While NZ’ers don’t have any trouble being able to access emergency (immediate) treatment, there are typically lengthy queues for a range of elective (non-urgent) procedures. In comparison, you will generally find no waiting lists for surgery in private hospitals
You simply can’t tell what health issues might have an effect on you down the road. And you also cannot anticipate how they will have an effect on your family, your way of life or your earning capacity.
Not all treatments or costs are covered by the public health system, and you often have no control over the timing or quality of treatment you obtain. Having health insurance, on the other hand, ensures that you can select your doctor or specialist, and you can select where and when you’re treated. All with the assurance that you’ll recoup all or most of the expenses.
Nobody wants to contemplate they are going to experience a health issue, but the fact is, a lot of us will. For emergency treatment, the public system copes well however if you don’t require immediate or emergency treatment you are going to undergo an assessment process and when you qualify for treatment you are then placed on a waiting list.
Waiting could possibly mean:
- Your condition could deteriorate
- Continuous intervals in pain and discomfort
- Loss of income because you can’t work
- Strain on your family through emotional and financial stress
- Your life could go on hold until you receive treatment.
Most people don’t realise the real cost of private hospital treatment today.These costs are generally greater than nearly all vehicle or house and content claims. Paying out for hospital treatment yourself can frequently mean:
- Taking out or raising a personal loan
- Using savings or retirement funds
- Selling assets
- Borrowing from family
What Health Insurance Is Right For Me
Making a good choice on what health insurance policy is not always simple. The goal is to discover a good balance between cover and cost. Some key factors to consider in a policy are:
- Substantial protection limits on both surgical and medical (non-surgical) treatment
- Specialists and tests covered (before and after hospital treatment)
- Clearness of what is covered and what is not
- A trusted insurance company with a established history as a health insurance service provider and who can be relied on to be there for the long term.
Making the right insurance choice isn’t always easy. It will depend on where you are at in life . The policy that’s right for a single person might not be suitable for a household with young children and a policy that works well for one family may not be appropriate for another.
The aim is to find a beneficial balance between price and cover, so it is affordable and helps meet your particular needs.
To make payments affordable you may want to take a voluntary excess. An excess is the amount of money you’ll need to contribute towards the total cost of any claim you make for each diagnostic investigation or treatment.
As an example, if your policy excess is $500 and you have a health claim costing $11,500, the insurer will pay $11,000 and you’ll need to contribute $500. Having a higher excess will still protect you against the bigger treatment costs, allowing you to self insure to a degree that you are able to handle.
This will become increasingly important as you get older and your income decreases but the necessity for cover is as essential as ever.
With all the benefits you can receive by purchasing your health insurance online, why not get started now?
Join Kiwi Discount Club and receive a 30% cash rebate on your health insurance premium Kiwi Discount Club
Click health insurance and fill out our form to be emailed a free health insurance quote tailored to your specific needs.

