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Health Insurance

Use a comparison tool to browse healthcare plans before you buy

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Health insurance coverage is an essential consideration, but you never know what’s around the next corner. Even if you’re currently healthy, we can all fall victim to ill-health without seeing it coming. Health cover can help you stay financially secure through those difficult times – but how do you find the health insurance plans for family?

With so many different health care plans available, use a comparison tool to find the right one for you.

Browse before investing

There is a multitude of health cover plans available, covering all manner of different ailments. You can find health insurance that covers a general list of common complaints, such as cancer and diabetes, etc. Or you can also find cover that deals with specific illnesses, possibly as a result of your genetic predisposition.

Comparing and contrasting health insurance plans can be difficult – with so many different conditions and exemptions, it can be hard to navigate and compare one deal to the next. If you try and find a plan by going to each provider individually, you run the risk of being swamped in information and making a bad choice.

Using the right comparison tool

This is where a comparison tool comes in useful. In just a few minutes you can put your details in and decide the nature of the cover you’re looking for. With that, you’ll get a number of quotes back almost instantly from a range of insurance providers, allowing you to easily compare and contrast coverage and prices.

The joy of it is that you get to choose the nature of the cover you want from the outset – you decide the things that you want your policy to cover. Then you get quotes back for THAT policy, and you can choose who offers you the best deal. There’s no need to browse every detail of each policy to make sure you’re getting the coverage you need.

Making the right choice

Health insurance is an invaluable investment, and if you want to make sure you spend your money the right way, use a service like Compare Insurance to find yourself the best possible deal.

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Health Insurance

Are you paying too much for your health insurance? There may be a cheaper deal for you

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Health cover is an essential consideration if you want to ensure you’re not troubled by mounting medical bills in the event of a run of bad health. After all, when you are busy recovering, the last thing you need is financial worries.

Many people fall into the trap, however, of choosing a health insurance package and then sticking with it even though the price of the premium goes up. There may be a better deal available for you by shopping around.

Using a comparison tool

The best way to find short term health insurance that better suits your budget is to use an online comparison tool. It couldn’t be easier, all you need to do is input the details of the cover you’re looking to arrange and the system will generate a variety of quotes from different insurance companies.

This allows you to contrast and compare health insurance rates at a glance. There’s no need to take notes, no need to input your details with every single insurance company, and no chance of you getting lost in the data.

You can simply browse the different packages available to you, compare them to your current coverage and select a new deal if you find a better one.

How often can you shop around?

The simple answer is – as much as you like! You can keep an eye on the market rates to ensure you’re paying a fair amount for your health insurance. If you find a cheaper deal, you can present it to your insurance company and see if they can match it for you. If they do, you won’t have to switch, but if they don’t you can arrange your cover with the new insurance provider.

Either way, you get the same outcome, namely paying less for your vital health insurance cover.

Use the technology to your advantage

Comparison tools and online quotes exist to serve you, the customer, by making it easier than ever to find more affordable health insurance quotes. Just make sure you use a reliable tool, such as ours at Compare Insurance.

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Health Insurance

Why you should invest in health insurance, even if you’re healthy

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Balancing your finances can always be a tricky prospect, so much so that the idea of adding an extra insurance payment when you think you don’t really need it is something you choose to avoid. This is what many people do with the best health insurance – they presume that because they’re currently healthy, they don’t need it.

The reality, however, is that getting health insurance is one of the smartest investments you can make – no matter what your current physical condition is.

Why should you take out health insurance?

You may be perfectly healthy now, which leads you to wonder why you should bother taking out a health insurance policy. The truth is that we’re all fallible and any one of us can be taken ill or have an accident at any time. You can never tell what’s around the corner, but taking out health insurance helps to give you a little bit more peace of mind that you and your family are protected if something happens.

A period of illness or a bad accident is a stressful enough time as it is, worrying about health bills and other payments is an extra level of stress you don’t need. A small monthly payment to a health insurance plan can help to alleviate that worry, and allow you to focus all of your energy and attention on your recovery.

How do you choose a plan?

So how do you find health insurance that suits you? There are many different plans available from multiple providers, so the thing to do is use a specialist comparison tool to compare and contrast all the features and benefits to find yourself the best deal that you possibly can.

Taking out general accident cover is a wise idea. In terms of specific health issues, it’s wise to consult a doctor and discover if there are any problems you may be prone to, whether it’s through your lifestyle, occupation, or genetics, and take out a plan that covers those problems.

