Need Help Choosing!

[Autumncurl]

I am currently trying to upgrade my PHI, i am currently with Medibank Private - just a low cover cheap one.
I have had terrible customer service with medibank to the extent that the last person continued to burp while on the phone to me, and they are happy to lose me as a customer then give me anything extra or reduce the waiting period to 9 months.


i am looking at:
HCF
People Care
MBF
La Trobe - due to the lower waiting period

I am in brisbane.(only been here 8 months - i dont know the hospitals)

Any good advice/pros/cons would be helpful -:yes:

Also from my understanding once a baby is born you need to have family cover to cover the baby?

Thanks

- A

[Bemused]

Hiya, I work in the industry and I can tell you that NO health fund will consider reducing the 12 month wait for obstetrics.

Make sure you join up with a fund that has a good gap scheme. Peoplecare are one of my company's major competitors, they're supposed to be pretty good actually.

I'm with a good fund, but I never recommend it due to my work involvement. Maybe have a chat to iSelect (health insurance brokers) as well...

[hawkeye]

My family and I are with HCF and we have been for two/three years.
I have never had a problem with their service.
They are a not-for-profit health fund, which means they are able to keep their fees lower than others.
http://www.hcf.com.au/general_WCHCF.asp?member_id=Guest

[Izy]

Hiya, I work in the industry and I can tell you that NO health fund will consider reducing the 12 month wait for obstetrics.

Make sure you join up with a fund that has a good gap scheme. Peoplecare are one of my company's major competitors, they're supposed to be pretty good actually.

I'm with a good fund, but I never recommend it due to my work involvement. Maybe have a chat to iSelect (health insurance brokers) as well...

I used to think the same thing due to the legislative restrictions, but as it turns out latrobe do a 9month wait for obstetrics.
They happen to have a gap system that most dr's deplore, but they do have the lower waits.

I'd also avoid iselect if I were choosing. They really do only recommend funds based on how much the PHI company is paying them to advertise a product.

[Little Chicken]

Yes, I have just moved the Gold Coast myself from Perth and have discovered that my premium per month has jumped $100 due to more hospitals in the area to chose from. Eeeekkkk HELP!
I am currently with Australian Unity, had my first baby 16 months ago and found the gap not bad, but could of been better. I actually found it and joined through iSelect. I have since gone on to iSelect and done another search and they only seem to have a few listed recommended which is not good.
Can anyone please, please, recommend a PHI that is really good, low cost and good gaps with good choice of hospitals and obstetrics?

[MyPossum]

I'm in melbourne, but we're with HBA. Hospital costs when we had DD were $200 excess, that's it! Also have good extras that cover everythng we use or could need int he near future

[Dannielle]

I reccomend checking if you can get a discount through your or your DH's work. DH was able to get a corporate cover with a discount. We are in the process of changing our cover at the moment and will save just over $30 per month.

[scarlett41]

I am currently trying to upgrade my PHI, i am currently with Medibank Private - just a low cover cheap one.
I have had terrible customer service with medibank to the extent that the last person continued to burp while on the phone to me, and they are happy to lose me as a customer then give me anything extra or reduce the waiting period to 9 months.


i am looking at:
HCF
People Care
MBF
La Trobe - due to the lower waiting period

I am in brisbane.(only been here 8 months - i dont know the hospitals)

Any good advice/pros/cons would be helpful -:yes:

Also from my understanding once a baby is born you need to have family cover to cover the baby?

Thanks

- A

I too have had TERRIBLE customer service from medibank and intend to leave once my package bonus is used up...may as well get something back from them;)

I used iselect to find out about some insurers but I have contacted them privately as I thought they might have better deals. I am looking into an industry locked fund (I'm a teacher so Teachers Fed fund and DH is in transport so Transport Health) but am still researching.

In terms of obstetrics cover Medibank really did me over and I couldn't use it. In the end I went public and it was a heap cheaper than private and as it was a country hospital I was treated like a private patient anyways. So I will go public next time as it was a great experience but in terms of extras I need top notch stuff.

Definitely will never recommend Medibank to anyone-the absolute pits.