Category: Health Insurance

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What does Brexit mean for travel insurance and healthcare in Europe?

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The last 12 months have been dominated by COVID-19, and due to the global pandemic stopping people from being able to travel abroad, the ramifications associated with Brexit are yet to be experienced – or indeed acknowledged – by many people.

With the vaccine rollout going well, and with COVID-19 cases going down by the day, it seems likely that holidays will be on the agenda shortly, so what do you need to know? What impact has Brexit had and will it impact your ability to obtain health cover?

The GHIC

At the beginning of January 2021, the Government declared that all UK citizens would be able to apply for a scheme known as the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which was created and subsequently launched as part of the post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and the EU.

Previously, UK citizens were able to access a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), though this is now being phased out entirely. However, while the cards are somewhat similar, there are certain limitations that you should be aware of. While the EHIC made a point of not only covering the EU but also other European nations such as Norway, Switzerland and Iceland, the GHIC will not cover these non-EU countries (other than the UK).

To apply for a free GHIC card, simply follow this link to the NHS’s dedicated application page.

What the GHIC covers

The GHIC, just like the EHIC, has been designed to ensure those who are travelling abroad have access to care for one-off emergency medical issues, routine care for pregnant women, as well as treatment for any ongoing chronic illnesses.

Venturing further afield

The UK Government is currently in the process of finalising agreements with a host of other European countries that are not covered by the GHIC (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland). These will likely be finalised in the coming weeks, but for the time being, Norway has confirmed that UK passport holders will be able to get emergency health insurance simply by showing their passport. The other countries have not signed off on any such deal.

When it comes to heading outside of Europe, the UK already has agreements in place in principal with a host of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Serbia, Kosovo and Bosnia. With regard to the remainder of the countries in the world, talks are currently ongoing, and it is expected that some kind of deal will be in place by the summer of 2021.

Take a look at our insurance comparison website today to find a business travel insurance policy that suits your needs.

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Health Insurance

How to prepare your health insurance for starting a family

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Starting a family is a busy time with lots of things to prepare and your health insurance should be one of them. Here are some key things to consider before you start your next chapter:

Are you on the best type of insurance?

Health insurance for parents is a legal requirement in Dubai, whether you are a full-time resident or only working in the city temporarily. As a result, you must either be covered through your employer or your own plan. If you and your partner are both offered healthcare insurance by your employer, then you may want to stick with your existing work policies. However, if one or both of you aren’t covered through work and you organise your own health insurance, you may want to consider taking out a joint or family policy. This could save you money compared to multiple individual policies and gives you the convenience of having everything in one place.

Health insurance for your children

Protecting your children against illness or accidents is essential for keeping them safe, so check if your children are covered by your work health insurance policy. If not, and you and your partner are content with your existing cover, then you may want to start looking into separate children’s health insurance so you are prepared. Alternatively, you could choose to take out a new family health insurance policy, which would cover every member of the family in one.

Does your current policy offer maternity benefits?

If you are planning on trying to conceive in the near future, it is a good idea to check whether your current health insurance covers issues relating to pregnancy. Not every insurer will cover the same thing and some conditions related to pregnancy could be very costly for you if they aren’t covered. If you aren’t satisfied with what your current insurer offers, investigate alternative options before you become pregnant, if possible. Some insurance companies will be reluctant to accept new policies from women who are already pregnant.

If you want to check that you’ve got the best health insurance broker for you and your growing family, why not do some research and compare the available policies on our website?

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Car Insurance Health Insurance Travel Insurance

Do I need insurance for domestic travel?

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Are you going on holiday in the UAE? If you’re not leaving the country, you may be tempted to skip travel insurance. However, you should still make sure that you are covered for other eventualities. Here’s why you need domestic travel insurance.

Your health insurance will cover health issues

If you fall ill abroad, you need travel insurance to access healthcare. This isn’t the case if you’re staying within the UAE as long as you have adequate UAE medical insurance policy (if you don’t, be sure to check out our health insurance comparison tool and purchase insurance – it’s essential that you have it!).

You may need insurance for stolen luggage

There are virtually zero domestic flights in the UAE (and the few that do exist are very expensive!), so if you are travelling by bus, it may be prudent to take out insurance that covers your possessions. You may also want to cover your possessions for theft from your hotel room. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need a travel insurance policy – you could take out separate contents insurance for your luggage.

