It is not that family health insurance is wildly different to single-person policies, it is just that family plans have more facets because there are more factors to consider. Families come in all shapes and sizes, from a house full of teens, to several family members spread across different houses. Luckily, most of the best insurers have made the process of getting insurance easier by taking you through the policy in steps and asking you to make decisions as you go. It is a long, and dull process, but by the end you usually have the sort of cover you desire (even if it is not at the price you would have preferred).
Family Hospital Cover
You should obviously look into the cost of getting a separate policy for each of your family members, however, in most cases, a family policy that covers all of you is going to be the best value for money.
Yet do not forget that your job, or your partner's job, may cover you or them, which may save you money since you have one less person to pay insurance for. Family health insurance is going to pay for care in both private and public hospitals, and will cover the costs of things like in-hospital treatment, accommodation, stays in the ward, etc. It should cover most of the costs but be aware that it may not cover your transport to hospital, or some of the aftercare.
What do They Mean by Extras?
Your health insurance provider may offer a series of extras. In some cases, you can switch them on and off within your policy. Insurers allow this because they know that things change over the course of a year(s), and it also gives them a chance to up-sell to you while your policy is still active. Here are a few of the most common extras that family health insurance offers.
● Professional diet and nutrition advice
● Speech therapy
● Podiatry
● Optical services
● Dental and orthodontic treatment
● Chiropractic treatment
● Pharmacy
● Physiotherapy
What is a Mix and Match Policy?
A Mix and Match policy is one where the various types of cover are offered to you on a menu like you are picking meals at a restaurant. You tick the ones you want, and the cost of your policy is adjusted. As a side note, be aware of the fact that the cost of the policy may change by the time you start the contract. For example, at the end, they may add on extra charges, taxes, and all sorts of other nonsense that we are not allowed to call hidden charges but are pretty darn gray charges by anybody's standards.
Mix and Match policies are becoming more common within family plans because different families may have very different circumstances. This is especially true now that gay marriage is more accepted in Anglo-Saxon countries.
When to Seek Further Advice?
Like most people, you are probably going to look at comparison websites to find your family health insurance, and that is fine, but there are times when it is best to seek a bit of advice (or do more research) before you pick your policy. Here are a few circumstances in which you may require a bit of extra advice:
● If some members of your family are elderly
● When one or more members has a chronic conditions
● If one or more of your members are already very ill
● When somebody in your family is pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant
● If you are already having a very hard time getting a good price for your family health insurance
The last point seems a little weird doesn't it, after all, if you cannot find an affordable policy, shouldn't you just keep looking? Well, in most cases, No. Take the example of the single father who has a diabetic child and who is also responsible for an adopted child and an elderly grandmother. The cost of his policies may be through the roof simply because there are no suitable policies out there. In this case, he should seek the advice of an insurance adviser, or maybe even start calling around the insurance companies and asking for a special tailored policy because the cookie-cutter ones online are not a good fit.
Another factor, if you cannot afford health insurance, may mean your financial situation is the problem. In this case, you may be able to seek all types of help, from cheap government-funded insurance to heavy discounts based on your income. It means a lot more paperwork when you sign up for your policy, and it often means more waiting, but you may be able to find a better deal that suits your financial situation