Whichever plan you choose, it’s better to have some form of health insurance than none – even if you’re currently healthy. Compare health insurance rates and policies today and find your perfect plan.

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Health Insurance

Warning signs that you need to reassess your health insurace plan

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Knowing which insurance provider to go with and plan to choose can be tricky in the first place. And once you’ve gone through the tedious process of choosing one it can be tempting to stick with it for longer than you necessarily should. As our needs change, so does the type of insurance plan that we require.

Is it time for you to compare cheap health insurance plans? Here is a list of warning signs to look out for.

Your health has changed

If you have previously been a generally healthy person who rarely sees the doctor but have recently had a new diagnosis, or are experiencing ongoing symptoms and suspect that they will need medical investigation and potentially treatment, you should consider looking at your plan again to check that it still meets your needs. This means you will be covered for all instances.

Your risk has increased

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, everyone is more at risk. This is not just due to the dangers of the virus but because public health services around the world are now under intense strain. It’s currently much harder to be seen at the local clinic for something that previously would have been addressed and treated quickly, such as a common ear infection. Unless your condition is an emergency, it can take weeks to get an online appointment and prescription. Private cover can help to speed things up.

You’re paying a large premium for cover you never use

You are struggling to pay your monthly health insurance premium and have only claimed for coverage a minimal number of times over the last few years. We never suggest getting rid of your health insurance, however, there is no harm in exploring other options and shopping around.

You never seem to be covered when you need to be

If you often find yourself using services that are not covered by your plan, this is a telltale sign that your current health insurance plan isn’t working for you. Your plan should enable you to access a wide range of services in your area, that are near to your home, easily accessible and without additional cost. This is more important now than ever with social distancing restrictions in place and limitations to how far people can travel.

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Health Insurance

How does health insurance work?

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It can be the bane of many people’s lives. Deciding exactly which health insurance provider to choose and which plan by that provider will be the best has always been a challenge, but one way you can make the whole process simpler is by understanding exactly how health insurance companies work.

What is it to you?

Affordable health insurance is effectively a subscription to healthcare. As you pay a monthly premium in order to stay insured, you can then receive any healthcare that you might need in this period for a much lower cost than if you were to be uninsured. Since you’ve already paid into the health insurance “pot”, you’ll have significantly less, or even nothing, to pay in the case of any medical emergencies happening to you or anyone else on your health insurance plan.

What about more expensive emergencies?

They’ll have their costs lowered just as the cost of cheaper procedures are, or the cost might even be removed entirely. This can be afforded because insurance is a sharing of risk, between everyone with insurance. Since the majority of people are healthy the majority of the time, the amount that people pay in is used to make sure anyone unhealthy can be treated. This all comes around again when the healthy people get ill, and take some money from the collective pot in order to get themselves treated. Insurance is, put simply, millions of people working together to keep everyone’s lives affordable in a time of crisis.

What does all this mean for me?

If you have a better understanding of how health insurance works, it becomes easier to understand why different plans cover different procedures. For example, if you’re paying very little in, it’s fair to assume that you won’t get as much out since you’re not contributing much to other people’s procedures. Additionally, it will help you to understand why putting more people on a plan makes the plan more expensive, since there’s a higher risk of someone being ill and taking out of their cash plan.

Ultimately, health insurance is designed to protect everyone that uses it, albeit to different extents based on price. If you want the most bang for your buck, it’s always best to use Compare Insurance to compare Health Insurance providers tools to guarantee a wide coverage for a low price.

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Health Insurance

Key factors that influence your health insurance costs

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Seeking out a health plan can be a lengthy and confusing process. You could pore over hundreds of different plans from dozens of providers and not really know what you’re looking for, and especially why some plans cost so much more. In this article, we expose a few things that can change your private health insurance costs, and discover why they’re so important.

What your health insurance covers

Of course, what your health insurance allows you to do is an incredibly important part of sorting a plan. One which only covers life-threatening situations, for example, is not going to be quite as useful as one that has you covered for routine check-ups and more general appointments. More comprehensive plans will always be expensive, so if you see a cheaper plan it’s always risky to assume that you’ll get a much better deal with that option.