Don’t forget car insurance

Most people travel around the UAE by car. Whether you are using your own car or a hired vehicle, make sure that you have comprehensive car insurance to cover any breakdowns or accidents.

Travel insurance may cover delays or cancellations

Travel insurance may be useful if you experience any bus delays or cancellations, or any issues with your hotel. However, bus journeys are generally too cheap to warrant taking out insurance for, and hotels normally have their own kind of insurance policies in place. While travel insurance when venturing abroad is always a good idea, in the UAE you may be able to get away with separate insurance policies.

You will likely already have health insurance and car insurance (if you are driving your own vehicle), so you could pay separately to have your luggage insured and make sure that everything is secure at your hotel. This will probably help you save money rather than taking out a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

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Health Insurance

What’s the difference between health insurance and medical insurance?

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When you’re looking for insurance that looks after you physical and mental wellbeing and welfare, you need to be aware of the acute difference between medical insurance and health insurance. These types of insurance aren’t interchangeable, but their respective terms are often used interchangeably, so it’s a good idea to know exactly what each insurance type entails to enable you to find the right coverage from the top health insurance companies.

Medical insurance

Medical insurance is strictly applicable to being hospitalised and any treatments undertaken in a hospital. This means that any aftercare is not accommodated for, leaving it up to you to cover any additional expenses or ongoing treatment outside hospital grounds. It’s a much less flexible option than health insurance, although far better than having no insurance at all.

Health insurance

Health insurance is far more comprehensive, covering your health in totality, from appointments at the GP to aftercare, such as rehabilitation if you’ve had an accident where you’ve been severely injured and any prescription medication. Health insurance is therefore a better choice if you have ongoing health problems, as you don’t have to consider a longer-term financial impact for a pre-existing condition or severe accident or illness.

How do I know which choice is right for me?

Health insurance and medical insurance work for different people, based on factors including:

– Age: health insurance is better for those over 50, who are naturally more susceptible to unexpected illness.
– General health: if you have a history of medical conditions, then it’s wise to get health insurance.
– Financial security: if you’re fortunate to be in a position where your finances are secure, then medical insurance is adequate to cover the basics.

It’s important to note that health insurance also covers the areas that medical insurance policies offer, though it’s worth checking with your provider to ensure that all hospital treatment is covered before you commit to a policy.

Speak to us today

For medical insurance and health insurance in UAE, get in touch with CompareInsurance today to find the policies and insurers that suit your health needs.

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Car Insurance Health Insurance Travel Insurance

2 things you should avoid doing when buying insurance

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When buying insurance, from covering your car to covering yourself abroad, it’s very important that we take the time to truly look into what we are purchasing. Many of us get into the habit of just trying to get it over and done with, especially when getting insurance is something we absolutely have to do.

However, insurance isn’t just something that we buy for peace of mind or because we have to. No, it’s something that we, unfortunately, might have to make a claim on and it’s vital that we choose correctly should that unwanted circumstance arrive.

So here are two things we should avoid doing when buying insurance:

1. Always going for the cheapest option

While this is very tempting, it can seriously backfire when making a claim. Many insurance companies offer similar cover at a fraction of the price to others and when this is the case, it’s only natural to go for the cheaper choice.

However, sometimes policies are much cheaper for a reason and it’s usually because they have a lot less to offer you. While going for the cheapest option may feel great when paying, if you do need to make a claim the chances are it’s going to cost you much more if you opted for a policy with a lot less cover.

2. Sticking to the same provider

Top 10 cheapest car insurance companies often give incentives to customers so that they renew any type of insurance cover with them rather than a competitor. This, coupled with the ease of renewing rather than switching, means that many of us choose to stay with the same provider when we could be much better off elsewhere.

From better cover to slightly cheaper rates, another company could offer you everything you’ve previously had and more. While it may be a hassle to set yourself up with a completely new company, this shouldn’t outweigh the potential benefits of doing so.

Buying insurance isn’t the most exciting thing in the world but in many cases, it is necessary and it’s because of this that we should take the time to really look into what it is we are buying. Avoiding the top two points can be a great start.

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Car Insurance Health Insurance Travel Insurance

What do you need to know before using an insurance comparison website?

