As we head into a new year, you may be making resolutions and drawing up plans for the 12 months ahead.
Have you included checking your health insurance, and reviewing it’s still fit for purpose in 2024? Will you be able to access to faster medical care when, and where you need it?
Here are five things you can do now to work out whether your health insurance is giving you the protection you need.
Work out what you have
The first step is usually to determine what health cover, if any, you already have in place. This might be cover that you took out in the past, that your employer offers you, or even something that your parents took out many years ago and you’ve taken over like a well-worn hand-me-down. You should be getting regular communication from the insurer or adviser who helped you put in place your health cover, so dig out those documents and work out what policies might be in place. You can also review your LifeDirect policy information on MyLifeDirect.
If you have no cover at all, and would like an easy, no obligation quote from LifeDirect - start a quote online or call the team on 0800 800 400, and compare from NZ's leading health insurers.
Check what is covered
Once you have your policy information, you can review what you are actually covered for. Health insurance policies are not all the same – what one insurer offers can be quite different from another, and even within the same insurer the policies can vary. For example, are you covered for major surgery only? Diagnostic tests? Or even things like Dental or GP visits? If you’re not sure, contact a LifeDirect adviser who can help you to understand what your policies cover.
Determine your needs
Then you’ll need to work out what you want your health cover to provide. Are you happy to cover the cost of most minor things, but want to know that insurance would help if you needed a major procedure? Or would you like to potentially be able to claim more frequently for day-to-day medical costs? Once you know your needs, it will help you assess them against the policies you have, as well as what’s available.
New Zealand’s public health system will cover urgent needs as they arise. But health insurance can make a huge difference when it comes to “elective” procedures that can vastly improve your quality of life. In the public system, these procedures sometimes come with a long waiting list. If your health insurance allows you to cut the waiting time, it can make a significant difference not only to you and your family, but potentially your work life too.
Any pre-existing conditions?
If you have any health conditions that have arisen since you took out your policy – or you don’t have any cover at all – this may affect the options you have available. Insurers will cover medical conditions that develop after policies are already in place (subject to all required disclosure information being provided at application time), but a new insurer may not cover any conditions you already have. We can help you work out how much of an affect this may have if you do have pre-existing conditions.
Find out what’s available
Get in touch with us at LifeDirect and we can help you work out what might be a good fit for you, and how it could work to provide the right protection for you and your family.
You can compare a quote online for a quick and easy comparison or give us a call on 0800 800 400 for personalised advice from our friendly Wellington based team.
Disclaimer: Please note that the content provided in this article is intended as an overview and as general information only. While care is taken to ensure accuracy and reliability, the information provided is subject to continuous change and may not reflect current developments or address your situation. Before making any decisions based on the information provided in this article, please use your discretion and seek independent guidance.
