AIBU to get private medical for myself, 2 children but not dp

[rootietootie]

Just reading it sounds bad but let me explain a little. Have never had private medical insurance before and when previously brought up dp shot it down instantly as a 'waste of money'. However, am giving up my gym account because going back to work means i can no longer get to gym(which is about £60/month) and suggested to dp that with that money and a lil extra to cover 2 dcs I would like to get private medical ins. He was a little bit lived, still thinks it is a waste of money and I should get my 'priorities' right (this coming from dp who sees no irony in the fact this his smoking habit cost upwards of £200 a month and I accept this as a household cost). I would like to insure the whole family but with a smoker dp adding him to a policy just about doubles it (and takes me way over what my gym costs). He has reluctantly agreed that I can take out a policy for dcs and myself, which i will, but it just doesn't sit right not including him.

I'd do it. If he wants private healthcare, he can pay for it out of his fag budget.

I think you are well within your rights, I wouldn't want a smoker in my insurance scheme with their expensive illness' all the other people insured will applaud you for keeping their premiums down too.

yanbu and you might be able to get free or very reduced gym membership with the medical insurance if you have the time to get there.

There are loads better things to spend 60 quid a month on!

If you and DP agree than YANBU - it's between the two of you.

Why do you want private medical insurance by the way?

I think he is right but not for any other reason than 60 quid a month even 160 a month would not give you nearly enough cover for the type of full on care that you may wish for you and your DC. In fact the only use would be for additional healthy activities like swimming or days out, as well as adding to the shopping budget to make sure all vitamins, and other essentials are provided in the diet. By doing this you can help you and your DC not need ANY medical treatment and rely on the nhs for routine and emergences. Unless you have some other reason for wanting private health care?

I think I just feel bad that he wouldn't be included, especially since he is the main breadwinner, so to speak, in out family. TBH i dont understand his reasoning.

I got a quote from bupa, just over £90 for me and 2 dc and that was the fully comp package which we could afford. TBF we could afford dp as well, was just under £160 with him on it as well, but he so against it, but he cant really not let me spend my little bit of 'free' money.

If you must get private medical insurance then I understand your reasoning.

However, you already have medical insurance: it is called tax, and the NHS!

£60 a month could do a great deal to boost savings or just ease your monthly income - why would you consider going private? What concerns you about the NHS? I am genuinely intrigued btw, not necessarily questioning from a political perspective.

Do it. It will give you peace of mind and I have never heard of anyone else who believes that prioritising healthcare for yourself and your children shows you have bad priorities. So just ignore that. Also if you are the main carer of your children remember that if you decide to use your private insurance for your kids it is quite likely YOU that will be the person benefiting from the convenience, e.g. by cutting down long waits at clinics and giving you more convenient appointments.

Do it and now!

You and the DCs are cheap (ish) because you are young, fit and well. DH isn't - his smoking will weight his premium and I bet no smoking related disorder of any sort will be covered.

You are a working mum with kids (I guess they are small as you are now going back to work but I could be wrong). You are the sort of person private HC is designed for- you can have relatively minor stuff sorted at your convenience and in comfort.

Just remember if you are seriously ill the NHS will do it as quickly and usually better without any cap on cost though, so for a heart attack or cancer the NHS is where you want to be, hernia, twisted knee, kid with glue ear- private is brilliant.

We have it and I guess looking at it if we really did save the premium every month we'd have had enough to pay what we have used and still have spare but realistically it wouldn't happen. Teen DS has had several courses of physio 2-3 times a week for 6-10 weeks for rugby injuries for instance. The NHS would have done 1x week at most and always in school time- whereas we choose the time and location- after school and not far away! The disruption to his education of 1/2 a day off for every physio appt (travel, 30-45 mins there etc) would have been huge!

I would for yourself, but not for the children. NHS care for kids is fantastic.

