Switching Health Insurance

Your private health insurance should be easy to understand, and tailored for your needs. But have you taken the time to review your health insurance in the last couple of years? Your circumstances may have changed, and as a result, it may be a good idea to review your level of cover.

In this article you’ll learn about some of the factors to consider when switching health insurance, as well as some tips for switching policies or providers in the easiest, smoothest way.

Does your health cover suit your lifestyle?

In life, the saying goes, the only constant is change. Change in age, in interests, in circumstances, and, of course, in your health. So it makes sense then that your healthcare cover would change as well. In fact, regular reviews of a health insurance policy are common practice.

Today, one of the easiest ways to find great deals, and policies that better suits your needs, is by comparing policies side by side. For instance, at iSelect we can help you compare policies, and we’ll also handle the admin of switching health funds for you.

Start by looking at your current benefits. Are they relevant to your lifestyle? Whether you’re getting older and looking for better coverage or expecting your first child and in need of a policy upgrade, there’s a health fund offering exactly what you’re after for the same or better value.

With so many choices on the table, take your time to shop around and review the benefits and incentives, from gym memberships to movie deals. Whatever piques your interest, there’s a health fund offering exactly what you’re after for the same or better value.

Time to review

Switching health insurance funds shouldn’t be hard. Save yourself the headache and compare your cover with iSelect. We can check if another provider offers a better plan, as well as compare options to see if you can find a better deal on your existing level of cover.

Main considerations when switching health insurance

So what should you look for in a health insurance policy? Ideally you want maximum cover and extras for an affordable price that suits the needs of you or your family. While there are a lot of offers out there, before you commit, look at the fine print. It doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. Start by paying close attention to the services that may benefit you..

Extras

Services like dental treatment, optometry, and physiotherapy some of the things that make extras cover so popular. Consider the general treatments that you, or your family, use most often, then check the annual cap per person and per family. You can find family limits that are double the per-person limit, while in other cases they are four times the per-person limit.

Waiting periods

Don’t get stung by waiting periods. If you’re switching health insurance to a policy that offers comparable services to your old cover, the waiting periods you’ve completed are waived. For extras cover, the waiting period for most services is usually two months, 12 months for major dental and 36 months for hearing aids. So it’s ideal if these periods don’t need to be re-served.

Benefit limits

When thinking about switching health insurance, be aware of the benefit limits. Every policy has a limit on the maximum benefit it offers for specific services. With iSelect you can review the final cost.

Lifetime limits

Keep an eye on your healthcare provider’s caps and combined annual benefit limits. For example, a $400 combined annual limit on physiotherapy means you won’t receive anything for other therapies included in the annual cap, during that 12-month period. The cap can mean the difference between you switching health insurance funds, and remaining with your current provider.

Discounts

Look for reduced costs and save. Some funds offer a four percent discount for payments with direct debit, or by paying your annual premium upfront. Keep an eye out.

Loyalty bonuses

Worried you’ll lose your loyalty bonus after switching your health insurance? In some cases, your new fund may recognise your previous loyalty limits.

Ready to switch? Rest assured, it’s easy.

Looking back makes moving forward – easy. If your health insurance needs are changing, then switching health insurance funds is simple. For friendly, expert advice on making the switch, call iSelect on 13 19 20.

We don’t compare all health insurance providers or policies in the market. The availability of policies will change from time to time. Not all policies available from our partners are compared by iSelect and due to commercial arrangements, your stated needs and circumstances, not all policies compared by iSelect will be available to all customers. Some policies are available only from our call centre and others are available only from our website. Click here to view our range of providers.