Are you getting the most out of your health insurance?
While most people have some awareness of the kind of treatments they might make a claim for under their policies, many of the extra added benefits of health insurance can sometimes be missed.
Maximise the benefits
A good place to start to ensure that you’re getting maximum impact from your health insurance is to look at the policy documents, and also your insurer’s website. These are often great resources to find out about things that you might not have realised were covered. You might find that you can book in for an annual health check, for example, and be tested for an array of different potential conditions. These are often the sort of checks that it can be hard to get appointments for in the public system.
In some cases, you can also be able to access telehealth services free of charge using your health insurance policy, which can be useful when your regular GP is busy or unavailable, or you might have the option to book in for some specific mental health sessions. Some insurers also offer health and wellness programmes.
Why does it matter?
A proactive approach to your health can really make a difference.
A regular health check can identify things before they become a more serious problem. Early treatment is often a big part of halting the progression of a health issue, or finding ways to manage it effectively. Even identifying and knowing what your “normal” is can be a handy tool to allow you to monitor against if you’re worried about things changing.
Regular checks are good for peace-of-mind for everyone, but are particularly useful for people who have an elevated risk of developing a long-term condition due to their family history or lifestyle factors.
A regular check can also ensure that you’re having all the screening tests and potentially the vaccinations that you need for your age and stage of life.
You might find that your health insurance-provided check-up covers things like checks for cholesterol and heart health, as well as other aspects of your health such as stress and depression. Keeping on top of these can make a difference to your quality of life.
Check out your options
There are a number of health insurers in New Zealand, and it can be worth taking the time to go through the options available to determine which provider has a policy that is a comfortable fit for you and the kind of approach you want to take to your health.
LifeDirect’s quote compare tool is a handy first stop to look at what is available and how it might work for you.
Need to chat?
Drop us a line if you’d like some expert advice to help you work through the insurance options available, or to discuss the features of your existing policies. There’s no one-size- fits-all but we can help you understand the cover on offer and what might be an appropriate solution for you and your family.
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.
