Reply to: Recommended Health and Dental Insurance

[d000hg]

What does private health roughly cost in the UK? I figure all the websites will say "from as little as £12" but that means "£12 if you are a teetotal health nut living on Skye in a box"... what do people here actually pay?

Now that all my ancestors are dead and we stand to inherit a reasonable sum, my thinking is that life insurance is not something we realistically need but perhaps private healthcare could make sense.

[psychocandy]

Loads of stuff isn't available on the NHS. Of course it depends how vain you are what you consider important.

White fillings etc? Dunno why the standard ones would bother someone when 95% of the population have got this type....

[saptastic]

Urgent care is amazing generally on the NHS.
But Private Health will often mean a faster diagnosis of serious illnesses and treatment.
Speed of diagnosis can be crucial.

Plus of course a more comfortable hospital stay with your own room ...

[d000hg]

Statistically, insurance is never worth it. If you can afford to pay yourself in the eventuality of needing it (whatever it is) that is

I've never really known what health/dental gets you since urgent care is provided by the NHS.

[saptastic]

Private Health Insurance always worth it IMO - like all insurance you only appreciate it hugely when you truly need it.

This can go through the Ltd Co as well.

[VectraMan]

I wonder if this is true, or if they just accept it as a cost worth paying, after all as a fraction of your salary it's still pretty tiny AND they get to write it off against profits/tax AND they don't pay VAT.

If you could get a bulk discount, I wonder if any cooperative/group-buying schemes exist for this sort of thing?

I know the BIK on my previous employer's health insurance was something like £1400 for the year, which surprised me somewhat (and made a mess of my tax code). Maybe they pay less than it's valued for individual tax purposes.

But then if a key employee has to miss 6 months of work whilst waiting for an NHS appointment it pays for itself. One of my colleagues had cancer a few years ago (all clear now) and made good use of it, and it paid for my surgery, though I'm not sure if it was actually any faster than it would have been on the NHS.

[diseasex]

I used Westfield health , where they cover 100% of your dental / inpatient/ glasses etc . But 100% is if its taken as part of bigger corporation. For single people its 75% , still worth the money

[teapot418]

If you could get a bulk discount, I wonder if any cooperative/group-buying schemes exist for this sort of thing?

That's the idea behind IPSE Futures, if you're a member.

[d000hg]

I remember years ago leaving a permie job with all these benefits and thinking I'll just pay myself.

I guess the thing is these big companies get it at a mega-discount because they're covering 1000s of staff.

I wonder if this is true, or if they just accept it as a cost worth paying, after all as a fraction of your salary it's still pretty tiny AND they get to write it off against profits/tax AND they don't pay VAT.

If you could get a bulk discount, I wonder if any cooperative/group-buying schemes exist for this sort of thing?

[d000hg]

Ummm NHS. Feck am I paying for something I dont need to.

Although did have to wait on waiting list for 6 months to get nhs dentist near me.

Loads of stuff isn't available on the NHS. Of course it depends how vain you are what you consider important.

[CoolCat]

Ring the insurer that covered you as a permie many will have leavers deals where you can keep the disregard pre existing conditions clause.

[scooterscot]

The best insurance you'll ever have for dental problems:

[psychocandy]

WPA for Medical Cover Medical Cover for contractors from WPA :: Contractor UK

For Dental Insurance I have never trusted these policies as heard so many people complain when they have tried to claim they have hardly got anything back.

Ummm NHS. Feck am I paying for something I dont need to.

Although did have to wait on waiting list for 6 months to get nhs dentist near me.

[saptastic]

Hi Everyone!

It's been many years since I last posted to this forum after several years as a "permanent" employee.

I've recently returned to contracting and running a couple business lines.

Please can I ask for your recommendations on "value for money" health and dental insurance policies. Note, I only tend to use these policies where the claim is very large e.g. After 2 years I have a new root canal treatment next week at £1060!

I look forward to your feedback.

WPA for Medical Cover Medical Cover for contractors from WPA :: Contractor UK

For Dental Insurance I have never trusted these policies as heard so many people complain when they have tried to claim they have hardly got anything back.

[VectraMan]

Stay permie and use your lovely private health benefits (own room with Sky TV) to fix all, then go contracting and beg the NHS to fix you before you die HTH (BIDI!)

I had to pay £380 for my surgery as Aviva wouldn't cover the whole cost. And I only got Freeview in my private room.