Andrea and Sam do not have private medical insurance (PMI) and have approximately £100 per month ava...
Andrea and Sam do not have private medical insurance (PMI) and have approximately £100 per month available from their budget. Only one comprehensive plan falls within this criteria. The remainder of the plans are from the budget or low-cost segment of the market. With a family of four a £100 excess option would introduce the possibility of the couple having to pay money over and above the monthly premiums and, in view of their tightly-controlled budgeting, we would not select any excess options.
Sam had a hernia operation some years ago, but the rest of the family are healthy. For comprehensive cover we would recommend Standard Life Healthcare's Primecare plan at £98.50 per month for the family, with either moratorium or medical history underwriting, and Norwich Union's Medios Optional with medical history underwriting, as a low-cost choice at £60.78 per month. Both plans are subject to annual medical inflation increases at renewal.
Standard Life Primecare offers full cover for both inpatient and outpatient treatment, with a range of other benefits such as alternative treatments, with an age-band increase at age 40 and then every 10 years.
Norwich Union Medios Optional offers inpatient cover, with outpatient cover as an additional option, although this has a £500 compulsory excess. What might be attractive is there are no age-band increases during the life of the policy and this would mean some stability in the pricing of health insurance over a number of years.
Should Andrea and Sam opt for the Medios Optional plan, we would suggest they save the difference between the two premiums, some £40 a month, in order to fund any outpatient costs that might arise.
