switch from company to individual insurance - BUPA v Simplyhealth

clutter

Hi all, I hope someone can help with this.

My partner and I currently have private health insurance with BUPA through our company. The company may close down in the next year, in which case my partner would like to transfer to individual cover without further medical underwriting (so as not to have existing conditions excluded).

We have been told that individual cover is going to be a lot more expensive than company cover. Can anyone give me a rough idea of how big an increase we can expect?

Also, we have been given the option of switching to Simplyhealth, which would be slightly cheaper as company cover. Any idea which would be better for individual cover - BUPA or Simplyhealth?

Anything else we should consider?

Quentin

clutter wrote: »

....We have been told that individual cover is going to be a lot more expensive than company cover. Can anyone give me a rough idea of how big an increase we can expect?

No-one can without you telling us what cover you have and how much you pay!

But you can DIY, get some dummy quotes online!

Wutang_2

clutter wrote: »

Hi all, I hope someone can help with this.

My partner and I currently have private health insurance with BUPA through our company. The company may close down in the next year, in which case my partner would like to transfer to individual cover without further medical underwriting (so as not to have existing conditions excluded).

We have been told that individual cover is going to be a lot more expensive than company cover. Can anyone give me a rough idea of how big an increase we can expect?

Also, we have been given the option of switching to Simplyhealth, which would be slightly cheaper as company cover. Any idea which would be better for individual cover - BUPA or Simplyhealth?

Anything else we should consider?

Your Bupa group lever policy WILL be more expensive than the SimplyHealth switch policy. If you need to maintain cover, I uess you have conditions you still need covering?

There are only 4 companies who you can switch from group to individual schemes and SH are the worst of them (check their cancer and heart limitations).

Whoever told you its more expensive on individual, ignore them.

clutter

Thanks for your replies. I realise it is difficult to make generalisations without knowing details of the exact policy.

Wutang wrote: »

If you need to maintain cover, I uess you have conditions you still need covering?

That's right.

There are only 4 companies who you can switch from group to individual schemes and SH are the worst of them

good job we decided to stick with Bupa for now then ;-)

Whoever told you its more expensive on individual, ignore them.

That was our broker. "up to 4 times as much" is what she said.

Wutang_2

was this a PMI broker? Its the other way round, group lever=pricey, individual switcher=not.

(by the way "up to 4 times as much" isnt much help to anyone)

EnglishMohican

I was in a similar sounding position to yourself a few months ago - company group policy with BUPA that I had to leave and wondering if I could continue it as an individual. I had family cover in the company policy and was willing to reduce it to just me and the wife as an individual policy. In the company policy, I was paying about £800 per year (not literally, the company paid of course) and as an individual policy holder with BUPA and the same level of cover I was quoted £550 per MONTH.

I did not take up their kind quote.

I investigated lots of alternatives but decided that the ones I could afford were unlikely to be genuinely useful.

This may not be relevant to your case but I hope it helps a little.

clutter

Thanks both. Good to know!

Oops, read EnglishMohican's post wrong. Thought it was 'per year' for both. What a shocker!