Maktub16

Merry Christmas everyone,

This is my first post.
We are having a holiday home built in a beautiful complex and I'm just trying to understand all the things we need to sort out for spending winters in the Western Cape.
Usually we get annual holiday insurance but as we will stay for about 3 months at a time we may need medical insurance.
Does anyone have any tips or recommendations?, I have already contacted a company in the UK and I'm shocked by how expensive it is! We are fit and healthy but in our 50's and 60's.

Kind regards.

ededed

Yup, it will be expensive. Talk to www.discovery.co.za - the biggest medical insurance provider in SA. I wouldn't go there without it.

MartynK

Just a thought. You're building a holiday home, but will it be vacant for extended periods when you're not there? What are the complex security arrangements? Insurance cover?

Maktub16

Thanks for your replies.
I will check out the website re insurance.
Our new home will be in a secure gated community, we are thinking of renting out when we are not around, it's early days so just gathering information.
Thanks and Happy New Year.

feelbritish

We spend 3 months in CT every year and get our medical insurance from our bank HSBC as we are premier members but it is still reasonable. I 60 have no issues but OH has and the cost is about £380 mainly for him. You will find getting medical insurance in SA almost impossible unless you have had a medical aid before. It is very expensive. You really only want accident and medical emergency. Anything else you just pay cash for.

Maktub16

THank you for your response, that seems like something to consider, I want to keep the costs down. We are planning on applying for a retirement visa to stay for around 6 months a year. We are in good health and if we became ill we would both want to be home, but of course you never can tell when something unpredictable may happen.
Wishing you happy holidays.

uk_grenada

It depends on age and if you need pre existing issues to be covered. If < 75 and no pre existing issues covered, and a uk resident ordinarily, its 360 pounds for up to a year abroad anywhere, from lv.co.uk which i think is great value.

If you have a nationwide full service bank ac [10-12 a month] then its an extra 150.

Ultimately, the real question however - if you get ill and its going to kill you in <24 hours, you will be treated locally fullstop. If its important but not urgent and you are snowbirding from the uk within the rules, how easy is it to reach the nhs? NEVER tell the airline or they wont carry you and 'it' developed on the flight. Remember, the only reason for medevac insurance is to takeoff quickly and fly low if needed to a better medical environment, but in a lot of places these take 24 plus hours to actually takeoff, and if your normal flight is on a 787 or recent airbus, composite/plastic bodied, they fly pressurised to 5k feet not 8k feet, no difference except they fly a lot faster than a twin prop and in more comfort.

SimonJG

Hi saw your post and by the sounds of it we are doing exactly the same as yourselves at the same estate if it's near Paarl.
We will be getting add-ons for the longer periods we are out there with our medical insurance, the maximum we can get is 90 days.
We also will be leaving the place locked up or let out while we are back in the UK relying on site security, getting insurance for an unoccupied property is very difficult.
It would be good to make contact sometime but can't do as I have not posted 3 posts yet which is what is required for a private message.