The reason DH and I have private medical for ourselves is so that we can have any operations done at a time of our choosing and get back to work ASAP.

Why would you want private health care for 2 healthy children? The sort of care you generally need for children is either acute a and e type stuff- which Bupa doesn't cover, or very routine things that your gp or practice nurse can do for free. Save the 60 quid and put it towards a holiday.

I think the private medical ins, for me, is just peace of mind, that should anything happen, treatment will be provided much quicker than nhs. This was prob brought on by friend who was telling me their daughter went to dr. about foot and was told their was a 6 month waiting list. Friend then found out that her daughter was covered in her private health insurance through work, and 2 weeks later friend went back and was seen by consultant within a fortnight. Apparently it was the same nhs consultant that she saw through her private insurance that she would have seen through the nhs, but don't understand how that could possibly be?

Yeah, I think I get it. No reason why you shouldn't, if you can afford it, of course!

I don't think there are private/NHS consultants, just private/NHS routes to seeing them, as it were...

Worth bearing in mind that when it matters the NHS does come up trumps. I had some very sinister symptoms suggestive of breast cancer and was seen by GP, referred to clinic, scanned, examined, and given the all-clear all in the space of 72 hours.

THescarlettpimpernel I work in the NHS yet have private health care. It minimises disruption. I can't drop everything for an appt in 3 days time, that if I refuse will be re scheduled 12 weeks hence (and then adjust my diary to have a gap and find that a week before we are delayed again or brought a week forward because the consultant is on holiday). These are real instances of when my youngest was having her glue ear dealt with by the NHS.

I agree totally with the NHS assessment of my daughter's glue ear- bloody annoying but as a bright kid she coped- if you are at the top of the class but lip reading it "doesn't matter" . If I was pricing up health care and where we spent the precious resources I'd agree- deal with the kids with educational issues due to poor hearing rather than DD. However, clearly it was inconveniencing me and my DD so we pulled the insurance out, were seen and grommets done at half term so no school/work missed.

I read on Money Saving Expert that you'd be better off putting the money for health insurance in a savings account. Chances are you won't need it and it's not as if you'll be without good enough health cover on the NHS if you really need it (ie very little risk involved for you). So if you want to access private health care, just dip into the money you've saved by not paying an insurance company.

Would you be eligible for Benenden or something similar www.benenden.org.uk/ It's a lot cheaper than commercial insurance.

Allibaba I disagree "NHS kids care is fantastic.....

Yup again get leukaemia, need a heart op, or even (and I was shocked that they agreed) request screening for causes of sudden cardiac death in a very sporty kid and they do very well. But routine stuff ....hmmm... yes that is OK but how many 1/2 days can you take off school /work for appointments for minor problems without it being a real issue to you at work or them at school.

rootietootie the reason the same consultant saw her privately is that's how consultants earn £££££ LOL. NHS work by day and evenings/Wednesdays afternoons or weekends at the private clinic.

DD2s grommets were put in privately funded in the local NHS hospital too. the ins co transferred a wodge of money to the hospital to pay for her op.

And the fact that NHS consultants do private work might just contribute to the waiting list issue.

Well just got a quote from aviva, fully comp for £38 a month, apparently living in scotland does have some benefits :) they are sending out paperwork and if it is roughly the same as what bupa were offering (which they tell me it is) will definitely be going ahead with it. Still feel bad about dp but even at £38 he would still be of the opinion that its a waste of money!

A 6 month waiting list? I thought everyone had to have an inital consultation within 18 weeks?

It's your money so you can spend it as you like! I am with your dh on not seeing the need for private insurance but I wouldn't try to put anyone off doing it if they wanted. My experiences of a private physio made me greatful for the nhs physio I later saw though!

Do read the small print very carefully. 38 quid seems very very cheap indeed.

if you want it get it, ignore all the idiots who think there are better ways to spend 60 quid - i expect they are smokers and drinkers and go to bingo three times a week :)