For so many years, only a small number of South Africans have had access to private medical care. Even though medical aid has allowed some people to have this level of healthcare, it can still be seen as unaffordable for most of us.

This is why medical insurance has the power to change the medical industry. The best medical insurance plans in South Africa make private healthcare affordable, allowing you to have access to the type of medical care you deserve.

But with so many medical insurance plans available, how can you know which one is the best for you? Well, let’s take a look at the features and benefits that come with the best medical insurance plans in South Africa. This is how we’ll be breaking things down:

What to look for in Medical Insurance

Before anything else, we need to talk about what medical insurance is not. Medical insurance is not a medical aid scheme, and it isn’t a substitute for a medical aid scheme. Medical insurance plans cover your day-to-day medical needs. This can include a routine doctor’s visit, getting X-rays and blood tests or getting access to medicine.

The best medical insurance plans in South Africa have a wide range of day-to-day healthcare benefits. Depending on the level of cover, you can have access to specialists like paediatricians and gynaecologists, eye exams and even lifestyle benefits like family, legal and financial counselling.

With this in mind, one of the best questions you can ask yourself is “How much of my day-to-day medical needs does this medical insurance cover?” This will give you an idea of which medical insurance plans offer the benefits that you really need.

How to compare medical insurance policies

Because companies choose which benefits will be included in their plans, you’ll find that there are different plans to suit different needs.

An easy way to see which plan will give you the most value is by comparing the price to the number of benefits being offered.

By nature, medical insurance is designed to be affordable. But some plans make buying a policy even more worthwhile. For example, the best medical insurance plans in South Africa give you the option of combining day-to-day benefits with additional accident cover. This may be more expensive than standard medical insurance, but now you’re also covered in case of an emergency.

While price will always be one of the ways you compare plans, also think about which plan fits with your lifestyle.

What Factors can Affect your Medical Insurance Premiums?

One of the things we’ve mentioned that affects your premiums is the scope of benefits. Naturally, the more benefits you have the more expensive the premiums will be.

Another factor you need to think about is the limitations that are included in the plan. Sometimes it’s not about what you get, but how often you get it.

Most medical insurance plans will have visits to a private doctor as a benefit, but you’ll find that you can only see a doctor a set number of times. Other plans offer unlimited visits to a doctor. This might suit you more, especially if you’re thinking about the cost of taking your whole family to see a GP.

As we mentioned before, some service providers offer accident cover that you can buy separately. But with some service providers, you could get a discount for buying both together.

Most plans have a cost per dependant, so naturally, the number of people you add to the plan determines your premium.

How to Find the Best Medical Insurance in South Africa

What’s the best way to find anything nowadays? The internet! Just a quick Google search on medical insurance and you’ll find articles like this.

But one of the best ways to find the best medical insurance plans is to listen to stories. Go through the reviews. Go through Facebook pages and groups that speak about medical insurance. In them, you’ll find which medical insurance companies are great in terms of benefits and service. The best salesperson is someone you trust, so find out who else you know that has medical insurance and you’ll have a good idea of what is best for you.

The Benefits of Choosing a Medical Insurance Plan Suitable for You

Do you know what the best part of having medical insurance is? It gives you access to private healthcare. There may be limits, but having access to professionals that can help you stay healthy is always a bonus.

There you have it! We hope that you now have a better idea of how to find the best medical insurance plan for you. To learn more about medical insurance, check out our most recent articles below.

Not all Medical Insurance plans are the same and benefits as well as limitations may vary. Descriptions of benefits given are meant to be for general educational purposes only and you must ensure that you seek the advice of a broker to ensure any product choice you make suits your individual needs