Whether arranging to have your home redecorated, to have your car repaired, or to get medical aid, obtaining a few quotes should obviously be the starting point. It may be that a friend, work colleague, or relative is already a member of a scheme, and will be able to give you some insight into the quality of the service they have received from their cover providers. While this can also be of value, prices have become an issue for many South Africans, so it will still pay you to investigate several different schemes.
Just as when insuring your car, any quotation you receive will require you to provide some basic information. If you present yourself at the offices of a scheme, you may be asked to complete a form by hand. However, in most cases, the form can now be completed and the medical aid quotes obtained online. The amount of detail required, initially, will usually be quite minimal and, in addition to indicating any illnesses, surgical procedures and other treatments you may have experienced should normally be restricted to providing the names and ages of the main member and any dependents to be covered along with your contact details.
When it is conducted via a scheme’s own website, the request for a quotation may sometimes result in the promise of a call back by a representative of the company. Consequently, it is generally a better idea to submit any requests for medical aid quotes through one of the comparison sites designed specifically for this purpose. The other advantage of this option is that a comparison site will submit your request to multiple service providers simultaneously. In return, you will receive multiple quotations from which you will then be able to select those that appear most affordable for closer inspection.
It is this next stage that will be crucial to ensure you choose the most suitable product for you and your family. To do so, you will now need to visit the website of each of the companies responsible for the medical aid quotes you have selected as affordable. Here, your objective will be to examine, in more detail, the benefits and the terms and conditions that will apply if you should decide to purchase cover.
Most companies will provide a list of the various products they offer and, by clicking on any one of them, you should be able to review all of the benefits it offers. Be aware that, at this point, relevance should take precedence over price. You need to ensure that you and your dependents will receive sufficient cover for the contingencies that are most relevant to your probable needs. For example, if you have young children, selecting a product with a good dental plan that includes cover for orthodontics could save you a fortune – a fact that will not be revealed by medical aid quotes without closer inspection.
However, if affordability, comprehensive cover, and prompt claim settlements are important to you, just call KeyHealth and you could even enjoy some added core benefits for free.
