Health cover is always an important consideration for people who are looking into buying a health insurance policy.

A health insurance policy will take care of the financial responsibilities associated with medical bills.

This will make it possible for the policy holder to get quick access to the needed medical treatments and when they should be administered.

When dealing with the insurance company, read through their information booklets and operational guidelines.

This becomes very important since there are little exclusions that you might really need to know about so as not to get your coverage expectations too high.

1) Money limits

Cheaper health insurance policies may put monetary limits on the amount that they will pay towards health treatment.

Many people will not need to exceed this limit, with drugs. However, basic health cover may not pay for more expensive treatment.

When looking at health cover, ensure you are aware of the financial limits on your policy and are happy with them.

2) Treatments

When a new health drug has been licensed for use, it is immediately available for doctors to prescribe it privately.

However, the Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has to deem the drug cost effective before it becomes widely available.

Most health insurance policies will cover you for treatment with a drug as soon as it becomes licensed for use, regardless of the decision.

However, some will only cover the cost of drugs once they have been approved.

When buying a policy be aware of your insurer’s attitude towards drugs that are not available.

3) Clinical trials

Until a health drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed, it is considered ‘experimental treatment’.

Your policy documents will give you the details of your insurer’s attitude towards this.

When dealing with the insurance company, read through their information booklets and operational guidelines.

This becomes very important since there are little exclusions that you might really need to know about so as not to get your coverage expectations too high.

Do not wait until you are declined on a service from the company before discovering that the company was not going to provide that service.

This is very common with private medical insurance.

4) Aftercare

Health insurance does not only cover health treatment, but it will often cover the cost of aftercare as well.

Consultations with dieticians, the cost of wigs and reconstructive therapy are all things that can be covered on your policy.

In addition, some insurers will cover the cost of routine check-ups for a number of years after your treatment.

However, budget policies will often not cover aftercare like this, so make sure you have comprehensive health cover if you want it guaranteed.

5) Palliative care

It can include relief from physical symptoms, psychological care, spiritual care and practical support.

Health insurance providers often take different approaches to covering palliative care, so this is an area you need to investigate before buying a policy.

Remember to get vision insurance to help you deal with existing and potential eye problems.

Health insurance will cover the costs of private treatment if you don’t want to be treated .

With health insurance, you will skip the waiting lists and be treated at a time of your choice, with a specialist of your choice, at a hospital of your choice.

Long term policies will pay out until retirement

Some policies offer cover for involuntary unemployment, giving you a maximum of 12 months to find another job

You can either use your money to pay for general lifestyle costs or to meet the costs of a specific debt- the policies are very flexible

Like most insurance policies, the amount you pay in premiums will affect your level of cover.

Cheap health insurance policies may only cover the cost of inpatient treatment in a private hospital, and will often not cover cancer treatment.

Mid-range policies will usually meet the costs of inpatient and out-patient treatment, and they may cover cancer treatment up to a certain annual limit.

Comprehensive policies are the most expensive, but they will cover the cost of all private treatment, regardless of cost or treatment time.

Health insurance premiums will be affected by your age, your location and the type of policy you choose.

You can lower the cost of health insurance premiums by adding an excess or not paying for hospitals you don’t need to be covered for.

When applying for health insurance, it is important to speak to a broker to ensure that you choose the right method of underwriting.

Advantages

• Health insurance lets you choose your treatment time, your private hospital and your specialist without waiting
• You will stay in a private ensuite room with excellent facilities
• Income protection will mean you don’t have to rely on your savings or state benefits if you cannot work through illness or accident
• Some policies offer cover for involuntary unemployment, giving you a maximum of 12 months to find another job
• You can either use your money to pay for general lifestyle costs or to meet the costs of a specific debt- the policies are very flexible

There are major products that private medical insurance should provide to their respective policy holders.

Products like surgery, In-patients tests, hospital accommodation and facilities for nursing care and treatment of acute medical conditions.

While an acute medical condition is expected to get well and back to the normal condition after treatment, a chronic condition will require repeated treatment over specified time duration.

A chronic medical condition is most likely to be in the exclusion list of health insurance companies.

Health insurance is among the most vital kinds of insurance one should have.

Becoming puzzled with the multiple options of insurance can seem inevitable.

All these policies will require you to disclose certain personal information, whether that be your medical history, your occupation or your smoker status.

The best way to determine what policy is right for you is to use an insurance comparison website or an insurance broker to gain helpful advice and important information.