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It doesn’t matter what kind of insurance package you’re looking for, whether it’s medical and health insurance, travel insurance, or car insurance – one of the best ways to find a great deal is by using an insurance comparison website.

There are two vital pieces of information you need to know, however, before you get started.

1. What kind of cover do you want?

This is an important question that it’s essential to answer before you begin searching for policies. Insurance policies are now so broad in their spectrum, with insurers offering bespoke levels of cover for every individual client. This means it can be difficult to simply find a “one size fits all” policy. Ultimately this benefits you, however, as it means you’re only ever going to be paying for the insurance cover that you actually need, and you won’t have aspects to your policy you’ll never use.

To get the benefit of this, you need to know exactly what sort of cover you require. If you’re searching for business car insurance, for example, you need to have a rough idea of how many miles you think you’ll drive, the amount of excess you’re willing to pay, and any additions to the policy you’ll want to add, such as breakdown cover or contents insurance.

2. How much can you afford to pay?

The other vital piece of information you need is what your budget looks like. Comparison websites work by giving you a broad range of quotes to choose from, so you will see both the cheaper and more expensive end of the insurance spectrum. You shouldn’t always just choose the cheapest cover, however, as this can be a false economy. That means it’s important you have a good idea of exactly what you can comfortably afford to spend, in order to make sure you’re able to find the best deal for your circumstances and obtain the best private health insurance.

It’s always best to choose a policy you’re confident you can consistently afford, rather than one that’s too cheap to provide you appropriate cover, or too expensive to mean you’re not always going to be able to pay your premiums.

With this important information settled, you can find your perfect insurance quote at Compare Insurance today.

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Health Insurance

What to know about claiming on health insurance

If you’ve had an accident or illness abroad, you will want to claim on your health insurance. But when is the right time to do so? Some companies only refund, whereas others will pay upfront. And, if you have only had to pay a minimal amount, your insurance company may not pay at all! Here are some tips on how to know when to claim on your insurance.

Read your policy carefully

It’s important to know exactly what your policy includes when you buy it. If you read it carefully, it will tell you a lot of important things. These include:

Your excess – this is the amount that you must contribute up to. If you pay less than your excess, then your insurance will not cover it. You can generally reduce or even eliminate the excess by paying for a more comprehensive insurance package.

Whether the insurance pays upfront – for some things, you might be able to just give your insurance details. In other cases, you may have to pay and then the insurance will compensate you. Don’t worry – for very expensive things, you can normally just give your insurance details.

Speak to the admin staff when you arrive at hospital

If you are able to, contact the payment staff when you first get to the hospital. This is when you should make them aware that you have insurance and work out whether you will be paying upfront or if the insurance will pay them directly. Use this as an opportunity to find out roughly how much the total bill will be too – medical care can be very expensive in some countries and this will avoid any nasty surprises!

Make sure that you don’t leave without paying or signing

In some hospitals, it can be easy to walk out without paying. Make sure that you do make a payment or sign a form stating that your insurance will pay, otherwise you could be given a hefty fine.

If you know exactly what your mediclaim insurance policy entails, you should have a good idea of how much and when they will pay.

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Health Insurance

Do you need health insurance when moving to Dubai?

For anyone moving to a new country, it is essential to know what the healthcare arrangements are before you arrive. In the case of the UAE, the situation is complicated by regulations that differ between emirates.

Do you need private health insurance in the UAE?

The short answer to this question is yes. Emirati nationals do not need to purchase private health insurance, but anyone moving to the UAE from abroad will need private health insurance. Under Emirati law, employers are required to provide basic health insurance to their workers. However, this cover will not extend to your family members and dependents.

What about Dubai?

All residents of Dubai are required to have some kind of private medical cover. If you are moving with your family, you will need to purchase insurance for them, unless your employer offers more generous insurance than they are legally required to.

What kind of healthcare system does Dubai have?

Healthcare in the UAE is a hybrid public-private system. The ratio of one to the other varies between the emirates. In the case of Dubai, the split is roughly 20% public and 80% private. Public healthcare is primarily for Emirati nationals, whose treatment is either free or low-cost. Public healthcare in Dubai does not extend to dental, eye, or ear care.

Expats can make use of Dubai’s public healthcare, but it is usually in their interests to use private care instead; especially as they are obliged to take out private health insurance. Private medical facilities in Dubai are also generally of a much higher standard than public facilities.

