Your Renewal Is Here — Let’s Talk Through Your Options

If you're feeling a little shocked after opening your health insurance renewal this year, you're definitely not alone. Many people are finding the cost of cover harder to manage, and some are beginning to question whether they should continue at all. A common thought we hear is, “Maybe I should just self-insure instead.”

Before you take that step, it’s important to understand the full picture, and the alternative options that could keep you protected without overstretching your budget.

Renewals Aren’t Always Final — Negotiation Is Often Possible

One of the biggest myths about private health insurance is that the renewal price is fixed. In reality, insurers often give us room to negotiate, especially for clients who haven’t had claims, or where claims have been minimal.

Renewal incentives can include:

• Discounts applied after negotiation

• Months free at the start of the new policy year

• Loyalty concessions

• Re-pricing following a market comparison

  
  

Our role is to explore these opportunities every year and secure the best possible outcome for you.

Is Self-Insurance Really the Solution?

Self-insurance can seem tempting. If you’re generally healthy and rarely need treatment, it might feel logical to put money aside and rely on your own savings.

But self-insurance comes with a few important considerations:

• Major medical treatment can cost more than most people expect

• Even routine private diagnostics can be surprisingly expensive

• A sudden illness or injury can quickly wipe out years’ worth of savings

  
  

Self-insurance works perfectly… until the moment something unexpected happens. And by then, it’s too late to take out a new policy.

The Middle-Ground Option: Reduce Your Benefits, Not Your Protection

If your renewal feels too expensive, the solution isn’t always to cancel. Many insurers now offer more flexible plans where you can reduce your benefits while keeping the essentials.

This often includes:

• Cover for inpatient and day-patient treatment

• Full cancer cover

• Post-operative follow-up appointments

• The ability to remove or limit outpatient consultations

  
  

These structured plans still protect you from the major, high-cost events that are difficult to self-fund, while making your premium much more manageable. For many clients, this approach offers the right balance between cost and security.

Why Reviewing Your Benefits Matters

Many people keep the same level of cover for years without revisiting whether it still suits them. When costs rise, it’s the perfect time to review your policy and consider:

• Whether all current benefits are still needed

• Whether adjustments to therapy cover or outpatient limits would help

• Whether switching to a guided hospital list might reduce costs

• Whether removing optional extras could make a difference

  
  

Our job is to help you understand your options clearly so you can make confident, informed decisions.

Before You Cancel, Let’s Talk

If your renewal feels overwhelming, please don’t assume your only option is to walk away from private health insurance. There are many ways to reduce costs while still keeping the protection that matters most.

We can help you:

• Negotiate with your insurer

• Conduct a full market review

• Tailor your benefits to suit your budget

• Explore treatment only or reduced outpatient options

• Understand the risks of self-insuring

  
  

There is nearly always a solution, and we’re here to guide you through it.

If you would like to explore more affordable options or review your cover, we’d be very happy to talk through the possibilities with you. Staying protected doesn’t have to mean paying more than you can manage.