# Medical Insurance and others



## HaydenFamily (Jun 21, 2014)

Hi guys can anyone tell me is it is advisable to get medical insurance. My husband is coming out on an accredited works visa.

Also we will be renting for the first couple of years, does the rent include what we know as council tax.

We intend to get broadband and something like Sky can anyone let me know what would be the best option and what type of channels would be available.

Finally is there such a thing as TV licence?


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## Liam(at)Large (Sep 2, 2012)

How many years is the work visa?

Tax is included in the rent.

Broadband (ADSL, VDSL and Fibre) is available by area ranging from 4-100mbps. If you want Sky look at Vodafone as they have package and deal agreements with Sky. For channels check Sky.co.nz.

No such thing as UK's TV licence lunacy!


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## HaydenFamily (Jun 21, 2014)

Hi thank you for getting back to us. He has a 2 year visa with a view to getting residence as he has a full time job.


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## inhamilton (Jun 10, 2011)

As far as health insurance is concerned, I don't have it myself, although many do.
The situation is as follows. Most medical procedures, specialist doctors and hospital stays are free here under the public health service. 

However : If your condition is non urgent and you go via public, there is usually a waiting list, sometimes of quite some length. It is not uncommon to wait for 2 years for varicose veins surgery, for example. Or 3 or 4 years for a hip replacement. Sometimes, under public health, you and your GP might think you need a hip replacement, but the specialist might feel there are more urgent cases, and this will put you even further back on the waiting list, or you might not get on it at all. But under public, if your condition is life threatening, or extremely painful, you get in straight away, and it is free.

If you go the private route, the waiting lists are much shorter, and you can usually get in for a consultation quite quickly and have your hip replacement done almost straight away, and other elective surgery covered by the insurance. This is where health insurance can be handy as without it, under private, you'd have to pay.

Hope that helps.


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