No, this is not a spam! I read a comparision between VHI and Bupa in the Irish Times Health supplement this morning and it’s worth mentioning here.
It appears that 50% of Irish people have private health insurance, but that only 6% of them ever change their insurance provider. Of those that do, most cite cost-savings as the main reason for the move. I’m one of those 6% and that’s the reason I moved to Bupa too.
A PDF file comparing both services is available from the Health Insurance Authority on this page but it’s not very friendly and hasn’t been editorialised. I’ve no idea where the original article is on the Irish Times website. Check out the dead-tree version for that!
comment: just been going through this myself. Surely there must be a catch? BUPA seems so much cheaper and pay more fore GP visits, alternative therapies, etc. I have three days to make up my mind!!
There is a catch, sort of. Bupa don’t cover everything that VHI do, but maybe it’s the other way around too? I know that VHI cover more hospitals too, but I thought Bupa were “good enough” to go with them. That said, there’s not much of a choice!
Private medical insurance policies can be very particular about what they do and don’t cover. For example, if you are insured with Bupa, then you will only be covered for experimental medical treatment if it is part of a bona fide medical trial or study.