Health insurance: everything you need to know

Taking out a good health insurance policy means that individuals can benefit from adequate care in the event of medical problems. It has to be said that the steps involved in taking out a policy are fairly straightforward, especially if the policyholder decides to take out health insurance online. However, before signing the contract, you should exercise caution, especially as not all policies are necessarily suited to your needs.

Health insurance: what is its role?

The primary role of health insurance is to protect the insured. The document then goes on to list the elements that are covered by the insurance company and those that are not. It has to be said that several clauses can be overlooked so that the insurer knows exactly what obligations are being proposed. The policyholder's obligation is to pay a monthly or annual premium, depending on the contract chosen, in exchange for the mutual insurance company's coverage.

Above all, the contract must cover all the benefits to which you are entitled, such as reimbursement of dental, optical or hospitalisation expenses. It is important to keep it in a safe place so that you can use it if necessary to prove that you are entitled to a particular benefit.

Why take out health insurance?

Most people think they don't need health insurance because they don't need care all year round. This is often a mistake. Health insurance is not compulsory, but it is very useful. While we all want to remain in very good health, a physical problem is never too far away and we need to be prepared. When you take out health insurance, you are guaranteed to be covered in the event of a health problem.

What is the difference between health insurance and mutual health insurance?

Health insurance is often confused with mutual health insurance. The two terms are quite different, but their purpose is the same: to reimburse all or part of health costs not covered by social security.

The difference between health insurance and mutual insurance lies in their nature and status. Health insurers are governed by the French Insurance Code, and are commercial companies that handle the relationship between customers and policyholders.

In this sense, the role of insurers is to guarantee the reimbursement of healthcare costs not covered by Social Security. As a private company, it has to be said that insurance customers cannot participate directly in decision-making. What's more, you have to pay to take out the policy, which takes account of your individual medical consumption.

A mutual, also known as a "société de mutuelle", is a non-profit-making partnership which organises solidarity within the group. Most often, the funds of this type of company come from members' contributions. It should also be noted that the operation of mutual societies is governed by the Code de la Mutualité, and all members elect a General Meeting and a Board of Directors. Their role is to ensure the proper management of their mutual.

It should be noted that complementary health insurance covers health insurance, mutual insurance and provident institutions.

Health insurance: how to choose?

Finding health insurance isn't easy at all. With so much available on the market, it can be hard to choose the insurance that suits you best. The hardest part is undoubtedly finding the best plan, especially when you need to cover several people in the family.

There are several choices available to policyholders: individual health insurance or a family plan. To do this, you need to ask yourself a number of questions, particularly about the number of people to be covered, the needs of each family member, and the health insurance services (waiting period, third-party payment, speed of reimbursement, etc.).

Once all these criteria have been met, you need to pay attention to the reimbursements themselves. Not all unemployment insurance policies cover costs in the same way.

You should also be careful, because an insurance policy that offers 100% does not really mean that it reimburses the full cost. More often than not, this rate corresponds to 100% of the basic Social Security rate. The higher the rate, the better the health cover.

A supplementary insurance policy to top up your health insurance?

With the entry into force of the ANI law, private sector companies are now obliged to offer group insurance to their employees. As a result, some people in France may find that their health cover is inadequate. Despite this, they will be obliged to take out this form of insurance. However, it has to be said that company health insurance that does not provide sufficient cover is not really inevitable. In fact, when a company's health cover is too low, it is possible to supplement it with a supplementary policy, often referred to as a "surmutuelle". This is a contract that adds or reinforces elements that are not included in the initial contract. In this case, the supplementary insurance works like an extension of cover.

Compare offers!

To find the best health insurance for you and your family, it's important to sort through the different plans. To do this, remember to use your own criteria and not rely on what your insurance advisor tells you. Ask for a quote on our site to get an exact idea of the different offers. Above all, this quote will enable you to approach your current insurer to renegotiate your contract. Faced with the threat of losing a customer, insurers are often prepared to make an effort with advantageous commercial offers.

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