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.

Loosyloo, I am not an idiot, I do not smoke, and I am not entirely clear I know what bingo is. Don't be such a snob.

Lol loosy! I have never done either of them so keep guessing.

I would rather put spare money into a savings account which could be accessed for anything when needed than tie it up in a policy which may or may not give cover when needed.

Seeker why should NHS consultants not do private work if they are doing it in an ethical and legally appropriate why ie outside of their contracted NHS time- if that is 9 sessions ( the usual way of expressing a full time post, with 1 half day a week) they evenings, the half day, and weekends are surely theirs to do what they will?

I wouldn't want to work those hours after a full time week, but I'm not at all money motivated LOL

Agree read the aviva quote carefully- is it one of those where "you can only use this if the NHS wait for treatment will exceed X weeks"? which will leave you in limbo for ages as you won't know what the wait will be till you've been referred and the hospital have bothered to reply!

I think the 18 week to 1st appointment doesn't apply any more. What happened with my mother and a minor but life disrupting problem was she waited a couple of months before she got her letter and then the appointment fell within a certain timescale (boy would I have paid if I could -her eye lashes were turning in a scraping her eye due to an age related sagging eye lid- horrible for her but no priority for the NHS but the surgery was £££ when we looked it up)

I'd rather stick £40 a month into a savings account to pay for any health costs as they arise TBH - as a young healthy adult with 2 young healthy children the chances you will need to draw on your policy are low, and even if you should need medical care you may find the NHS meets your needs.

I also wouldn't expect my DH to fund his cigarette habit out of my household budget.

If you want to spend your money on healthcare then that's entirely your business. I would not tolerate my husband being 'livid' or criticising anything that I chose to spend my money on, all the time he is blowing £200 per month, of the family budget on cigarettes.

seeker - how does it contribute to the waiting lists? Consultants do private work in their own time, not on NHS time...

Theas - yes that is a fair point about routine stuff.

The best reason for private insurance is to have surgery by a seriously experienced consultant. In the NHS you won't get one of those for most procedures. Mind you, nowadays, private insurance schemes won't pay for one either, without some serious topping up by you. Private care has gone downmarket in recent years - greedy private hospitals are the only winners now.
On another vein, how do you expect your family to hold together if you and your husband are so 'territorial' about how your money is being spent? Does he carry all the expenses, so that your income is pin money? If so, then why is his expenditure on himself (smoking - nasty habit, but that's a different issue) unacceptable. Seems there's a bit of a war going on here.

Alfaf, all income goes into a joint account, whereby i calculate everything that has to be paid monthly, (this includes his smokes, my gym, shopping, dd's etc basically everything that we routinely pay for every month) and then whatever money is left we use for days out/treats etc. TBH i could have set it up and not said anything as he doesnt deal with the financial side at all and he would be none the wiser!