Any previous health conditions

If you’ve got pre-existing conditions or any other health issues, you might find health plans more expensive to find. For example, someone with a history of smoking, or that has previously suffered from a heart attack, will find themselves with a much more expensive bill because they are more likely to return to the hospital in the future. Although this doesn’t explain the difference from provider to provider, understanding this will inform you on why you may have cheaper or more costly plans than a family member.

Dependents

Some plans will allow your family members or loved ones to visit a doctor or a hospital under your insurance plan, and these are known as dependents. Of course, a plan with dependents will be more expensive than one without, simply because it has to cover more people, but with a good amount of research you may find that this is cheaper than getting a different plan for each family member.

If you need a new health plan, you need to compare medical insurance quotes to make sure that you get the best deal. To do so, visit CompareInsurance.ae for a wide variety of options accessible to different budgets to find the perfect plan for you.

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Health Insurance

Can I get tested for Covid-19 in UAE?

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If you’re worried about a persistent cough, breathing problems, high temperature, or can’t shake off a cold, it’s possible you’ve been infected by the new coronavirus. Individuals that have recently returned from overseas, and people from vulnerable groups need to be particularly careful. Although coronavirus testing is available for walk-in patients, drive through coronavirus test centres have also been established.

About the UAE drive through test centres

Drive through test centres are now available in Dubai Festival City and Abu Dhabi. Current test station locations include Al Qusais, Discovery Gardens, and Silicon Oasis. Further test stations are planned at International City and Al Warqa.

It’s not currently possible to check out all UAE citizens at this moment. Of course, if you do have the virus, it is important you get tested as soon as possible, so you need to take the following steps:

How to get tested for Covid-19 at the new UAE drive through centres

1. You’ll firstly need to complete the online health assessment tool to confirm you’re eligible for testing. At the moment the priority is to test the most vulnerable citizens, and people displaying symptoms within 14 days of return from overseas. The online chatbot walks you through the assessment, and is designed to pick up all indications of added vulnerability, such as hypertension or pregnancy. Your recent contact history will also be examined, so it’s important to be open about any contact you’ve had with other people already diagnosed with coronavirus.

2. The chatbot also provides detailed advice about action you should take, including quarantine or self isolation.

3. Your self assessment test will indicate whether you need to chat further with one of the available doctors. If this is the case, you will be forwarded for a tele-consultation and may also be given an appointment to attend your local drive through Covid-19 testing station.

4. If you are eligible for Covid-19 testing, simply arrive at the designated test station at the time of your appointment. You will be given a nasal swab by the nurse at the second checkpoint, and there is absolutely no need to leave your vehicle at all.

5. You will be advised of the results of your test within two or three days, and should self isolate until your Covid-19 test results are received

Your drive through Covid-19 test will cost Dh425 and this could possibly be covered by your existing health cover. We’re proud to offer all UAE residents the best guide on comparing health insurance, find out more about insurance in the UAE at Compare Insurance today!

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Health Insurance

What are the key factors which affect your health insurance premium?

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One of the most common things for people around the UAE to take out is international health insurance. Having a comprehensive health plan in place not only gives you peace of mind that you are covered in the case of any emergencies but also that your family is too. Of course, the key thing is to shop around for the best health insurance package which gives the cover you need. The cost which any cover incurs will usually be decided on by insurance companies after finding out a few important details about you.

But what are the most important factors which could affect the price of cover?

Pre-existing conditions

Health conditions prior to opting for an insurance policy have a major impact on the health insurance premium. Some insurers provide 100% cover for the pre-existing conditions based on the severity of the health declaration and at a higher premium than standard policy whereas there are other insurers who cover pre-existing conditions only after a certain duration of waiting period, which is in most cases 6 months.

Hospital Network

Insurance companies operate a network of healthcare providers in the country of their operation. Network of hospitals and clinics have a major impact on the health insurance pricing as most insurers have a tiered network list. The different tiers of hospitals are separated by level of service, reputation & pricing. In order to avail direct billing services, the chosen hospital / clinic should be in the network list of the insurer against that health plan. For any treatment which is not in the network list of hospitals, the treatments are done on a cash reimbursement basis. It is therefore, highly advisable to choose an insurance company that covers major hospitals in their network to avail direct billing services.

Deductibles / Co-insurance

This is the amount that the insured person pays each time they avail the medical insurance benefits. The higher the contribution of the insured person, the lesser is the health insurance premium. It is usually either Nil, 10%, 20%, 20% max. AED 50 or AED 100.

