Supporting you during COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
Vhi is continuing to work hard to support you through COVID-19
Vhi is continuing to work hard to support you through COVID-19
Due to travel restrictions as a result of COVID-19, Vhi provided all customers who were Vhi MultiTrip customers on 31st December 2020 with six months free extension of cover. From 1st September 2021 we have introduced an enhanced COVID-19 benefit for all Vhi MultiTrip customers renewing from this date and for new customers. If you took out a Vhi MultiTrip policy prior to 1st September 2021 or you still receiving a free extension of cover some of your Vhi MultiTrip benefits will differ.
Provided you are not travelling against Government advice, you will be covered for COVID-19 benefits on your MultiTrip policy. The benefits included are under the sections:
· Cancelling your trip
· Cutting your trip short due to COVID-19
· Cover for medical emergencies and outpatient expenses due to COVID-19
All of these benefits are subject to your policy terms and conditions. If you need to make a claim due to COVID-19, please contact our MultiTrip claims department on 046 9077358.
For a summary of your benefits, including COVID-19 related cover, please log into MyVhi for your terms and conditions.
Yes. Cancellation cover is in place if, within 14 days of the start of your trip, you or any named person on your policy test positive for COVID-19 and self-isolation is required by a medical practitioner or the HSE. This cover provided only applies if you have written confirmation of a positive test for COVID-19 administered/witnessed by an independent authority, including the date of the result. Photographic evidence of a test kit is not acceptable. We will not accept any other test in validation of a cancellation claim.
Cancellation cover is in place if you, a travelling companion, or someone you are planning to stay with you has been hospitalised/dies because of COVID-19.
Cancellation cover is in place if you are certified as too ill to travel due to COVID-19 by a medical practitioner.
Provided you have written confirmation of a positive test result, and a medical practitioner has advised that you must self-isolate, you can claim the pre-paid activities, if the excursion is the reason for going on the trip e.g. Euro Disney, Safari. This needs to be paid for and booked in advance of travelling. Concert and premier league football match tickets could be claimed under this section provided they were pre-paid or contracted to pay before the trip started and were the sole purpose of the trip.
Note: ski packs and green fees (golf) are only covered if you have purchased the optional add-on.
For all policies, cover will only apply if you are hospitalised because of COVID-19 and need to stay longer than the scheduled return date. If you test positive for COVID-19, meaning that you cannot return on your original return date, but do not require any medical treatment, there is no cover for your extended stay costs.
Your MultiTrip cover is specially designed to complement the overseas cover provided by your domestic private medical insurance plans, which must have a minimum of €65,000 for overseas medical emergencies. Once your medical cover on your health insurance has been exhausted, all of our travel policies include medical cover; the benefit, if hospitalised due to COVID-19 is up to €10 million.
For all policies, if an insured member is hospitalised due to COVID-19, the cover for extended accommodation and flights is limited to €3,000 per policy (not per person).
Vhi made a commitment to our customers to return value to them if claims fall below the level anticipated, as a result of the impacts of COVID-19. Over the last 12 months, access to both planned and critical care has been challenging, so having reviewed claims activity, we have made the decision that we can, once again, return value to our customers.
All private medical insurance policyholders who hold an active policy on 1st May 2022 (excluding HealthSteps and Plan P policyholders) will receive a waiver of premium. We will be writing to all customers with details of your premium waiver.
The premium waiver will vary according to the health insurance plan that a customer has in place but will range from a minimum of €75 per adult and €25 per child for those on public hospital only plans up to a maximum of €300 per adult and €100 per child for those on the plans with the highest level of cover.
Payments will begin in the first week of May and be complete by the end of the month.
No action is needed by you. The waiver will be applied for all those who hold an active policy on the 1st May 2022, there is no need to contact us to confirm.
Policyholders will be paid directly into their bank accounts where we have the details. Where we do not have your details, we will send you a cheque. There is no need to contact us.
There’s no need to call us, we will shortly be writing to all customers with details of your premium waiver. If you would like your premium waiver to be made to a specified account, you can provide these banking details to us by logging in or registering for MyVhi and entering your chosen bank details using our online form. Please do so by 28th April to be in time for your waiver payment.
Yes, if you would like your premium waiver payment be made to a specified account, you can provide these details online, there is no need to call us. Customers can log in or register for MyVhi and enter their chosen bank details using our online form by 28th April.
If you hold an active private medical insurance policy with us on 1st May 2022 you will receive the waiver. If you are a new Vhi customer, your cooling off period must have passed before your waiver payment will be issued.
You must hold an active private medical insurance policy with us on 1st May 2022 to receive the waiver payment.
No, you must hold an active private medical insurance policy with us on 1st May 2022 to receive the waiver payment.
Payments will commence from the first week in May and will be complete by the end the month. The waiver of premium will be paid to the policyholder. If you are insured on a policy but are not the policy holder, the waiver amount related to your premium will be paid directly to the policy holder.
If you pay more than 25% of your premium, and your employer pays the balance, then you will receive the waiver payment directly. If your employer pays 75% or more of your premium, your employer will receive the payment but your Benefit in Kind liability will be reduced accordingly.
We will shortly be writing to you with details of how the premium waiver will apply.
The payment will be made to the policyholder. If you are insured on a policy but are not the policyholder the payment will be made to the policyholder and not to you.
If we have bank details, the premium waiver payment will be made directly into the bank account on file. If we do not have bank details we will send the policyholder a cheque.
We are honouring our promise to customers to return additional value if claims were lower than the level anticipated because of COVID-19.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFA) are regularly updating their advice.
For information regarding the COVID-19 situation in Ireland please see the HSE website at www.hse.ie/coronavirus
For information regarding travel and to see the list of areas where nonessential travel is advised against, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs Website at www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus
For information about impacts to your policy please refer to the relevant sections above.
For all enquiries, you can call us on 056 444 4444.
Email us at: info@vhi.ie
A limited web chat service is available here.
Vhi NurseLine - call 1800 247 724 or from abroad call +353 46 90 77375
Vhi Online Doctor - please book an appointment through the Vhi Health Assistant App.
Or see our Vhi 360 Health Centres and Vhi SwiftCare Clinics