Some of you who have previously switched from Vhi to another health insurance provider will be aware that Vhi’s policy was to cancel your multi trip travel insurance with effect from the day you cancelled your health insurance with no refund. Obviously this proved rather vexing to many customers who saw their travel insurance cancelled as early as 14 days into the policy. This practice was claimed to be anti competitive by rival insurers was subsequently brought to the attention of the competition authority who recently upheld this claim and ordered the Vhi to change their policy in relation to their multi trip cover.

The end result is that Vhi will now allow you to obtain or retain a multi trip travel policy so long as you have health insurance with one of the three providers in the state and providing that cover has overseas Accident and Emergency medical cover of a minimum €65,000. Otherwise, no travel benefits can be claimed.

This means that the likes of Quinn’s Family Care and Essential Plus with/without excess would qualify while Health Manager Starter and Company Care Starter would not.

Likewise Aviva’s Hospital Level 1 & 2 and their new family Health Plans would qualify while their Access Level 1 and their I, Me & We Level 1 plans would fall short.

As much as this is great news for consumers and Vhi customers, the benefit is somewhat offset by the fact that it comes after Vhi’s changes in Terms & Conditions which effectively make it increasingly difficult to switch your health insurance outside of renewal date. One step forward and 2 steps backwards.

It’s also worth noting that Aviva and Quinn both have overseas multi trip policies which offer similar cover.

Patrick Brennan
Director of Corporate Business
Irish Health Insurance

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