When we consider
hiring a private health insurance we must take into account some aspects, such
as coverage, deficiencies and exclusions, in order to choose the one that best
suits our needs. In today's article we are going to talk about everything we should
know before hiring health insurance.
The number of people
who consider taking out private health insurance as a complement to public
health is growing every year, as is the offer from insurance companies. Given
the wide variety of options available to us, taking out private health
insurance, a priori, does not seem like an easy task.
How to hire health insurance and
choose the right one?
To choose a health
insurance that really suits our needs, we must take into account important
aspects that will give us information, both about what it offers us and what
each policy limits us. These are the most important aspects that we should know
before hiring health insurance:
The type of insurance
The first aspect that
we must assess before contracting medical insurance is the type of insurance to
contract. Is insurance with copayment better for us, in which the monthly
premium is lower but we pay a fee for each service received, or without
copayment, where the premium is higher but includes all services? Depending on
the frequency with which we go to the doctor, one type of insurance or another
may be convenient for us. There is also reimbursement insurance, a modality
within the medical policies that allows us to access the private doctors and
health centers that we want, paying the entire visit but later recovering part
of the amount of the invoice.
The coverages included and their
limits
Health mutuals offer
us different types of insurance, depending on the coverage that is included.
Before taking out medical insurance, we must carefully analyze the ones that
best suit our needs, because although, generally, medical insurance includes
coverage for the main specialties, such as general medicine, gynecology and
obstetrics, pediatrics, nursing, rehabilitation, etc. Not all companies offer
the same or in the same way. On the other hand, does it cover hospitalization?
What diagnostic tests and what type of dental coverage are included? Therefore,
another of the things that we must do before contracting health insurance is to
check that the ones that interest us the most are included and to know the
limitations in terms of the number of sessions, economic amount..
It is important to be
very clear about what our insurance offers us and not let ourselves be dazzled
by attractive offers that do not really meet our needs.
The medical table
A company's medical
staff is made up of the doctors or health centers associated with that company.
If we are interested in a specific specialist or center, it is useful to know
whether or not it is included so as not to have to opt for a policy with
reimbursement or bear the cost of the consultation yourself.
In this sense, it is
also important to know what services and emergency centers the insurer offers
and if home assistance is included.
The lacks
Before taking out
health insurance, it is necessary to know what are the waiting periods for the
various medical benefits. In order to prevent a person from taking out health
insurance just to undergo a medical test, treatment or surgery and then
unsubscribe, health insurers establish waiting periods for certain services. In
other words, a waiting time to be able to access them once the policy comes
into force. The most common are those that affect pregnancy, childbirth and
postpartum, which are usually between six and ten months. If we plan to use
some insurance benefits right away, we must know whether or not it will be
possible for us.
The exclusions
The exclusions of a
health insurance are the assumptions (diseases, diagnoses, treatments or physical
states) that the insurers will not cover in any case, so we must know if the
policy includes these assumptions and what they are. They are common in medical
insurance and are specified in the policy contract.
Pre-illness coverage
It is common for the
health insurance company to request that you answer a questionnaire about your
current health status and medical history. Certain chronic diseases,
pathologies or previous injuries that the policyholder presents prior to taking
out the insurance may not be included in the policy or may cost us an extra
premium to do so. It is what is called “pre-existing diseases” and we must take
into account, if we have them, if they are covered or not before deciding to
hire health insurance.
Age limits
Some insurers increase
the price of the policy from a certain age (approximately 65 years), so it is
important to take this point into account for the future.
Geographic coverage
The last point on how
to contract the appropriate health insurance would be to assess
the geographical coverage of the insurance. As a general rule, health mutuals
offer national health coverage. However, to avoid surprises, it is convenient
to check that our health insurance covers us outside our autonomous community
or even abroad, a very interesting aspect if you usually travel.