How gap cover works
December 19, 2021
The most vital point about gap cover is that you must be a fully paid up member of a registered medical scheme in South Africa to qualify for this type of insurance. You can be a member of an open scheme such as Discovery, Selfmed or Bonitas, or a restricted scheme such as GEMS, for example. Here is how gap cover works for medical aid members:
- Ensure you are a member of a registered medical aid
- Contact a gap cover company to get a quote
- Share with the firm your medical aid plan details
- Compare quotes to find out how the various firms stack up
- Pick the gap cover company you like best and sign up
- Enjoy how gap cover works for you, covering those medical aid co-payments
1. Ensure you are a member of a registered medical aid
You can be a member of an open scheme such as Discovery, Selfmed or Bonitas, or a restricted scheme such as GEMS, for example. If you have simple health insurance, such as from Clientele, that does not count. Check that your medical aid is registered with the Council for Medical Schemes.
2. Contact a gap cover company to get a quote
Remember that your medical aid has nothing at all to do with gap cover. You have to approach a short-term insurance company specialising in this product to get a quote. Some of the leading firms in South Africa are Zestlife, Turnberry, Stratum and Xelus. On this page you can apply for a quote.
3. Share with the firm your medical aid plan details
In order to give you an accurate quote, the company will need to know which plan you are on. For example, perhaps you are Discovery on the Executive Plan. Or you are on the Coastal Core plan with Discovery.
4. Compare quotes to find out how the various firms stack up
There are generally two plans to pick from: a basic gap policy and then one that includes cover for cancer treatment and other advanced treatments and surgeries. The good news is that everyone on your medical aid plan will get cover from a single policy. More good news is that the premiums are cheap – about 5% to 10% of what your medical aid payments are.
5. Pick the gap cover company you like best and sign up
Signing up is done by phone and email. You are buying a standardised short-term product.
6. Enjoy how gap cover works for you, covering those medical aid co-payments
Imagine you land up in hospital for an extended stay and you need specialist care and maybe an operation or two. That can easily happen. Well, your medical aid is unlikely to cover the costs in totality, leaving you with a “copayment” amount to fund out of your own pocket.
That is where gap cover comes in. It is indispensable.
Use the convenient contact form on this page to get the ball rolling. Fill in your details, answer the questions and submit the form. We will get back to you with a personalised quote.
All info was correct at time of publishing