# Private health insurance- first-time cover- what do YOU pay?



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Our eldest daughter signed up through a broker via her work (NHS) for her & her husband, and it seems to me a very fair deal. I'll be phoning the same guy tomorrow to ask him to quote etc. for us, but for the sake of comparisons, I'd appreciate knowing what cover YOU have, in particular:-

* insurer
* whether medical required
* age issues
* pre-existing conditions issues
* premiums

Thanks in anticipation.

Dougie.


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## Coulstock (Sep 2, 2008)

*Health Insurance*

Hi Dougie

This is not the answer you wanted to hear - but my answer is NONE.

I retired in Oct 2008 and for the previous 20 or so years I've always had cover provided by my employer for me and my wife.

In my last 6 months at work I broke a bone in my knee ( too much 5-a side - honest) and was treated by a consultant at a private hospital under 'sub-con' from my GP. Mind you his activity consisted of getting an MRI scan and bone density scan done and coming to the conclusion that it wasn't a cartilage or ligament problem. Any way as part of my recuperation, to allow the knee joint to mend (of its own accord) while staying flexible, I visited a physio (Nigel) once a week for 3 months - all paid by the NHS. So while Nigel was giving my knee joint a good working over we got to discussing the effectivity of NHS in 2008. He asserted that big steps had been made in NHS waiting lists and quoted a case of a newsagent a couple of doors from him who had had a dodgy knee joint replaced and the total elapsed time from diagnosis to getting back to his shop was 2 months

So we have decided not to be slaves to the insurance industry - lets face it the private hospital scene is low risk ( gall bladders, varicose veins, appendicitis) if it gets really difficult it gets bunged back to the NHS. - I've had a similar thread on the nonsense of travel insurance (IN THE EU) -and the only argument that the members could raise was - well if you need to be re-patriated - you'll have to pay - OK - if I want to be repatriated I'll pay for it - but I'm not propping up the insurance industry - because that is what is it and it applies equally to health cover.

Sorry to be so long winded

Harry


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

Hi Dougie

I had private health cover for self and wife, up until I was 55 (wife 51).
Age loading is quite horrific, and our last premium at that age was almost £1900 per year.
It had doubled in 5 years, and was now increasing by about 25% p.a. or more, so on that ratio, at 60 it would be something over £4.5k.
I was self-employed, and considered it necessary while I had dependants and a mortgage, AND while there were long NHS queue's, but when I started to wind down, and had a lot less liabilities to consider, I also considered it too expensive, and cancelled it!

I don't know your age or health history, but starting a health policy later rather than earlier (where the insurers had received no premiums when you would be considered a lesser risk), would probably incur some extra loading!

Best get some quotes, and read the small print first!

Michael


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Harry/Michael,

Thanks for the responses, both interesting. I'm 53½  and have never had health insurance, as - old cliche but true - I've always been in good health. :roll: My wife is a similar age, although her health isn't 100%.

I agree that the sort of starter premium is around £1,600 which caused a sharp intake of breath, I have to say. I also agree that if the NHS waiting lists are being addressed nationally, that aspect should be improving. I notice that nearly all policies require you to decide on the "6-week" question - whether or not you're prepared to take NHS treatment if it's available in that period, in which case your premium is lowered significantly. I can see why, but what happens when you opt for the NHS treatment as you're initially told it's available, only to be bounced off the list for another 2 months nearer the date? By that time, you're back to square one.

Dougie.


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

Hi Dougie

The "6 week" plan is more like a PPP policy, where you opt to have NHS treatment if available, within a specified time, and if not, then the Private Patient Plan kicks in.
There are many plans like this, and most you can vary the "waiting time", obviously the longer you are prepared to wait for NHS treatment, the cheaper the plan is.

This type of cover is a cheaper option to Private Health Insurance, which offers private cover from the instant you need it, regardless of NHS availability. 

This may seem a play on words, but generally the health insurance industry uses the term PPP for a wait a while and see if you can get it on the NHS policy, whereas PHI is available as soon as it is needed (and cost's a lot more)

You often find that PPP policies will pay you a sum of money per day during hospital stays, if you have treatment via the NHS, rather than claim on the policy.

HTH

Michael


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

Hi Dougie,

Take a look at Benenden Healthcare (www.benenden.org.uk). No pre- existing conditions restrictions and now no age limit. All for £1.25 per week, can't be bad!

I am in the scheme as an ex NHS employee; you can be as a police officer.

Invicta (Peggy)


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

*Re: Health Insurance*



Coulstock said:


> Hi Dougie
> 
> This is not the answer you wanted to hear - but my answer is NONE.
> 
> ...


I agree.

Begs the question though, why is the NHS offering private health care to its employees, via a broker? Or am I reading the original post incorrectly!

Keith


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## Pammy (Jun 2, 2005)

We are also in Benenden. I joined in 1981 as a Post Office employee, though I am now retired. We pay £32.50 a quarter which is quite cheap really. We have used it a few times for private consultations and found them to be excellent, both in customer service and paying promptly.

Pam & Keith


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