Age & Gender

The health insurance premiums are rated on an age basis with elder people being quoted a higher premium amount. Older people also require more health care than younger people and so could cost insurance companies more.

Females usually having a slightly higher premium band owing to potential maternity claims.

Smoking

One thing that can really bump up health cover for UAE residents is whether you smoke or not. Those who do smoke cigarettes or use tobacco products will normally pay more for their cover. This is not only applicable if you currently smoke in many cases but if you have done so within the last 12 months. The reason for this is the greater chance people who smoke have of getting serious conditions like cancer which could then incur costly treatment.

How many people are covered

Many people with families will often take out a plan which covers everyone. This makes sense as you will often pay less than taking one out for each person individually. Putting more people on your health insurance though will bump up the monthly cost. This is because there are more people being protected on the plan which insurance companies may have to pay out against.

Compare health insurance in the UAE

Now you know what type of factors can influence how much you could pay for UAE health insurance, you need to find the best deals around. Rather than manually trawling the internet for hours though, why not let Compare Insurance help? We bring together all the most attractive health insurance plans around the UAE in one place for you to consider.

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Health Insurance

Does my UAE health insurance cover me against Covid-19?

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Global panic in stock markets around the world, as well as the World Health Organisation’s concerns about the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus), are causing many UAE residents to query whether their current health insurance cover provides essential protection. If your existing health insurance is provided by your employer, you’ll need to speak with your manager or occupational health team about this; however, the CompareInsurance team has issued this update for anyone in the UAE with private health care insurance.

Worried about UAE health care insurance cover against Covid-19?

You will already have seen and read lots of news stories about Covid-19, and Gulf News is running a story about ways to protect yourself against catching the virus while at work or travelling. One of the most common queries about the virus relates to health insurances, and whether cover will be available. This will all depend on the type of medical health insurance you have. The quickest way to discover if you’re covered is to get in touch with your insurer direct – this is especially vital if you’ve recently returned from countries like China, Iran or Italy.

It’s likely that your health care insurance will cover you for treatment if you do develop Covid-19, as it is a viral infection. Some individuals do have medical exclusions noted on their Certificates of Insurance. For example, if your Certificate has an exclusion for any respiratory conditions or any pre-existing condition that could be impacted by Covid-19, then you may not be covered for diagnosis or treatment if you develop the infection.

Income protection insurance can help if you need to self-isolate

Many Dubai and UAE employers are stressing the importance of self-isolation if you have worries about visits to areas that have already been severely affected by Covid-19. One way to protect your income throughout any long term self-isolation is via an income protection plan. Just so long as your existing health insurances don’t include medical exclusions, an income protection policy could be the perfect insurance protection needed. You can browse our website to discover more, or chat with one of our experts online to discuss any issues or concerns you may have.

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Health Insurance

Health insurance: which plan is right for you?

Have you been looking at health insurance plans but don’t quite understand what they entail? Don’t panic, instead allow us to go through everything you need to know, which will hopefully help you with making your choice.

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Health insurance plans tend to come in four different categories. Generally speaking, these are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Depending on which plan you choose, the rate you pay will change accordingly.

How they work

Each plan has a different amount that you are required to pay. There is normally a fixed monthly amount that you pay for your health insurance – known as the premium – as well as an additional amount to pay when you need to make a claim. Below are some estimates for how the costs will be split when you make a health insurance claim:

Bronze: insurance company pays 60%, you pay 40%
Silver: insurance company pays 70%, you pay 30%
Gold: insurance company pays 80%, you pay 20%
Platinum: insurance company pays 90%, you pay 10%

Which plan is for you?

If you take out a Bronze plan then you will be paying the highest amount of all the plan levels each time you see a doctor, or you are given a prescription. The latter is known as and sometimes referred to as an ‘out-of-pocket cost’. The Bronze plan also means you pay the lowest monthly premium.

At the other end of the scale, the Platinum plan involves you paying the lowest to see your doctor or for your prescriptions, but this comes with the highest monthly premium in return. The Silver and Gold plans fall in between these two extremes.

Summary

In simple terms, the more care you require should dictate which health insurance plan you go for. If you are someone who requires a lot of medical help or large insurance cover, such as a sportsman, a student, or a family with lots of children then the Platinum or Gold plans are for you, whereas if you do not require much medical help or assistance then you should probably consider the Silver or Bronze plans.

To get health insurance quotes, or to compare plans from different providers, why not go to this link to find the best deal for you.