Health Insurance – A Pandemic Must Have?

New Zealanders have been lucky throughout the pandemic. While Covid is now widespread in the community, our elevated level of vaccination means that overall, we have fared better than many other parts of the world. However, one thing this pandemic has highlighted is that how dire our healthcare system is, with many facing long waits for surgery or tests or even having their appointments cancelled altogether.

The media has been awash of late with stories of people unable to get the treatment they need via the public healthcare system.  Long waiting lists and cancelled surgeries, mean that for many treatments are a long way off, never mind the many more who aren’t even getting to see a medical professional to be diagnosed.

Research also shows that New Zealand is falling behind the times in keeping up with medical research and treatment drugs, with the number of drugs registered in New Zealand falling behind places like the USA and Canada. The treatment drugs that are funded by the government are often outdated and not in line with the latest research.

This is where private healthcare cover comes in to play, and it’s potentially more important in our current Covid world than it’s ever been. Having healthcare insurance means that you are able to access private healthcare should you need further tests, specialists, scans or surgeries. It allows you to not have to wait on the publicly funded healthcare system, and reduces the waiting time drastically. Private healthcare also allows you access to a much wider range of treatments and drugs and means you don’t only have to choose from the limited pool of what is government funded. You also don’t need to stress about paying for these treatments or drugs yourself as it is paid for by your health care insurer (minus your policy excess).

A key thing to keep in mind regarding health insurance is that it’s never too early to take it out. Often, we think that illness may not strike until we are older, but the earlier you take out a policy, the more you will be covered for. As we age, health issues begin to arise and therefore the more exclusions you will have on your policy for these pre-existing conditions.

We can fit health insurance policies to suit all budgets and lifestyles. Get in touch with Jonty and he can help give you peace of mind on your healthy future.