Health insurance for baby
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Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20958
Printed Date: 22 August 2025 at 11:13pm
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Topic: Health insurance for baby
Posted By: JessDub
Subject: Health insurance for baby
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 9:04am
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My company currently pays for my sovereign surgical care health insurance. I've had the insurance for three years and not made a claim.
Going on maternity leave I have the option to keep the insurance by paying for it myself - it would cost $70 per month for myself and for baby. $70 a month is quite a lot on our single income. I'm not so worried about dropping the insurance for myself but how many of you feel that medical insurance (surgical care only) is important for bub? ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: clover
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 9:26am
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$70 a month is a lot for medical insurance, we only pay $45 for DH and I. Can you revise the plan that you have down to a lower category. Company plans are usually the top plan, therefore the highest premium. I personally think insurance is important, but that is probably because my parents took it out for us and my brother and I have had numerous health issues and operations over the years that would have more than paid for it. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Anna
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 9:37am
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We have full med insurance for all of us and I honestly would not be without it! We have made so many claims, lots for Kaia and Quinn recently had surgery that was fully covered. It has made life so much easier! It meant that we could make an appt to see the specialist and book ourselves in for surgery within eight days! Much better than waiting for public surgery!
$70 is a lot when you are't working (I dont' know how much we pay, we get it thru DH's work) but worth it if you need to claim. PS I had emergency surgery last year publicly and it was a SHAMBLES!! Won't go into details but it was so very horrid and I was so grateful that if anyone in my family needs surgery we will not have to go thru that. ------------- Anna http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: KiwiL
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 11:32am
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The real question is whether you have developed any pre-existing conditions whilst you have had the insurance? If you cancel and sign up again later, they (probably) won't be covered anymore.
$70 is definately a lot and I second the opinions to see if you can lower the plan you are on rather than cancelling altogether. Just go for something basic. I also think insurance is quite important. Our policy is a surgical policy only, but we have claimed twice and well and truly exceeded in claims what we have paid in premiums! I must admit I haven't thought about insurance for bubs - it's a good point.... |
Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 12:35pm
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I put Bella on our surgical only plan with Southern Cross as soon as she was born (that way you avoid any "pre-existing" conditions) and she has had her grommets done and is having her adenoids done next month, totalling about $5000 worth of surgery.
It sounds like you pay a lot - mine is $50 a month and comes out of my pay. When I go on maternity leave, I paid directly out of my bank account. If you ever pause/stop paying, they deem it a "break" in your contract and you have to wait another 3 years (or whatever it is for your company) for pre-existing conditions to be covered again, so you have to be really careful with that and keep them well informed. To cover a baby is usually only another $5 a month, so I think it is defnitely worth it. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: SJD
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 1:12pm
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We were in the same position as you when I was pregnant with number one. We decided against health insurance as we couldn't afford it and then guess what at 38 weeks my mother spotted a lump in my neck. After over nine months through the public health system the lump was removed and found to be cancerous - thank goodness I had no idea about this during those nine months. I needed a second op and managed to get this covered through a work policy that covered pre existing conditions - this time only a week's wait.
It is a lot of money and I used to think it was a waste of money as I never got sick but now I've changed my mind!! |
Posted By: pikelets
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 1:18pm
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Insurance is one of those things you get for peace of mind. Can you afford not to have it?
We kept all our insurances going since going down to one income. I wouldn't even contemplate cancelling them as we need them if something went wrong. I would recommend a review with the company and again be careful about pre-existings - you don't want to lose cover on them. We cut Sky until I go back to work to help pay for things. Perhaps you could make cuts somewhere else?? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
 3 Angels - Dec10 / Mar11 / Dec11
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Posted By: kriss
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 1:35pm
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That's a good idea Star, I would also recommend trying to cut down spending in another area if you can, and keep the insurance to cover you just in case. You never know what is around the corner! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
 Little Angel, April 10
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 16 September 2008 at 1:56pm
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We pay $65 for Jack and I (DH is covered through the army) so is quite a lot but covers surgical, optical and dental.
You need to put a child on before they are 1 month old in most policies otherwise ear conditions etc are counted as 'pre-existing' and are not covered. Well worth it IMHO as I alone have racked up close to 10k in the last 2-3 years. |