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This thread and the raw deal we get out of our current provider have had us reconsidering our private health insurance. Of note is the claim by one commenter that ten years of continuous coverage can reset the loading on premiums back to the base rate, even after many years of 2% per year loading has accumulated. That is unverified at this point. But if true it would mean that if for instance we went without private cover for fifteen years we would need to pay cover plus 30% for ten years and then it would reset to base cover rate. That is still pretty crap and it could be subject to change, or be completely untrue. Also of interest is the suggestion by a number of people that an enforced savings plan of say 75% of monthly premiums into a savings account can effectively cover all that the insurance is likely to and in some cases much more. This would only be a suitable option for us when incomes are more stable and much higher.
As it stands we don’t really use our insurance very much. We only have extras to get dental and even that is largely unused. My eldest A is going through the process of bracers and without my parents help we couldn’t achieve that. Our insurance gives a maximum of $300 back per calendar year on orthodontics. We investigated moving to an insurer who would provide more but the cost far outweighed the return. We have already received this year’s $300 which went to my father. Both N and I will undergo dental checkups prior to departure but during our time in Europe we are going to pay $800+ in unused insurance premiums.
I am morally opposed to the private healthcare system. It is the hatchet with which the Libs wish to destroy socialised healthcare in Australia and it is a great fiscal cost to our society. But waiting periods suck I understand why people want to pay to skip them. In truth the only reason I have cover at all is because of the 2% loading, We don’t earn enough to have to worry about the extra tax.
Really not sure what we we’ll do about that this evening.
Found a rather cool flight search tool, it requires the assistance of a travel agent to finalise but we have found flights a full thousand dollars cheaper than anywhere else using it and yes that is including taxes, fees to be determined. We have an agent working on our behalf so with any luck we will be able to buy tomorrow.
New computer should also arrive tomorrow.
The day with kindergarten, tutoring, some wiring on the chook tractor, dinner, dishes, bed time and flight searching has left me with nothing left to put in creatively tonight.
Ironing still to be done.
As is this: