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There are three health
insurance providers and as with mobile phone services, it is not easy
to compare one particular service with another. If you think that one
or more has tried to add or vary a service in a particular plan to
differentiate themselves from a competitor, you are almost certainly
right.
In making a choice between the plans of the three insurers, you
should check the services available in the participating hospitals in your
location and the level of cover that you require. Regarding private
accommodation, there is no guarantee of availability even up to the level of
the Blackrock Clinic. Private accommodation
facilities in public hospitals are very limited.
You
may be paying for a private room in the Blackrock Clinic but as in a
hotel, it's first come, first served.
2010: Health Insurance Authority Comparison Page
The following comparisons published by the Health Insurance
Authority in March and April 2009.
Use the link above to check the latest comparison. It is not a
user-friendly tool and some genius dispensed with the static format
below.
* Hi-Tech hospitals are the Blackrock
Clinic, the Mater Private and the Beacon Hospital. Please check with
your insurer to determine which Hi-Tech hospitals are covered under your
plan.
** These VHI Healthcare Plans include Level 1 day-to-day cover, for
Level 2 cover; add €6.60 to the monthly rate for First Plan Plus/Family
Plan Plus and add €10 for Forward Plan.
*** 13 private hospitals are not covered. Please contact VHI or the HIA
for this list. Semi-private hospital accommodation carries a €75 excess
per claim. The semi-private rate can be claimed towards the cost of a
private room in a private hospital subject to the €75 excess per claim.
**** Limited cover at the Galway Clinic.
1. Quinn prices include 3% credit charge applied when paying monthly.
This charge does not apply when paying annually.
2. Quinn-Healthcare has a three tier excess system. Where these excesses
apply, €50 excess must be paid for small private hospitals, €125 excess
for large private hospitals and €200 excess for high-tech hospitals per
claim.
These tables show the main plans for each insurer, but is not a complete
list of private health insurance policies nor does it show the full list
of benefits associated with each plan. Please contact the individual
insurers for a full list of policies and benefits.
Notes
• Please note that even if your policy covers a particular level of
accommodation, if that level of accommodation is not available you might
be required to stay in a lower level of accommodation. You should also
note that semi-private rooms can accommodate up to 5 people.
• Many products offer full or significant cover for the Blackrock Clinic
and Mater Private Hospitals in respect of day treatment, outpatient
treatment and treatment for certain heart conditions. If this is
important to you, you should discuss it with the insurers.
• All products are available to all consumers.
• The excesses referred to in the table above are paid either once per
medical condition or once per claim.
• Subject to availability, it is generally possible to stay in a higher
level of accommodation than you have cover for if you pay part of the
charges, either as a percentage of the charges or as an excess per night
in hospital. Contact the insurers for more information.
* An insurer may give a discount of up
to 10% for groups of persons.
** Hi-Tech hospitals are the Blackrock Clinic, the Mater Private and the
Beacon Hospital. Please check with your insurer to determine which
Hi-Tech hospitals are covered under your plan.
*** Only 16 hospitals are covered. Please contact the HIA if you would
like this list.
1. Quinn prices include 3% credit charge applied when paying monthly.
This charge does not apply when paying annually.
2. Quinn-Healthcare has a three tier excess system. Where these excesses
apply, €50 excess must be paid for small private hospitals, €125 excess
for large private hospitals and €200 excess for high-tech hospitals. The
excess applies per claim.
3. This excess applies once per claim.
These tables show the main plans for each insurer, but is not a complete
list of private health insurance policies nor does it show the full list
of benefits associated with each plan. Please contact the individual
insurers for a full list of policies and benefits.
Notes
• Please note that even if your policy covers a particular level of
accommodation, if that level of accommodation is not available you might
be required to stay in a lower level of accommodation. You should also
note that semi-private rooms can accommodate up to 5 people.
• Many products offer full or significant cover for the Blackrock Clinic
and Mater Private Hospitals in respect of day treatment, outpatient
treatment and treatment for certain heart conditions. If this is
important to you, you should discuss it with the insurers.
• All products are available to all consumers regardless of whether you
are in a company or not.
• The excesses referred to in the table above are paid either once per
medical condition or once per claim.
• Subject to availability, it is generally possible to stay in a higher
level of accommodation than you have cover for if you pay part of the
charges, either as a percentage of the charges or as an excess per night
in hospital. Contact the insurers for more information.
HEALTH INSURANCE AUTHORITY:
How Do I Choose My Health Insurance?-Selecting a Private Health
Insurance Product
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