Do you have health insurance?

Defy Belief

Defy Belief

Defy Belief

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29 Sep 2010
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Just a general thought really, I've started my new job recently which is selling PMI so I've been growing my knowledge of it over the last couple of months.

I'm finding it a little hard to sell because I don't really believe in the product myself, I haven't had any problems with the NHS treating my family and I myself am pretty healthy and have never been to hospital. Also, it's damn expensive, people paying £300+ per month for certain policies. Of course, you can't put a price on health but some policies have cost more than my mortgage payment!

I personally can't justify it, I'd rather put it in a savings account and build up a good amount of money, if I felt I 'needed' to be treated privately I'd pay for it, but any emergency services are dealt with the NHS regardless.

We visited the Nuffield in Cheltenham today to help us 'see' why private medical insurance is a good idea but all in all I wasn't that impressed with the facilities. It was nice but to me really not worth it, main things they do are orthopedics and cancer. Cancer is generally highly regarded within the NHS too.

So my question is do you have it? If so why? I really want to believe in it, it's just not my cup of tea just yet. :D So opinions would be good on the subject.
 
Private health care in this country is great for lots of non-emergency treatments and operations. It's not designed for emergency stuff as that's what the NHS is good at as you say.

If you have a condition that isn't life threatening but could take several months to do with the NHS then you'll likely be able to have a consultation and get the op arranged within a couple of weeks privately and you'll generally have a private room in a nice hospital - that's what private health care is good at.

Obviously if you're not that fussed with waiting on the NHS or happy to pay privately then great, but be aware that something like a hip replacement could cost you £30k+ privately.

IMHO as someone who used to work for a private health insurer and now doesn't have any private healthcare themselves I'd say that if you get it as a benefit through work then lap it up, but if you're looking at paying for it yourself then I'd seriously consider whether it's worth the money.
Not sure whether that will help you sell it, but that's my take on things :)
 
Yes I have it with my work. I was never bothered about having it but it was invaluable when I got seriously ill a couple of years ago.

I was suspected of having cancer (I did) and was seen that night by a consultant. My brother was later suspected of having the same thing (luckily he didn't) and was seen 6 months later on the NHS.
 
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yes through work but its still not worth the paper its printed on. Every single thing you put down on the form goes against you so they dont have to treat it.
 
Haircut said:
Obviously if you're not that fussed with waiting on the NHS or happy to pay privately then great, but be aware that something like a hip replacement could cost you £30k+ privately.

IMHO as someone who used to work for a private health insurer and now doesn't have any private healthcare themselves I'd say that if you get it as a benefit through work then lap it up, but if you're looking at paying for it yourself then I'd seriously consider whether it's worth the money.
Not sure whether that will help you sell it, but that's my take on things :)
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Yeah I'm aware of the costs, it is expensive for the ops etc. But you could get it done via the NHS you'll just have to potentially wait a while but that's because the people with more life threatening illnesses have to be their priority so it makes sense to me.

Who did you work for out of interest if you don't mind me asking? :p I will never buy it, I see it the same if it's free with work why the hell not, if it isn't I wouldn't.

I hate it, much preferred selling life insurance, a much more worth while policy IMO.
 
I went to the doctors with an issue with my ear as i was flying a few days later. I was told there was nothing wrong with my ear and it was a minor inner ear imbalance. It cleared up a few days later on its own with no drugs needed. Ive had no issue since. Bupa held this against me over a year later when i joined. Anything ear related i cant claim and it will get reviewed when my policy gets renewed next year. As my work pays for this i dont mind so much but otherwise i wouldnt have joined. I should have just not mentioned it as they cant legally hold things against me that have never affected me.
 
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got it through work, covers pre existing conditions etc... no outpatient limit either (previous policies have limited this) obviously it a taxable benefit but aside form that its a no brainer.... have definitely got my money's worth out of it, probably even if I was paying for it myself - MRIs, physio, surgery etc...

in general though, if you're paying for it yourself, I'm not sure it is worthwhile... I've just been unlucky with things like an ACL injury, patella tendon etc..etc...
 
I have a great employer-paid policy (just the p11d benefit to pay). One of the big benefits is that I can get appointments (e.g. ultrasound) to work around my schedule, whereas I'd likely have to wait a few weeks to get a NHS appointment and then rearrange my week to fit.
 
Defy Belief said:
Yeah I'm aware of the costs, it is expensive for the ops etc. But you could get it done via the NHS you'll just have to potentially wait a while but that's because the people with more life threatening illnesses have to be their priority so it makes sense to me.

Who did you work for out of interest if you don't mind me asking? :p I will never buy it, I see it the same if it's free with work why the hell not, if it isn't I wouldn't.

I hate it, much preferred selling life insurance, a much more worth while policy IMO.
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I worked for Bupa, initially on the business side in claims handling, then moved into IT.
I think I can still get an ex-employee discount on Bupa insurance, but as a healthy 30-something it's not something I feel is worth it like you say.
 
I signed up for it at work and have carried it on in retirement - at around £185 a year for wife and myself I think it's worth while - Especially when I had a Hernia done on it years ago.

As said - private hospital - room to yourself - even nurse came in next morning after op to see if I wanted bathing - Thought was there but declined as I wasn't bed ridden.

I think scheme was originally set up for cancer but they have branched out to cover many more problems.

Dave
 
DXP55 said:
I signed up for it at work and have carried it on in retirement - at around £185 a year for wife and myself I think it's worth while - Especially when I had a Hernia done on it years ago.

As said - private hospital - room to yourself - even nurse came in next morning after op to see if I wanted bathing - Thought was there but declined as I wasn't bed ridden.

I think scheme was originally set up for cancer but they have branched out to cover many more problems.

Dave
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I can't help but think at around £7.50pm each you are being covered for much, especially if you're of the age to be retired.

@Haircut, ah the devil company! :p must have been interesting in the claims dept for them.
 
I think my company pays £220 a year for me. Seems expensive if all Bupa are going to do find every way they can not provide a service they pay for.
 
Yup. Bupa for me, the mrs and the boy.
I had my last major operation in a Bupa hospital and vowed never to have an NHS op again.
 
Private health care has been amazing for my family. My father has it as part of his package.

First, he had some sort of cancer in his hip years ago, as well as a slipped disc around the same time.

Second, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (couldn't eat properly for about nine weeks) and had I had to go on the NHS I would have been much more ill than I was at the time. I've had various operations using it as well, related to having Crohn's.

Third, my mother was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. I think that NHS care for cancer patients is pretty good, but I doubt it would have been dealt with so quickly if she had had to use the NHS.

As soon as I can afford it, I'll be paying for insurance for myself, as my father's doesn't cover me any more.
 
I've recently got it with my new job, all paid for so no cost to me. Part of me wants to try it, but then I'd have to be ill!
 
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