularly as policies come up for renewal in December and January.

The good news is that hundreds of thousands of people stand to gain just like Bart and Rosemarie.

‘I don’t think there has ever been a better time to shop around. There are brilliant deals on corporate plans, deals I wasn’t expecting to be better have improved,’ said Dermot Goode of Totalhealthcover.ie.

Laya has just cut the cost of 22 of its schemes by an average of 6%, to ease the pain of previous price increases on other plans. It’s also introducing its ‘Free Kids Offer’ on second and subsequent children on its Essential Connect Family and Essential Health 300 schemes, from January 1, 2018 until March 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, the VHI will begin a half-price kids offer on all One Plans and Teachers Plan Select and Nurses Plan Select plans from December 31.

But, while there have been some price decreases, nine VHI plans will see price hikes ranging from 2% to 5% on the January 1 and 2.

Irish Life Health will change their premiums across 95 plans on January 1.

Again price changes range widely from cuts of 20.44% to increases of 19% on adult net premiums.

So, if you’re a customer of theirs, you need to be on your toes and switch if necessary. Irish Life’s Health Plan 16.1 is a good buy at the upper end of the market while its Be Fit 1 gets Dermot’s thumbs up as a mid-range plan with routine expenses cover.

Most plans have gone up across the market by 10-30% over the last two years. But, as Dermot says, some have gone up by a lot more than others.

It’s unwary punters who are bearing the brunt of this, while savvy switchers can snap up bargains in the shake up.

‘Some of the plans that have come down were already good value. They are now very competitive,’ Dermot said.

These plans are aimed at big corporate clients who, unlike most people, employ experts to evaluate them.

Laya’s Simply Connect Plus, for example, already one of the best plans on the market, has not only come down in price, it has also polished up its ‘bells and whistles’.

You can now claim for up to €1,000 in everyday medical expenses compared to €500 last year.

‘But people, especially older people, need to be very careful that they evaluate their needs or get their insurer to do it for them.’