Posted by Scott on February 13, 2012, 5:59 pm, in reply to "Re: retiring to ireland"
198.172.206.95
Long term car leasing is available, but there are no advantages other than for businesses who can deduct the costs as business expenses. You still owe the full cost of whatever hasn't been paid off at the end of the lease. The only significant plus is that maintenance is covered - but you're paying for that privilege whether you need it or not. Also, you'll only be able to lease almost new cars - which cost more.
Health costs are rising fast. The main problem is that you have to wait for coverage for pre-existing illness even after buying into a health care plan. Below is Aviva health care's rules, but they're exactly the same for all three health insurers since this is the deal they all worked out with the government.
----begin----
Exclusion periods for pre-existing conditions
This exclusion applies to all in-patient benefits offered under your plan and cover for out-patient scans.
If you have a pre-existing condition, as determined on medical advice, then the following exclusion periods will apply before any claim will be paid relating to that condition. Please note that these periods begin to run from the date you first become insured under any health insurance contract and do not start again on becoming a health member with Aviva unless there has been a lapse in cover of over 13 weeks.
If this exclusion for pre-existing conditions applies, the length of the exclusion period is as follows:
•persons aged under 55 on date of joining–5 years
•persons aged 55-59 on date of joining–7 years
•persons aged 60 or over on date of joining–10 years
Please note that a pre-existing condition is determined from the date the condition commences rather than the date upon which the member becomes aware of the condition. A pre-existing condition may therefore be present before giving rise to any symptoms or being diagnosed by a doctor.
---end--------
That last paragraph is a real kick in the teeth. Where does that leave cancer coverage? However, the national health care - once you're in the system which is the main thing private insurance is designed to speed up - will take care of you for major medical hospitalisation if your private insurer does not cover you.
Scott
--Previous Message--
: Thanks, Scott. What about the National
: Healthcare program? I understand about the
: waits, but here in the states you have to
: wait, too - even with premium (i.e.
: EXPENSIVE) insurance and then the insurance
: companies seem to only want to pay for
: medical care in a month with a "Q"
: in it!! I have to fight for every nickel
: they pay. Re: the car---is long-term
: leasing available? & might that be an
: option??
:
: --Previous Message--
: Thanks Pam for the sugggestion. It's really
: in
: tax matters and health insurance that
: retirement needs are particular concerns. In
: the health insurance, it can be years before
: you older people are fully covered,
: particularly for pre-existing illness. Your
: plans sound reasonable, but I think you'll
: find that public transport to small villages
: in the west (bus, basically) is erratic and
: won't suffice. Doctor appointments, special
: shopping outside the local stores, and
: suchlike will likely prove too difficult
: without your own set of wheels.
:
: Your plans to rent are the best since house
: prices are still falling and so are rents
: outside of Dublin and Cork. Part of the fun
: of the first months will be visiting
: different areas and seeing for yourself what
: meets your requirements. Again, you'll need
: a car for this.
:
: A decent used vehicle and insurance proof
: from your overseas insurance provider of
: no-claims will get you up to 3 years
: no-claims bonus. Figure under one thousand
: euro for car insurance and another one
: thousand for petrol and maybe another 3,000
: per year in car payments - more or less
: depending on the age of the vehicle,
: guarantees, etc. There are lots of privately
: available cheap vehicles - just so long as
: they'll pass the annual car test.
:
: Scott
:
: --Previous Message--
: My husband & I are planning to retire to
: Ireland within the next 2 years. I am an
: Irish Citizen (by descent) & he is not.
: He will be a legal resident of Ireland based
: on his marriage to me? Financially, we
: will each have our US Social Security income
: and the proceeds from the sale of our home.
: We plan to rent a furnished place somewhere
: near the west coast of Ireland - hopefully
: near the water (my husband is an avid salt
: water fisherperson) but also within a
: village (walking distance to amenities) -
: we really don't want to have to buy a car,
: we'd rather rent or lease one when we want
: to travel. I'd love to see more about
: retiring to Ireland on your website.
:
:
:
:
:
Message Thread | Skip to this response ↓
« Back to index