The Prodigal Daughter
When it comes to Health Insurance, I was pre-programmed from a young age to have it. When I turned 18, my dad told me to get myself covered and I joined up and stayed with the same fund for around 15 years.
Then along came a new player in the market who was well known for car insurance, but not health. They offered all sorts of bells and whistles so I switched. I stayed about 4 years.
Like the prodigal son (or daughter in this case), I went straight back to my original health fund, who had stuck by me during the early years. I’m proud to say I’ve been with them now for another 17 years!
I haven’t had cause to use my policy much as thankfully I am in good health but I suspect that will change in the years ahead as I age.
But since arriving at the FiftyUp Club a few months ago, I've spent a lot of time researching and thinking about what over-50s look for in a health insurance policy.
Over the years, one of the things that’s mattered to me is being able to go into a branch and talk through any issues with a customer service rep face-to-face.
By pure coincidence, the fund I've been with most of my adult life is also the fund that the Club currently has a special offer with - HCF - and they have a lot of branches in my area.
Recently I was able to visit the HCF call centre in Parramatta, NSW and see first hand their team talking to members just like me.
On the wall in their office is a computer screen, which shows how many of you are on the line and how long they have been waiting. The HCF staff are very mindful of this and it was interesting to be a fly on the wall for a day. The potential customers they were speaking to sounded like me… confused about products and coverage, frustrated by the rising cost and wanting good value for money. Some of the calls went on for 20 minutes or more as the HCF team patiently explained their products.
If you’re like me, the idea of comparing health funds is akin to poking your eye out with a stick. But if you haven't compared for years, how do you know if you're getting good value?
Try it. Make sure you’re not rushed, sit down with a cuppa and talk it through with the HCF team….it can be very empowering to take back control of your policy. Whether you move funds or not, you'll know whether you're getting good value and you can stop worrying about it - at least for the time being!
