Tag: health insurance

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Health Insurance

A quick guide to health insurance in the UAE

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Although UAE healthcare is free for all citizens, expats working in the Emirates often struggle to meet medical costs, particularly dental charges; so much so that many expats prefer to fly back to their country of origin for any kind of dental treatment. What’s more, UAE citizens and expats alike find it difficult to access the specialist and high tech services available at Dubai Healthcare City without medical insurances. Although all employers are legally obliged to provide health insurances, the cover provided may not be adequate and does not cover family members and dependents.

If you’re considering taking out private medical insurance in the UAE, there are lots of different things to consider. First off, you’ll need to decide whether to take out a fully underwritten health insurance plan or opt for a moratorium plan.

What’s the difference between moratorium health cover and fully underwritten health insurance?

The main difference between the two policies is that fully underwritten health insurance requires you to provide your insurer with your entire medical history – this choice can work out cheaper over the long term and may offer far more medical insurance than a moratorium policy. Here in the UAE, a fully comprehensive insurance of this nature can be the best way for speedy access to more specialist, private healthcare.

With a moratorium policy, you simply need to complete a questionnaire, giving a limited amount of detail to your chosen insurer. This can be a much simpler way to insure your health, but it may not offer the extensive coverage you’d acquire with fully underwritten insurance. The choice between the two comes down to your budget and own health history.

Specialist health insurance

You can also opt for specialist medical insurance, which simply covers against certain treatments or in specific criteria. Examples include medical insurance for over 50s and medical insurance for specific conditions. This type of insurance can help you to compile the medical coverage you need, while also relying on any free services in your locality for any other medical conditions. One major benefit of specialist medical insurance is that it can help you skip the queues for a range of treatments and diagnostic tests, such as CT scans, knee or hip replacement surgery, and cataract surgery.

What does private health insurance cover?

You’ve probably already recognised that different private health insurance policies offer varying service models. You can rely on most policies to cover you for inpatient care at any time you need to overnight in a hospital setting. Although outpatient treatments also tend to be covered by most policies, the amounts that can be claimed back are very different as caps are often in place.

In addition, some insurance policies cover the costs of drugs that are not readily available locally, and may also provide some cover for psychiatric care. If you already have a pre-existing medical condition, your insurance premiums will be impacted, although it is still possible to source the policy you need.

Check out Compare Insurance now to discover the wide range of policies available in the UAE and worldwide.

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Travel Insurance

Here’s why you still need travel insurance for laidback beach holidays

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A sun-soaked week on the beach sounds like paradise for most people. However, the fact that you don’t intend to do much more than just bask in the glorious weather and enjoy the ocean isn’t a reason to go without travel insurance. It is, of course, essential that you are fully covered. You might well ask: what’s the worst that could happen during a beach holiday? Let’s have a look at three reasons why you still need travel insurance even for a laidback beach vacation.

Health

You’re still susceptible to a wide range of health problems even when you’re just lying in the sun. Take, for instance, sunburn. You can actually sustain third-degree burns if you don’t wear the right sun lotion or if your chosen brand fails you. This is one of the more obvious ailments, but there are also other illnesses, such as heat stroke, which can require you to seek expensive medical attention.

Injury

Never forget that you don’t even have to be acting carelessly or recklessly to sustain an injury while enjoying a beach holiday. You could twist your ankle walking in the sand or cut your foot while entering the ocean. These are just two of the mishaps that, through no fault of your own, could cause you to require medical attention and possibly face huge bills if you don’t have travel insurance.

Cancellation

Travel insurance doesn’t just cover you for accidents and injuries. Instead, it can also cover you for any cancellations or delays that might have an adverse effect on your holiday. This could happen if your flight is cancelled at the end of your beach holiday. It’s possible that you could incur a number of costs as a result, including accommodation and necessities like food and drink. The right travel insurance can help you recover some of these costs.

Choose carefully

You have a variety of health insurance providers to choose from before going on your beach getaway, so be sure to weigh up the differences between them all by using Compare Insurance. This will ensure that you can find one for the right price and to cover your individual needs.

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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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