The research by ActiveQuote.com, the UK’s first true price comparison website for private health insurance, shows that over one in five (21%) adults say that private healthcare is one of the first things companies are cutting back on in these tough times, and 1 in 20 admitted that they knew someone who had lost their private healthcare due to redundancy.
The study is based on research among over 2,000 people in December 09. These people were drawn from across the UK and from a mix of age ranges.
Richard Theo, Director of ActiveQuote.com, says: “A large number of staff are losing the benefit of a company health insurance scheme and are faced with having to find their own policy. This survey highlights that even further…when 1 in 20 admit to losing or know someone who has lost their private healthcare this is quite a significant figure when you look at the bigger picture. These people who do lose their company health insurance scheme now need to protect their family and don’t want to get it wrong. ActiveQuote.com simplifies things, helping people quickly zone in on the option that’s right for them.”
Although people today are much more likely to shop around for things like healthcare insurance (41% agreeing with this statement), 36% wrongly believe that people who have a complicated medical history will find it difficult to change their health insurance provider. This confusion is all the more alarming given that, as ActiveQuote.com’s research shows, redundancy and cut-backs mean that many people are having to buy their own health insurance for the first time.
Richard comments: “Our research shows that people simply don’t know enough about private healthcare – and are paying dearly as a result. Many who have a pre-existing medical condition or know somebody who has, wrongly assume they won’t be able to get cover if they change insurer. So people are sticking with an uncompetitive policy simply because they believe it’s all they can get. Our website blows such myths out of the water, and makes private health insurance more accessible.”
ActiveQuote.com is a completely independent website that quotes all the leading UK health policies and allows consumers to buy instantly. The new site launched just a couple of months ago has many user-friendly features to make buying medical insurance easier. It offers a wealth of helpful information such as a database of medical conditions with advice about what to look for in a policy if you suffer from a particular condition.
While the research shows that, thanks to the internet, people today are much more likely to shop around for things like healthcare insurance (41% of people agreeing with this statement), over 1 in 10 (13%) still believe that unlike other insurances, people pay over the odds for private medical insurance because it’s so complicated.
Richard comments: “People do pay over the odds for private medical insurance, because they haven’t got the time or knowledge to compare all the policies that are out there. With health insurance, the cheapest policy isn’t always the best – yet most comparison sites direct you to the cheapest. We don’t do this as we feel it is more responsible to show people the best available options within their budget, especially when dealing with something as critical as health insurance. By doing this we are not only ensuring that people aren’t paying over the odds, but that they get the best cover for what they can afford.”
For an instant private healthcare quote visit www.activequote.com or speak to an adviser on 0800 8620373.
