Some Private health insurance plans include a no-claim bonus, a guaranteed cashback, or both. The no-claim bonus is a one-time yearly payout for staying claim-free, while the guaranteed cashback is a fixed monthly payment that covers medical bills before the plan's coverage kicks in. Both depend on the specific plan, and understanding how they interact helps you decide whether to submit a bill or hold onto it.
What is the no-claim bonus on private health insurance?
Some Private health insurance plans include a no-claim bonus: a fixed one-time payment for staying claim-free between January and December. You're still eligible if you submit claims for anything other than preventive examinations, as long as the total stays within your plan's guaranteed cashback or deductible for the year. The longer you stay claim-free, the higher the bonus grows.
You're eligible for the no-claim bonus if you:
Are enrolled in a plan with old age savings, which has no time limit (Standard, Plus or Premium)
Stay claim-free for the full calendar year.
Are insured for all 12 months of that year.
Are still covered when the bonus is paid out, usually between June and July of the following year.
This bonus depends on your plan. For example, on a plan with a €0 deductible, you receive €300 in your first year of no claims. This increases by €100 per year, up to €800 from year 6 onwards.
Do I lose my no-claim bonus if I submit a claim?
Before submitting a bill, check your coverage overview. Preventive examinations don't count against the bonus. For anything else, just compare the bill against your remaining guaranteed cashback balance for the year.
Using your guaranteed cashback (outlined below) to cover a bill doesn't count as making a claim. Your no-claim bonus is only at risk if a bill exceeds your remaining cashback balance and the extra is paid out to you in cash.
There's no rush either way: bills can be submitted up to 2 years after treatment, so you can wait until year-end and then decide whether to keep the bonus or submit for reimbursement.
What is the guaranteed cashback on private health insurance?
The guaranteed cashback is a fixed amount paid into your bank account every month on some private health insurance plans, meant to help cover medical bills as they come in. When you submit a claim, the cost comes out of that balance first, and anything left over at the end of the year is yours to keep.
The guaranteed cashback is different from a deductible. A deductible is money you pay before coverage starts and don't get back, while the guaranteed cashback is money paid to you.
How much guaranteed cashback do I get, and how does it work with claims?
The exact amount depends on your plan and is shown in your Feather account. The guaranteed monthly cashback is only paid if you pay your premium by direct debit — manual payments don't qualify.
For example, on a plan with €100 monthly cashback (€1,200 per year), a €2,000 bill submitted in March would draw the first €1,200 from your cashback balance, with the remaining €800 covered by your plan. Any further bills that year would then be fully covered.