Is health insurance mandatory in Dubai?

Yes, major medical insurance is mandatory for all residents of Dubai, irrespective of whether they are currently employed or not. Any expat hoping to earn their residency visa will need to have private medical cover to qualify. There are also hefty fines levied against any resident without private medical coverage for every month they are uninsured. The monthly insurance premiums are considerably cheaper than these fines, so it is in every residents’ interests to acquire medical insurance.

If you are planning on moving to Dubai, you should be prepared to take out private medical insurance. While your employer must provide you with basic cover, this won’t extend to your dependents and will only cover the most basic treatments. Compare the best rates on insurance today.

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Car Insurance Health Insurance Travel Insurance

New Year checklist for your insurance

Ringing in the New Year is always a time of celebration. It’s synonymous with renewal and the chance to start afresh – something that everybody is keen to do following the year that 2020 has been.

However, there are some things you should make a priority. Making sure all of your insurances are up to date is an essential task that ensures you can live your life with the confidence you’re covered should something, unfortunately, go wrong.

Below is a brief list of the points to remember with various popular insurances that you likely have. Read on to find out more.

Health insurance

When it comes to private health insurance companies, you want to make sure a few different aspects are still correct. For one, be sure to update your provider of any newly diagnosed health conditions within the past year. Also, ensure you have all of the correct paperwork to hand so that you are prepared should any injury or health concern arise.

Medical insurance

Leading on from this, make sure your medical insurance is all in order. Less an issue in the UK thanks to the NHS (with the exception of private medical insurance), up-to-date medical insurance in other countries such as the UAE is essential, should citizens require urgent attention.

Car insurance

No matter how careful a driver you are, ensure your car insurance is current and that the policy you are paying for reflects your requirements. Just a few factors you may want to revise are the liability policy, the deductibles policy, and collision coverage. This last one is especially important as it helps to protect you in the instance of an accident.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance has never been more important as a UK citizen. With the UK’s official transition period ending on the 1st January, UK nationals will no longer be protected under the EU’s travel laws, which means it’s an incredibly wise idea to invest in travel insurance if you plan on going abroad next year – especially to places like the UAE, where visitors won’t be able to access free medical treatment especially visitors that want travel insurance for schengen visa.

Trust Compare Insurance today

If you require independent insurance comparison filtered to your unique needs, look no further than Compare Insurance.

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Health Insurance

6 facts about healthcare in the UAE

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If you’re living in Abu Dhabi or holidaying in Dubai, you might be wondering about healthcare in the UAE. What is it like, and how do you get treatment if necessary? In this post, we’ll answer all of your questions!

The UAE has excellent healthcare facilities

The UAE is known for its world-class healthcare facilities. There are a huge amount of trained doctors in the country – around 181 for every 100,000 residents! It is also known for its excellent hygiene standards at its medical facilities and pleasant hospitals.

Only Emarati citizens get free healthcare

You do, however, get what you pay for. Emarati citizens get to enjoy the UAE’s excellent healthcare for free, but non-citizens have to pay. Health insurance is crucial, as it will cover nearly all health ailments, so you don’t have to worry!

Dubai is a medical tourism destination

The entire UAE is famous for medical tourism, although especially Dubai. Dubai gets hundreds of thousands of medical tourists every year. This is due to the high standard of healthcare and the marginally lower costs than other destinations (particularly the USA).

Dubai is famous for being a provider of dental, cosmetic, dermatological, orthopaedic, and fertility treatments.

There are more private clinics than public clinics

Yes, that’s right – because of the huge migrant population of the UAE, far more people use private clinics than public ones. This means that there are many more private clinics than public options throughout the country (especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi)

Health insurance must be paid for by the employer in some cases

In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, employers must cover healthcare costs. In Abu Dhabi, employers must also pay for healthcare for their employees’ spouses and up to three children aged under 18. In the other Emirates, employers don’t have to pay for health insurance – although many still do.

It is the law to have health insurance

All residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi must have health insurance, or risk a monthly fine of 500 AED. If you are employed, your employer will cover it – but anyone unemployed (including spouses and children in Abu Dhabi), must sort out their own health insurance.

To find out more about medical insurance quotes in the UAE, contact Compare Insurance today.

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