The health insurance market is changing

As there are over 325 health insurance plans available in the market, this makes the process of buying and comparing health insurance plans increasingly difficult. Many consumers remain on their existing health insurance cover simply because they find it difficult to make like-for-like comparisons. With our unique experience and expertise, we can do this work for you.

Finding the right health cover can be complex

Are you sure that you are getting the health cover that you need at the best price? We’ll review the market for you so you don’t have to, and ensure you get the health cover that best matches your needs at the lowest price possible. We are confident that you will not get a cheaper quote for the same level of cover /same benefits by going directly through the health insurers.

We’re here to help you

• Simply provide your contact details.
• Whether you are an existing or new member, we’ll call you to discuss a health insurance plan that meets your needs including the possible savings for you or your family.
• If your existing health insurance cover is fine, no change will be recommended.
• In many cases, we may be able to source better health cover for you from your existing provider.
• If a change of provider is in your best interest, we can talk you through how to switch. If you're happy with our recommendation, we can set up your new health insurance plan in a matter of minutes. Alternatively, you can use the information provided to make your own arrangements.
• We’ll also give you full documentation supporting our recommendations.
• You pay your premium directly to the health insurance company as normal.
• We are available if you have any queries on your health insurance cover.

Health insurance has become increasingly complex over the past few years. It can be extremely difficult to sift through the multitude of health insurance plans available to find the one that’s best for you. On the plus side, there is real choice in the market when it comes to provider and type of health insurance policy. Shopping around can result in you saving money and/or having access to more benefits.

Key considerations when buying health insurance:

• What is your budget, i.e. how much do you plan to spend?
• What type of hospitals do you want to be covered for, e.g. public hospitals only or public and private hospitals?
• What type of accommodation cover do you want, e.g. would you prefer a private room or would a semi-private room suffice (no more than 5 beds)?
• Do you want to split your cover e.g. put the adults on a different level of health cover to the children?

Additional cover options that you may wish to consider:

• Routine medical expenses cover – ‘Day to day’ cover such as cover for GP visits, routine dental visits, physiotherapy and other costs. Before adding this to your health insurance cover, calculate what your average annual spend is, as you normally only get a refund of approximately 50% from the insurer.
• Maternity Expenses Cover – if maternity is important to you, and you want the option to avail of semi-private or private treatment for your maternity, you should make sure your plan matches your needs. Please note, the variance between maternity expenses cover differs substantially from plan to plan. Talk to us to find a plan that’s right for you.
• High tech hospitals cover – cover for hospitals such as the Mater Private, Blackrock Clinic or the Beacon Hospital.
• Private psychiatric, convalescence or travel cover - Let us know if these are important for you, and we'll explain your health cover in detail.

By considering the above in advance, you are better positioned to select an appropriate plan that suits your individual requirements. As these will change over time, we recommend that you have your cover reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that you hold appropriate health insurance cover at all times.  For more information on helping to reduce your families health insurance costs,  we’ve put together some additional tips you can ask yourself to help find ways to save money on your health insurance.

Select your health insurance provider below:

1) Irish Life Health

2) Laya Healthcare

3) VHI Healthcare

Irish Life Health

Irish Life Health currently has direct payment agreements with all of their listed hospitals, so there’s no need to worry. They’ll settle the bill directly for all eligible costs under your health insurance plan. All you need to do is complete and sign the Irish Life Health claim form given to you by the hospital, which asks questions such as personal information and history of illness. If you are ever in doubt about whether you’re covered for a particular procedure, please call Irish Life Health directly on 1890 717717, before receiving any treatment. They will make it clear from the outset what exactly you are covered for regarding the specific procedure you need. Don’t forget to have your Irish Life Health membership number ready when you call.

Irish Life Health Maternity Claims

In general, in-patient maternity claims follow the same process as above. However, for unique maternity benefits such as 4D scans and cord blood stem cell preservation, eligible claims are processed on receipt and you don’t have to wait until the end of your policy year to do so. Please refer to your Irish Life Health plan membership booklet for all relevant information in relation to Maternity Claims.

