Health Insurance advice

paperbag

Hi everyone
I'm leaving my job so I'll be losing my BUPA health insurance, so I've been trying to get quote to see if I could afford to carry on privately. BUPA have quoted me a 'discounted' £49.04 per month which I don't think I can afford. I've had a look on Monesupermarket and the cheapest one seems to be with Freedom Health Insurance, who have a basic membership for about £15 per month. Aside from the obvious exclusions offered by different policies (which I'd have to really read up on), has anyone got any advice? Have you heard of Freedom Health Insurance? Why would they be so cheap? Anyone to avoid?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer!

Wutang_2

Firstly - avoid moneysupermarket - rubbish!

Freedom offer annual limits (therefore potential shortfalls).

Are you switching? Or starting all over again (moratorium)??

have a look on other comparison web sites (Gocompare and Compare the Market allow you to compare{funnily enough}).

There are ways to reduce the premium based on compromises you are willing to make (6 week option, reduced outpatient, reduced hospital lists etc)

PMI Specialist may pop up soon with his email address too!!!

paperbag

Thanks Wutan, that's really helpful. My current BUPA membership is still valid so BUPA gave me a quote for 'transferring' me. Once I get the paperwork through I will check all the details (they kind of temporarily set it up so that it doesn't lapse if I want to go ahead - but I have plenty of reminders to cancel :rotfl: ) . I would be happy to use the 6 week exclusions etc, but not to increase the excess to more than £100 - otherwise it kind of defeats the object. One company (might have been Norwich Union) only offered either '0' excess or a minimum of £500, which is waaay too much.

PMISpecialist_2

paperbag wrote: »

Hi everyone
I'm leaving my job so I'll be losing my BUPA health insurance, so I've been trying to get quote to see if I could afford to carry on privately. BUPA have quoted me a 'discounted' £49.04 per month which I don't think I can afford. I've had a look on Monesupermarket and the cheapest one seems to be with Freedom Health Insurance, who have a basic membership for about £15 per month. Aside from the obvious exclusions offered by different policies (which I'd have to really read up on), has anyone got any advice? Have you heard of Freedom Health Insurance? Why would they be so cheap? Anyone to avoid?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer!

Hi Paperbag,

I've done pretty much nothing but pmi week in week out for the last 9 years.

Two excellent individual schemes at the moment are Pruhealth and National Deposit who can both offer you switch (continuous underwriting/medical exclusions) on their individual plans.

There is a massive thread on this forum regarding Pruhealth http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=493150&page=52

bar doug182 everyone seems pretty much very happy.

I am with pruhealth myself i pay £3.56 a month for fully comprehensive pmi plus i get free* (after several months) gym membership and massive discounts on many many things.

In a nutshell with Pru they reward you for healthy living and if your score 2000 vitality points in a year (this can be achieved in 1 to 4 months depending on personal circumstances) you get 100% of last years unclaimed premium knocked off next years premium + free gym membeship and many other perks i.e. 40% off mark warner holidays, annual cineworld passes for £25 + many many more etc etc

Some people are not at all interested in scoring the points and if i wasn't with Pru i'd be with National deposit. With National deposit premiums start from as little as £20 per month you can fix them for life and you get 50% of all your unclaimed premiums back should you wish to. They also cover dental and optical which is over and above most what most pmi covers

You really need to speak to an independent pmi specialist broker as your past and current state of health may well be an issue if you have been/are ill. They can talk you through everything, ask the nesscessary questions and give you best advice from there.

I've sent you a private message by the way so look in your inbox

Wutan loves me by the way as you can tell.

pennyinmypocket

Hi, I don't really know anything about health insurance but I do know that if you want to stay with BUPA then if you join the National Farmers Union (Countryside Membership is £42.50 a year) then you can get UP TO 42% of a BUPA policy if you give them your membership number. I don't know if this applies to transferring policies or just new ones but might be worth you investigating.

middlepuss

PMISpecialist wrote: »

I am with pruhealth myself i pay £3.56 a month for fully comprehensive pmi plus i get free* (after several months) gym membership and massive discounts on many many things.

