Healthcare Cashback Schemes

MSE_Martin

The Cash4Health plan is available for members of the public - the website isn't very helpful - in many ways ignore it and call them.  Non-of these companies operate particularly well webwise.

I've amended the article after your suggestions - I've taken Foresters website off and told people to ensure they get the Cash4Health plan - and corrected the Norwich union error - the westfield link is correct - its site is just down.

Cheers for the heads up

martin

The_Baroness

I've just been speaking to Foresters re: the various levels of their plans and when upgrades could be made. I thought that I would double check the situation re: pre-existing conditions and upgrades/downgrades. I was told that they count from the day you first become a member at whatever level you have chosen until you claim regardless of whether you have changed levels in the interim ie. if you take out a plan on level 2 then upgrade to level 3 at some point, as long as you don't claim for a period of two years from the date you first took out the cover on level 2, you would be covered on level 3. This is good news ;D

System

Hi

AS anyone had problems with Foresters as I submitted my details but received no communiction from them. >:(

I wonder if they are reliable. ???

Regards

Chris  

The_Baroness

Hi Chris,

I sent my application to Foresters on the 19 June and yesterday I received a letter from them asking me to check the direct debit details they had entered on their database and giving details of the first payment they would take plus the period it covered. So far so good. I am shortly going to claim for opticians fees so I will let you know how I get on.

When I had some queries and rang them on their freephone number I found them very helpful. Perhaps they can track your application?

Bert1e

I used the email link on Foresters website to ask them specifically about the product that Martin told us about.

I left my address and asked them to send me the information regarding that plan which they did. I received a leaflet detailing full information on what they do and don't cover and what payouts are for each level etc. etc.

I discovered that where I work has a corporate scheme with BHSF (Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund) and the benefits were similar but it was cheaper to join plus I had the added benefit of the money being taken straight from my wages.

About 3 weeks after they had sent the initial information to me, presumably as I had not heard back from them, Foresters sent me a photocopied article from the Express (? I think) and it was Martin's Money Saving Expert article!!!!

It was very nice of them but I HAD read it!!!

:P

Very interesting

Bert1e

Actually they probably sent it as THEY had not heard back from ME!!! :-[

System

The only problem I've found with many of these schemes is that they are geared very heavily towards families, this is especially true of HSA. The other problem is that if you already have PMI then there is a degree of overlap and the benefits which are left (e.g. dental and optical) are often quite poor. However after doing some fishing around I came across the mini-cash plan from WPA (https://www.wpa.org.uk), this has fewer benefits (e.g. excludes maternity) but provides more for everything else. For example in year 1 you get up to £800 back, rising to £1300 in year 2.

For me the main areas of interest were the payout rate which you can set at either 50% or 75% and the fact that in you can get £150 towards dental, plus a further £150 towards optical in year 1. Rising to £200 for each in year two. However another main reason for signing up was the £200 every two years towards health screening.

I currently pay £9 per month(£108 per year) and have a claim in for £115, assuming they pay up I'll have made my money back before I claim for anything else.

I know it may not fit everyones needs but for someone like me who is single, in their late twenties and isn't likely to need maternity benefit (I'm male) it makes a little more sense.

Cheers,

Rod

MSE_Martin

Hi Rod,

Just checking you have read my piece which covers exactly this http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1055084931,11871,

System

Hi Martin,

I should have said that I had read the article. The reason for me posting it was that the amount of money paid back via WPA in comparison to some of the other schemes seemed quite high. Also I already have private medical insurance so would rather focus on dental, optical and health screening costs. The last bit was one of the main reasons for signing up as getting back £200 every two years towards it almost covers the cost of taking out the plan.

Cheers,

Rod

The_Baroness

Just an update on the Foresters claim I mentioned back in July.

I paid the optician for my daughter's glasses on  7 August.

I rang Foresters the same day and they took details of the claim.
I received the completed claim form for checking/amending and signing on 13 August.

I received a cheque for £79.00 to cover my costs yesterday,  29 August.

So far I have only paid out £43.58 in premiums, so I'm well chuffed.

I've just put in another claim for £20.00 for dental work.

Thank you very much for this tip,  Martin.