Topic: Health insurance?

[mmret]

It might be time for me to think about standalone health insurance for about a year.

Anybody have a good idea of where to look? I did a quick quote on Manulife for basic coverage, came out to almost $1k / yr. And the coverage did not seem particularly good.

I could get something better through PEO or OSPE I'm guessing...any advice appreciated.

[ArticSteve]

I really don't see the cost benefit for somebody your age unless you've got major health issues and if you do you would need to disclose them prior to receiving the coverage and then they'd just reject your application.

[mmret]

Well there are a couple of things I could swindle out of it, contact lenses and a dental visit for which I am about due.

I'm a nub when it comes to insurance but isn't the whole "insurance" part of it that they cover the unexpected, ie: I get hospitalized for 4 weeks.

[Mitlov]

Anybody have a good idea of where to look? I did a quick quote on Manulife for basic coverage, came out to almost $1k / yr.

I am going to drive up there and urinate on your Acura if you think "almost $1000 / year" is something to complain about.  You have no frickin' idea how great that is.  I pay about $7200 per year to insure my family, and most stuff isn't even covered until we've satisfied a $5000 deductible for the year.

[mmret]

Ah but you have to cover 3 people, and its probably much more comprehensive coverage than what I was looking at, plus you pay less in taxes.

[ArticSteve]

Well there are a couple of things I could swindle out of it, contact lenses and a dental visit for which I am about due.

There would probably be a waiting period of 3 months on those two things.  As for hospital stays the only thing that insurance might be a bonus is for a semi private room.  I don't think that a $1000. or so a year policy covers a private room.

You might know this but these type of policies are not tax deductible.

[ArticSteve]

I am going to drive up there and urinate on your Acura if you think "almost $1000 / year" is something to complain about.  You have no frickin' idea how great that is.  I pay about $7200 per year to insure my family, and most stuff isn't even covered until we've satisfied a $5000 deductible for the year.

Mitlov, your comparing apples to oranges here.  A person here earning $100K pays about $25k more in tax than someone in a high income tax state.  It's pointless to compare health care costs.

[Wolverine]

1K/ year doesn't seem that much indeed, I pay more than R$ 2K here to insure me and mom. That's cause we are insured for more than 10 years with the same company. Should I try to start the same insurance now it would cost me the double. My income is little bit more than 60K/year and I lose more than 20% of that every month to the gov.

[Ex-airbalancer]

I really don't see the cost benefit for somebody your age unless you've got major health issues and if you do you would need to disclose them prior to receiving the coverage and then they'd just reject your application.

 

raised 4 kids without any health insurance , I probably came out ahead
Have coverage now, for wife and me, it is $270/month

[tpl]

Well there are a couple of things I could swindle out of it, contact lenses and a dental visit for which I am about due.

There would probably be a waiting period of 3 months on those two things.  As for hospital stays the only thing that insurance might be a bonus is for a semi private room.  I don't think that a $1000. or so a year policy covers a private room.

You might know this but these type of policies are not tax deductible.

MM I had a manulife one and I agree... it didn't seem worth it. I lost my company policy when I retired and then, a years later, we discovered that mrs tpl's pensioner insurance from her company covered me as well.

Artic.  Premiums for ancillary health insurance for those covered by a provincial health plan that cover dentistry/ drugs/ semi private room in hospital ARE partially deductible in Canada.  Something about greater than 3% of income or similar weasel words. 

[mar1990]

It might be time for me to think about standalone health insurance for about a year.

If you don't mind me asking, whats changing?  Are you still considering  becoming a contractor?

[mmret]

It might be time for me to think about standalone health insurance for about a year.

If you don't mind me asking, whats changing?  Are you still considering  becoming a contractor?

Its slightly fuzzy at the moment, but I might move to a position where I will not have health insurance for a time.

Thanks for the info everyone. I'll probably look at group plans somewhere and try to determine if its worth it...my known expenses should be fairly light (just contact lenses, maybe 1 visit to a dentist)...

[UmroAyyar]

FWIW. Went through this whole exercise in January. Ended up with just Dental Insurance. 2 adults and a child.

The premium was about $300/month for Manulife's regular plans.

[safristi]

..AMAZING HOW GULLIBLE FOLK ARE.....  geez I've got $4,000 dental,Chiro,Drug,Vision,hearing care needed in the next 3 months...."I'll just sign up fer a $100 a month extended health plan and Bobs' yer Uncle"....   well Bob may be yer uncle but he don't know ship shape about FREEBIES from an INSURANCE COMPANY..................