Pruhealth as a private health insurance

TooNice_2

I just noticed on the sticky that Private Medical Insurance should be discussed on this forum. Maybe that's why I am not getting any reply here (could a mod please close that thread?): http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1126069

I'll post the two post I made there. Given that I made some pretty long post, I would most appreciate if anyone could at least look at my second post.

Okay, so I am sure most people here are aware of their gym offers, and I think many opted for the cheapest cover they can, with no plan of using it.

However, I am starting to think why not pay a couple of quid more in the first year to get a more comprehensive coverage. Basically I am thinking of getting a health insurance that's actually worth having while I am at it (I don't think that £1000 excess and having to go outside London when I am living in London makes a whole load of sense).

Unless they change their policies, the insurance premium from 2nd year onward should be only a few quid per month (for age + inflation) whether I go for the cheapest coverage or the most expensive one (I think - I will call up to check), assuming I collect enough Vitality points to hit Platinum status in the first year and make no claim. Meaning that my financial burden would mainly be in the first year where I would have to put up with a sunk cost anyway. For an additional £100-150 in the first year, I could have a £0 excess insurance which sounds more useful than a £1000 excess insurance.

Still, I've never bought any insurance of any kind (other than the free one that comes with the mobile phone which I cancelled before the free period was over), so I am really not sure how a lot of things work. Basically, I am not sure what exactly would be a 'good deal'. Pruhealth has 3 plans - I've read them, but I still find it hard to evaluate the 'value' of each plan.

They also have a bunch of hospitals (PDF) to choose from. Surprisingly (I think), only three hospital are listed in their Premier range. What's the likelihood that those would offer something other hospital don't (in case anyone knows their hospital, the premier hospitals are: The Cromwell Hospital, Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth and The London Clinic)?

I don't even know how much private treatment typically cost and how much Health Insurance can help (at least with a phone insurance, I know how much it would cost to buy a new one). That's how I'd like to keep it (stay in good health), but if an extra £100-300 in the first year could come in very handy several years don't the line, then maybe it's worth it (assuming that the yearly renewal is fixed if I hit Platinum status). I'd like to get some opinions here. I am going to call them up tomorrow, most likely going to speak to a salesperson, and don't want to be suckered into something I don't need, given that I am open to a bang-for-buck offer.

Cheers.

A little bump, and a little summary as to what I'd like to find out. In short, I'd like to know how people decide the amount of average they need. I am twenty-something, take care of myself, and rarely need to visit the GP. My biggest health risk in the upcoming year is probably be sport related injuries (ironically, this is because I will increase the amount of exercise I do to get those Vitality points).

I've narrowed down to three options:
1. Minimum coverage: Essential, £1000 excess, exclude London
2. Cheap but usable coverage: Core, £0 excess, include London
3. Maximum coverage I will willing to consider now: Essential, 0 excess,
include London

1 Isn't much of an option as far as health insurance goes. I live in London, and I am not sure if I am not sure what sort of treatments is relevant to me that would cost in excess of over £1000.

2 and 3 is what I am mainly looking at. There is a £80+ cost difference between the two plans in the first year. The cost difference in subsequent years, assuming no claim and Platinum status is probably be around £10 per year. Say a quid per month, and I do gain quite a bit more coverage. On the other hand, if my future employer start offering me health insurance, it may be a bit redundant.

What I'd like really like to know is how expensive sport injuries may get so that I can decide whether the Core plan may be adequate, or if I am getting significantly better value with the Essential plan.

Oh, and is Pruhealth 'unique' in offering the possibility of much lower renewal rate for people who don't claim? Thanks for reading, any suggestion would be much appreciated