Which private heath insurance provider?

[Nickbrapp]

Currently myself and my partner insure with bupa, mainly to cover ourselves in the event of cancer. Currently pay £70 a month for the pair of us, both mid 20s, partner has chrons but no other issues

I can get AXA PPP though work, salary sacrifice,

I’ve also heard good things about vitality and the free perks would be nice.

We live in South Wales, and with bupa currently have access to Nuffield hospitals etc

This is mainly for cancer in the future but you never know what else you’ll need it for

Which is the best provider for cancer care, and other issues?

Not fussed which is cheapest but if AXAs care is better than Bupa that would make sense

Any Experiances welcome!

[Lozw86]

I have BUPA as a workplace benefit and have found them to be excellent on the occasions I have used them. No experience with cancer care though

[craig1912]

Nickbrapp said:

Which is the best provider for cancer care, and other issues?
!

Probably Aviva (and should be competitive in Wales).
https://www.aviva.co.uk/health/health-products/pri...

But if that’s not an option I’d probably stick with BUPA.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Nickbrapp said:

both mid 20s,

I can get AXA PPP though work, salary sacrifice,

Given your age, just be aware that if you take benefits on salary sacrifice, your declarable earnings if applying for a mortgage will be the lower figure, so the figure after the sacrifice. That may effect the amount you can borrow. Also, your death is service benefit if you have one will be on multiples of the lower figure.

[bmwmike]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Given your age, just be aware that if you take benefits on salary sacrifice, your declarable earnings if applying for a mortgage will be the lower figure, so the figure after the sacrifice. That may effect the amount you can borrow. Also, your death is service benefit if you have one will be on multiples of the lower figure.

Didn't realise that about the death in service benefit!! Thanks

I'm in S Wales also and use Cigna through my employer. Been fine so far.

[Patch1875]

My friend was diagnosed with leukaemia he found out the NHS was the best way to deal with it over private health care.

We have been with BUPA for many years and it’s been excellent I’ve had a lot of back work and my gallbladder removed while my wife has had two back ops.

It’s the smaller things that it comes into it own.

[craig1912]

Patch1875 said:

My friend was diagnosed with leukaemia he found out the NHS was the best way to deal with it over private health care.

We have been with BUPA for many years and it’s been excellent I’ve had a lot of back work and my gallbladder removed while my wife has had two back ops.

It’s the smaller things that it comes into it own.

The NHS can be the best way for many instances. It’s only when it’s not that the issues arise, the postcode lottery for certain drugs for instance, the procedures/ new drugs that aren’t approved for NHS use.
Agree that for most people it’s the smaller stuff where going private can make a big difference either through speed of delivery or “nicer” surroundings etc.

[Nickbrapp]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Given your age, just be aware that if you take benefits on salary sacrifice, your declarable earnings if applying for a mortgage will be the lower figure, so the figure after the sacrifice. That may effect the amount you can borrow. Also, your death is service benefit if you have one will be on multiples of the lower figure.

That is interesting. I’ve just been approved for my mortgage luckly, but didn’t know it could affect my death in service which I get which just covers the amount I’m boring on the mortgage funny enough

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Nickbrapp said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Given your age, just be aware that if you take benefits on salary sacrifice, your declarable earnings if applying for a mortgage will be the lower figure, so the figure after the sacrifice. That may effect the amount you can borrow. Also, your death is service benefit if you have one will be on multiples of the lower figure.

That is interesting. I’ve just been approved for my mortgage luckly, but didn’t know it could affect my death in service which I get which just covers the amount I’m boring on the mortgage funny enough

I think you are making big mistake if you think that your DIS cover is a replacement for life insurance. Life insurance covers you if you die. Doesn't matter how or when, so long as you die within the term of the policy. DIS covers you if you die in service. That's great for your car crash, heart attack or brain haemorrhage, but not so good if you're one of the many who die of cancer, or motor neuron disease, or loads of other things that kill you after a few years. Because by that time, you'll have been off work for ages and they'll have long since had to let you go. So you'll have nothing, because you won't be able to buy life insurance with a motor neuron disease diagnosis on your records.

DIS is great, a useful additional bonus for your loved ones, IN ADDITION to your life cover. But ffs, don't have it in place of your life cover.

[Nickbrapp]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I think you are making big mistake if you think that your DIS cover is a replacement for life insurance. Life insurance covers you if you die. Doesn't matter how or when, so long as you die within the term of the policy. DIS covers you if you die in service. That's great for your car crash, heart attack or brain haemorrhage, but not so good if you're one of the many who die of cancer, or motor neuron disease, or loads of other things that kill you after a few years. Because by that time, you'll have been off work for ages and they'll have long since had to let you go. So you'll have nothing, because you won't be able to buy life insurance with a motor neuron disease diagnosis on your records.

DIS is great, a useful additional bonus for your loved ones, IN ADDITION to your life cover. But ffs, don't have it in place of your life cover.

Very good point thank you, I’m a FTB and all of this is new to me, and at no point in life does anyone explain ANYTHING about a Mortage or life insurance etc so it’s all new and rather confusing.

[GT03ROB]

Nickbrapp said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Given your age, just be aware that if you take benefits on salary sacrifice, your declarable earnings if applying for a mortgage will be the lower figure, so the figure after the sacrifice. That may effect the amount you can borrow. Also, your death is service benefit if you have one will be on multiples of the lower figure.

That is interesting. I’ve just been approved for my mortgage luckly, but didn’t know it could affect my death in service which I get which just covers the amount I’m boring on the mortgage funny enough

The charge for private health through your employer "should" be fairly low. I think ours is around 500quid.

[Sheepshanks]

Nickbrapp said:

We live in South Wales, and with bupa currently have access to Nuffield hospitals etc

This is mainly for cancer in the future but you never know what else you’ll need it for

Which is the best provider for cancer care, and other issues?

Not fussed which is cheapest but if AXAs care is better than Bupa that would make sense

Any Experiances welcome!

You'll have access to just the same consultants and hospitals with AXA as you have with BUPA.

Just be aware that there are various levels of cover - for instance, we had BUPA through work and the out-patient cover was £500. My wife had a minor procedure which was supposed to involve an overnight stay and BUPA fully authorised it. On the day they decided she didn't need to stay, so saving BUPA a significant sum. BUPA then decided not staying overnight made it an outpatient case and limited the payment to £500 - which of course was about £1500 less than the procedure etc had cost. I spoke to them about it and was left incredulous at how rude and hard-faced they were. I think work covered it in the end - this was a big company and we'd been encouraged not to get into a bed if we didn't have to.

I now work in a much smaller company and we have AXA PPP and have used them quite a bit - I can only say they've been excellent. I was surprised they let me see two consultants at the same time when it wasn't clear what was wrong with me. I had a test with inconclusive results and they seemed delighted to pay for it to be redone. On cancer specifically, a colleague's wife is having breast cancer treatment and he has specifcally said how good they've been over it.