A method that makes choosing the best medical aid provider easy and convenient.
Medical costs go up all the time and medical bills can devastate you if you do not have health insurance cover when you are sick or injured. Apart from leading a healthy lifestyle it is imperative that you buy a health insurance policy to cover for unexpected costs usually brought by poor health or accidents.
Due to a number of reasons, healthcare insurance has become very popular in South Africa in recent years. Since the dawn of democracy two decades ago, a lot of South Africans lives have improved due to much improved financial incomes many people attain.
Where there is money, the living conditions also improve. Fortunately when the standard of living has improved, people start to worry about their health more among other things. Good health is important to our success and certain aspects pertaining to good health should be incorporated in our lives such as eating healthy, exercising and visiting medical institutions for regular check-ups.
The Importance of Medical Aid
More often than not we find ourselves suffering from things we never heard of before and/or have no idea how they have come about. If you are not covered, such times can be very trying. Unfortunately, with the salaries we get paid, it does not necessarily mean we can afford to pay the premiums charged by insurance companies for health insurance.
Before you decide to search for a quote remember the importance of having health insurance in this day and age where getting injured or sick can happen anytime without notice. The unexpected can happen in the middle of the month when you do not have extra cash, what do you do without an insurance cover?
Also, the rising cost of health services due to technological innovations has been blamed for the rise in medical costs, with medical cover it would be easier and you will have peace of mind and focus on getting better. You can also opt to get long term care cover which will cover the costs of everyday life should you become disabled or ill.
Naturally, with so many health insurance products on the market, the most sensible thing to do is to search for reasonable health insurance packages with affordable premiums. You can shop around for different insurance quotes online or in stores that can take care of your needs and requirements as well as fit in with your budget.
Medical Aid Quotes Online
In the past it was a daunting task but important and valuable if someone had to find an insurance product they will generally be happy about. However, if you have resources such as internet your search can be easy and fast as it can take only minutes to few hours before you settle for one good product after comparing various quotes online.
I wonder what most people would do without the internet because it would probably take a while to request a quote manually from an insurance company to another as well as comparing the products. You should be aware that in this day and age insurance companies own websites that contain all the necessary information.
How to Compare Insurance Quotes
You can visit multiple websites to compare information provided. With all the information provided you can make a decision on the product you feel best suits your needs. You can also use services such as HIPPO a website that compares quotes for you and give you the best options for you circumstances.
Although there are some insurance products you cannot buy online such as life insurance, the majority can be bought online without setting a foot in the insurance company’s offices.
Once you have found the insurance product you need, do proper research again. Read every fine print to ensure that you understand how each health insurance product you have chosen work. You will have to verify if there are any limitations and special requirements before you can contact the relevant insurance provider.
Medical Aid for the Self-Employed
If you are self-employed and can afford to pay monthly premiums, approach insurance companies with products that cover self-employed people since most covers are meant for people employed by others.
Even if you cannot easily find a company to cater to your needs this should not deter you from seeking medical insurance as you will certainly find something that go well with your needs.
South African Medical Insurance system
The reasons for getting health insurance are not far from getting other forms of insurance – first of all you want to protect your family and yourself from financial disaster.
It is imperative to note that the South African health insurance industry structure is slightly different from the rest of the world. Despite the fact that there are similarities of between local health insurance companies and international firms in terms of terms and conditions there are differences.
In South Africa, health insurance quotes do not come to you directly if you are employed. Insurance companies would send them to you through your immediate employer. Again, it is notably clear that health insurance companies involved in most cases provide services they offer through your current employer.
Medical Insurance in South Africa
There have been some major improvements in the health insurance industry in recent years, particularly in the way it renders its services to the South African public.
The general objective of the industry is to come up with policies that are promptly accessible to the general public.
In addition to being more accessible, most medical aid policies do not cover long term care if you were to become disabled or dental care which has even resulted in a dental insurance product being launched onto the market.
The majority of health insurance policies are still offered through employers only, and as a result employers have the burden of negotiation. To this end, only employers have the ability to negotiate with the insurer the terms of the rates and terms and conditions on behalf of employees.
This way the employer ensures that the insurance company they are dealing with provides the most affordable rates ever, at the same time making sure the cover makes sense for the employees. It is a good deal for those employed since covers negotiated by their employers are favourable to them.
It also does away with the hassle of spending time going through various insurance plans since the employer will have that covered. However, this arrangement by the insurance companies does not help those who are unemployed but wish to buy a health insurance policy.
Currently, as indicated above, health insurance is enjoyed mostly by those who are employed. Even if you get the insurance when you are unemployed chances are that the cover would still be very expensive. It is something that insurance companies have to deal with or change as time goes by because health insurance should not only be afforded by those who are employed and the unemployed are at a disadvantage.
In conclusion
Remember, finding a suitable quote is not as difficult today compared to years ago because of the internet. You can search and compare insurance quotes online from the comfort of your home and apply for a suitable product online.
There are many insurance companies offering various health insurance products, and you must ascertain that you choose the cover that suits your cover requirements and pocket.
There are various covers to choose from and most comprehensive covers are ideal because they offer everything you need and sometimes more. What are you waiting for? Get a health insurance quote today!