That is amazing! Thank you, I am off to research that right away. How ever do they do it for a tenth of the price of BUPA. Have you got years and years of no claims history perhaps?

Thanks for your post.

PMISpecialist_2

middlepuss wrote: »

That is amazing! Thank you, I am off to research that right away. How ever do they do it for a tenth of the price of BUPA. Have you got years and years of no claims history perhaps?

Thanks for your post.

You can be in the same position after just 12months. You basically get 100% of your unclaimed premium off your next years premium if you get to platinum. If you get to platinum you also get free/ridiculously cheap gym premiums and loads of worthwhile discounts.

There is a big thread on it on this forum http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...493150&page=52
It has changed a few times since the initial thread so i'd work from the back if i were you.

I have sent you a private message.

middlepuss

PMISpecialist wrote: »

I have sent you a private message.

Thanks for the PM.

I've done a bit of research into the Pruhealth plan and first impression is that it is brilliant for anyone who does not claim, takes exercise, doesn't smoke, eats fruit etc. But if one were unlucky enough to get ill such that one had to claim and was unable to exercise or was otherwise unable to qualify for the very generous discounts the policy looks expensive.

I'll move to the Pruhealth thread now.

middlepuss

PMISpecialist wrote: »

You can be in the same position after just 12months. You basically get 100% of your unclaimed premium off your next years premium if you get to platinum. If you get to platinum you also get free/ridiculously cheap gym premiums and loads of worthwhile discounts.

There is a big thread on it on this forum http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...493150&page=52

That thread seems to be about gyms and loopholes so I am posting my conclusions here:

I have spoken to Pruhealth and had a good look at their website. My conclusion? Pruhealth is not for me.

If:

1. I was prepared to wear a device for counting footsteps whenever I mow the lawn or go for a walk, and then hook it up to my computer to load the data to the Pruhealth site to earn points, and

2. Use a gym regularly, and

3. Get regular medical checkups either with my doctor or at a Pruhealth approved location, and

4. Interact with the Pruhealth website to earn points by reading articles, making meal plans or whatever, and

5. Be so well organised that every year ad infinitum I enter the requisite data onto the Purhealth website to prove I have earned the requisite points, and

6. I do not have the misfortune to get ill and have to make a claim

then the Pruhealth plan would be really very good indeed.

But since I do not want to go to a gym, wear a gadget to prove I exercise, get my blood pressure checked every 6 months and generally become a slave to the Pruhealth plan - not just for one year but for ever - it is not for me.

Wutang_2

middlepuss wrote: »

That thread seems to be about gyms and loopholes so I am posting my conclusions here:

I have spoken to Pruhealth and had a good look at their website. My conclusion? Pruhealth is not for me.

If:

1. I was prepared to wear a device for counting footsteps whenever I mow the lawn or go for a walk, and then hook it up to my computer to load the data to the Pruhealth site to earn points, and

2. Use a gym regularly, and

3. Get regular medical checkups either with my doctor or at a Pruhealth approved location, and

4. Interact with the Pruhealth website to earn points by reading articles, making meal plans or whatever, and

5. Be so well organised that every year ad infinitum I enter the requisite data onto the Purhealth website to prove I have earned the requisite points, and

6. I do not have the misfortune to get ill and have to make a claim

then the Pruhealth plan would be really very good indeed.

But since I do not want to go to a gym, wear a gadget to prove I exercise, get my blood pressure checked every 6 months and generally become a slave to the Pruhealth plan - not just for one year but for ever - it is not for me.

You probably reached Silver just by writing all that out (I know I am exhausted)

middlepuss

Wutang wrote: »

You probably reached Silver just by writing all that out (I know I am exhausted)

Yes just so! Your comment neatly captures the essence of the Pruhealth plan - it would be bloody hard work!