Talk the talk

Jeremy Tucker, sales director at new private health insurer Vivas, talks to David Clerkin.

How has Vivas found its first few months in business?

We are delighted with the months since our launch and with the number of members who have joined us, indicating that they want an alternative to what they have been offered to date.

What impact do you think you’ve had on the private health insurance market?

We have had a huge impact by introducing more choice and increasing competition. Since our launch there has been significant activity in the sector, with new and diverse products and features being launched.

How worried are VHI and Bupa by your arrival?

I would imagine VHI and Bupa are delighted to see our entry into the market as it increases competition. I think they have probably learned from us over the past few months, certainly with regards to how to make health insurance more relevant to consumers.

What are you bringing to the table that’s not already on offer?

We offer more choice, enhanced benefits and excellent value for money. We are also distributing our product range through insurance intermediaries, so consumers can talk to independent experts when choosing a product.

Please tell us about how your pricing compares with, say VHI Plan B or the Bupa equivalent.

We offer better value for consumers for the vast majority of products. Health insurance products are complex to compare, but we would advise consumers to look at the Health Insurance Authority website (www.hia.ie), for an objective comparison.

What can we look forward to in the future from Vivas?

We will continue to work with more and more brokers to ensure consumers can get independent advice on health insurance products in their locality. We will also look at more ways in which we can make health insurance products more relevant to consumers.