Irish Life Health Out-Patient Claims/Day-to-Day Claims

For all out-patient/day-to-day benefits, you must pay the provider (i.e. GP, physiotherapist) directly. Remember to keep all of your receipts in a safe place! Send your clearly marked, original receipts to Irish Life Health to ensure you’re reimbursed for all eligible treatments (within 3 months after your policy end date):

                   
                             Irish Life Health Insurance Ltd.,
                             PO BOX 764,
                             Freepost,
                             Cork.

The overall maximum amount of health insurance benefits per policy year on out-patient costs is €4,000, including out-patient scans.

 
Irish Life Health Overseas Treatment

Yet another great benefit of being an Irish Life Health member is Overseas Treatment. Please remember that all procedures carried out outside of Ireland must be pre-authorised by Irish Life Health, in advance of travelling abroad.
 

Irish Life Health Waiting Periods

It’s really important to understand your waiting periods, as they may affect your ability to claim. Don’t forget that there are no waiting periods for accident, injury or lifestyle benefits. Full details on claiming and waiting periods are available in your health insurance membership handbook, or by clicking here. Irish Life Health dac is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Laya Healthcare

For information on how to process a claim with Laya Healthcare please click here to be transferred to the Laya Healthcare website.

VHI Healthcare

For information on how to process a claim with VHI Healthcare please click here to be transferred to the VHI Healthcare website

Experience and know-how

Finding the right health insurance plan is very important to you and your family, and in most cases requires a lot of detailed knowledge to make the right decision. This is where an experienced advisor can help. As Ireland’s largest health insurance broker, we at Cornmarket have been providing specialist financial advice and preferential deals to our customers for over 40 years.

Team of health insurance experts

Our team of health insurance experts is here to help you find the best health cover and alleviate the headache of trawling through hundreds of health insurance plans.
In one phone call, one of our consultants will review your health insurance requirements in detail. Using this information, we’ll then compare the various health insurance plans available from VHI Healthcare, Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health to make sure you are getting the best deal at the lowest price possible.

What is Split Level Cover?

Split Level cover is a great way of reducing your costs, for example you could leave the adults on a mid-range health insurance plan and put younger children on a lower level health insurance plan.

Should I buy Day to Day Health Insurance Cover?

Do the maths before buying ‘Day to Day’ cover. Before adding this benefit to your cover, compare your average annual expenditure on routine medical expenses to the cost of including this additional cover in your health insurance plan. The average refund you receive with this cover is 50%, therefore it may not be a cost-effective add-on.

If I pay the full amount for the year, will I avoid surcharges?

Laya Healthcare charges an additional 3% for instalment payments. For example, on the Essential Plus Scheme, you could save in excess of €100 per annum for an average family policy by paying your full health insurance premium up front.

Laya Healthcare Limited, trading as Laya Healthcare and Laya Life, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Should I take an ‘excess option’ for a lower premium?

Most providers have health insurance plans with excess options for private hospitals (per hospital stay). This option can lower your health insurance premium significantly depending on the health insurance plan in question.  If you don’t mind taking on a small excess in private hospitals only, this is a great way of reducing your healthcare costs.

Are student discounts available?

Student discounts have been replaced by a young person’s discount which applies to persons aged 18-25. It is at the discretion of the insurer to apply a young person’s discount to a health insurance plan. If an insurer decides to apply a young person’s discount to a plan, they must do it for all age ranges from 18-25.

Why should I review my cover each year?

Always remember to “review before you renew” when it comes to your health insurance. By allowing it to renew automatically, you are accepting any reduced benefits and new terms and conditions which your provider has decided to add to your health insurance plan. Health insurance providers may not necessarily spell out the full effects of these changes. With over 350 plans on the market and special offers regularly available there is great choice available for health insurance. In such a complex environment, it is important that you undertake a health insurance review and seek impartial advice.
 

We’re here to help you

Call us now on  (01) 470 8093 or fill in your contact details by clicking the link below and we’ll get in touch with you. It’s that simple.