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You’ve still got one month to decide whether to change health insurer

Photo: Depositphotos.com
Photo: Depositphotos.com

You’ve only got a month left to decide whether or not to stick with your current health insurance provider. Maybe you you can’t be bothered, or think there is no point? So here are the answers to some of the most common questions people have when deciding whether or not to make the switch.

Is there any point in comparing health insurance prices?
Yes there is. The difference between different policies can be far more than a euro or two. In some cases the difference can stretch to €20 or more.

But it is more complicated than that and things change every year. This year, for example, Menzis has put up its premium by €39 a year, while Ditzo has increased its by €162. So if Ditzo was the best choice for you last year, you might be able to find a better deal, with the same package.

So what are the main things to look out for?
You need to ask yourself what kind of care you need, because that is the bottom line. And that is a decision that will change from year to year as well.

Perhaps you did not do much sport this year, but you plan to take up running in the spring. Then it might be useful to include extra physiotherapy in case you tear a muscle. Or maybe you plan to have a child. Then you might want to include extra provisions for pregnancy and birth.

So think about what you want to include and things you don’t want and then go for the cheapest provider. An easy way to do this is with a health insurance comparison website like Independer.

What about customer ratings?
Independer looks at both prices and coverage, and what customers think. If you fill in your preferences, the website will provide you with the best price-quality offer. You will also see a rating – the average score given to the insurance company based on clients’ scores. So you can also look at that when deciding what to do. If you want to know more about what clients think, you can also check out the reviews.

What about supplementary policies?
You can also compare these using a site like Independer. Check out the list of health insurance provisions and find the one most relevant to your situation. If you click on it, you will be able to see which insurance companies provide cover and to what extent.

Before you take out supplementary insurance, do make sure that the premiums you will have to pay for the particular package don’t add up to more than the cost of the treatment, because it might be cheaper to pay for it yourself. Always do your sums.

So what do you have to do to make the switch?
First of all, look at your current policy and the prices and decide if the new option really is the best for you. And if you are sure, then all you have to do is say yes online. Your new provider will take care of closing down your old policy at the end of the year, so you have a quick and easy transition to a new insurance company.

Independer has more than 15 years experience in helping people to compare and take out health insurance and more than 800,000 people have so far used its services to sign up. Switch insurer via Independer this year and you will get a €10 voucher to spend in Independer’s Bol.com good health shop.

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