One of the challenges most people face when buying individual insurance plans is understanding the sea of terminologies and acronyms. Having a bit of knowledge of the industry’s terminology is crucial, especially if you’ll be shopping without the help of a mortgage broker, so here are some of the most commonly used terms.
Premium
Premium refers to the amount of money you pay to your health insurance provider every month to maintain your coverage. This is one of the most important things you should consider when buying health insurance because it directly affects your affordability.
Copayment
Copayment or co-pay is a flat fee that you pay for medical expenses every time you visit the hospital. It is one of the ways that you share your medical costs, so if you have frequent doctor’s visits, ensure that you pick cover with affordable co-pay.
Deductible
This is the amount of money you must pay every year for covered services before your insurance policy starts paying. For example, if your deductible is AED 1000, you will have to pay the first AED 1000 of covered services yourself. Health insurance plans with lower deductibles offer more comprehensive coverage, but they will have higher premium costs.
Coinsurance
Coinsurance is the percentage of covered services that you will be required to pay after you’ve paid your deductible. For instance, if your insurer pays 80% of all incurred costs, then you will be required to pay the remaining 20%. Like the deductible, health insurance covers with lower coinsurance have higher premium costs.
Out-of-pocket maximum
This is the most money you have to pay for covered services in a plan year. After you spend this amount on copayments, coinsurance and deductibles, your health insurance company will now cover 100% of the costs of covered benefits. That said, it is important to note that the out-of-pocket limit doesn’t include monthly premiums or any services that your plan doesn’t cover.
When shopping for group medical insurance, pay close attention to these terminologies as they greatly impact your insurance costs. Compare different plans from different companies using our website to find the perfect one for you.