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Health Insurance

What to look out for when buying health insurance

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When it comes to health insurance, you have to draw the line on what you can compromise on. Price is an important factor to consider when you buy health insurance, but cheap can be expensive in the long run. Remember, health insurance is supposed to protect you from worrying about your finances when a health emergency arises. We have compiled a list of some of the things to look out for when buying health insurance.

Waiting Period

Waiting periods deter you from making a claim shortly after signing on to a health plan. They also prevent you from claiming on pre-existent diseases, so check the company’s policy on that before signing. Maternity and dental treatments are some of the benefits that have waiting periods, but it varies from one company to another, so reach out to experts for more advice on this.

Hospital network

If you travel a lot or have family members living in different parts of the country, you should be very keen on this. Just because an insurance plan covers the UAE, it does not mean that you can access all hospitals in the country. Ensure that the hospitals nearest to you are in the company’s medical network to avoid any inconveniences. If you travel for work or have family members in other towns, check on the same.

Deductibles

Also known as co-payment, deductibles are fixed rates that you, the policyholder, have to pay when undergoing treatment. There are various types of deductibles: fixed amount per visit and annual deductibles. Fixed amount per visit is applied in outpatient treatments only, and you are required to pay 20 to 75 AED depending on the insurance company. Annual deductibles are not common in the UAE, but make sure to ask your insurance provider about it.

Exclusions

Health insurance companies do not cover all treatments in order to protect themselves from high-risk conditions. Review the policy carefully or consult one of our experts for more information on what is excluded and covered under the health insurance plan before buying, especially if you suffer from a chronic disease.

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Health Insurance

What’s the best way to compare health care plans?

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Health insurance differs from other types of insurance, and it is really important to compare different health care insurance plans.

These plans can widely differ from each other in three or four main areas, and understanding them can allow you to compare policies on a like for like basis.

These differences relate to types of costs, where the treatment can be carried out and by whom, and the type of medical care provided.

Cost

Every insurance policy has a premium, but health insurance plans have other features that can affect the overall price of the policy. These costs can be referred to by different names, but are normally called deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance.

A deductible is similar to an excess on most other types of insurance, but is normally a much higher percentage of claim retention than say a car or home insurance policy.

Co-payments and Co-insurance are costs that relate to two different areas.

Co-payments are normally for relatively small areas of payment, such as frequent visits to a primary care physician, and Co-insurance normally relates to an overall percentage cost of any overall treatment that the policyholder incurs.

Taken together, these costs can be quite considerable. A thorough comparison of healthcare plans beforehand can help clarify which companies are likely to be most cost-effective.

In / Out Networks

This is a key feature of many healthcare plans.

A network refers to a specific number of hospitals, clinics and clinicians, that the insurance company will have arranged contracts with, and will specify where any treatment needed will have to be carried out, and by whom.

These hospitals and clinicians, are referred to as being in network, i.e. centres that the insurance company works with.

If a policyholder wants to seek treatment at another hospital or clinic, then these are referred to as being out of network, and either will not be covered by the policy, or will cost significantly more than ‘in network’ treatment.

This area of networks affects the choice of clinicians. For some people, this will be an issue, for others not so much so, but it is important to be aware of it when comparing policies.

Pre-existing conditions

This is a term that many people will be familiar with. It is really important to check whether the health care plan excludes any existing medical condition, that has either been treated in the past or currently exist. Policies differ widely in this area.

Aside from pre-existing conditions, it is also important to check if the policy covers recurrence of other conditions that might not be pre-existing conditions but occur for the first time during the time of the policy.

These might be treated successfully, but then recur later. Some policies might exclude such a recurrence, others would not.

Dental / Optician costs

A number of healthcare plans specifically exclude any type of dental or optician related treatment and costs. If a plan does include them, they are likely to be quite expensive. It is always worth getting alternative quotes for these types of policies, and then being able to compare them on a similar basis.

Finding the best health care plan is easy, all you need to do is make the most of our comparison tool on Compare Insurance – make your application now and get results in minutes.

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Categories
Health Insurance

Factors to consider when shopping for health insurance

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In this day and age, medical insurance is a basic need. In most countries, a trip to the hospital can really set you back financially. Buying health insurance, especially if you have a family, can be an uphill task. Here are some important factors to consider before purchasing any package.

Claim process

This is probably one of the most important things to look for when shopping for insurance. Some companies take forever to process your claim and your settlement. What good is an insurance package if you cannot use it when you need it? When it comes to selecting a health insurance company, the faster the better.

Family health insurance

If you have a family, you should select a more inclusive package. Your family medical history, as well as any present ailments, should be put into consideration. If one of your family members suffers from a disease that requires frequent trips to the hospital, I recommend taking a personal health care plan for them so that the family insurance policy does not become too expensive.

Network hospitals

When buying insurance, always check the insurance company’s network of cashless hospitals. You should check which company has the highest number of hospitals closest to you in their policy. Cashless hospitals also ensure that you are able to receive the best medical care possible without worrying about the bill. All your medical expenses are billed directly to the insurance company.

Look out for treatment-wise limits and co-pays

Some insurance companies limit the amount you can claim for diseases such as cataracts. Treatment-wise limits cap your claim regardless of the amount of money you have insured under the policy. Also, make sure you check the insurance policy co-pay. Co-pay is a standard amount of the bill that you have to pay on your own anytime you make a claim.

Coverage amount

Health insurance does not come cheap. Before deciding on the coverage amount you want to spend, think about your long-term health costs. Your co-pay ratio, your deductibles, monthly premiums, and coverage amount should help you make the decision. Make sure not to spend too much or too little when it comes to health insurance. If unsure of how much you should pay, visit our website for more information.

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