VHI customers were told last week to brace themselves for yet another price increase. However, Mr B from Raheny is annoyed with VHI about an even more pressing issue: loss of certain cover for up to five years if he tries to upgrade his insurance plan.

Mr B recently turned 67 and decided to take up the VHI's invitation to upgrade his existing Plan C to Plan C Options which provides enhanced cover and benefits. Unfortunately, he also found out that because he has a previous medical condition he had a heart attack 20 years ago he will only be covered for that condition at his previous level of cover for five consecutive years. Mr B thinks this discriminates against older VHI members like himself "who have been customers of the VHI since 1963. Surely some kind of grading could be introduced whereby the exclusion would not apply where one has been a subscriber for a set number of years."

The VHI handbook highlights this exclusion. Members under 65 are excluded from cover for their particular medical condition for two years; women who upgrade their cover will not enjoy the new maternity benefits for one year. With BUPA imposing similar preconditions, there is not much our reader can do; but he should keep in mind the exclusion applies only to his heart condition.