Health insurance programs are not standardized – they are individually designed and can be tailored to your needs and requirements. When buying private health insurance you can choose either the necessary range of medical services (e.g. outpatient, dental, inpatient care) or a limited scope of coverage (e.g. treatment for diseases caused by a tick bite).
How health insurance works
The organization of medical care is fully assumed by the insurance company, which is engaged in finding the necessary specialist, schedules consultations, delivers medicines, provides hospitalization, etc. You call the insurance company’s call-center, you are connected to the doctor on duty, you describe your symptoms or tell him what doctor you want to see and why. Then you are made an appointment for a convenient time and place. The client does not necessarily need to see the same doctor – you can go to consultations in private clinics and public clinics.
What to look out for when choosing a policy
- Insurance coverage. Determined by the amount of medical services you can use during your coverage period.
- The cost and coverage you choose will depend on what you want to get.
- What do I need a policy for? If you want to be able to choose the medical institutions and the doctor treating you, to promptly receive highly qualified medical care and timely consult with specialists in various fields.
- Individual and family insurance. Selection of programs based on your wishes or selection of a plan that includes insurance for family members.
When is it better to go directly to the insurer and when to go to an agent or broker?
If you know exactly what insurance product you need and from which insurer, you can do without intermediaries. Some policies are easy to arrange from the comfort of your home – on the website of the insurance company or intermediary. Insurers sometimes run special promotions on certain types of policies and give discounts to those who buy insurance online.
If you do not have the time or opportunity to visit the insurer’s office, and you cannot purchase the policy online, contact an insurance agent or broker. In some cases, you can’t do without them at all – for example, when you need to have your property inspected before signing a contract. Often agents find clients themselves – in car dealerships, at visa centers, at holiday home shows. But you can call the insurer’s office or leave an application on their website, and they will send an agent to your home or office.
There are situations when it’s easier to buy a policy through a broker. For example, you need an expensive insurance policy, but you do not have time to compare offers on the market yourself. Brokers carefully follow the offers of insurance companies, study their reports in detail and can recommend you a policy from a reliable insurer that will suit your needs in terms of price and contract terms. But it is important to find an intermediary you can trust.