Thousands of South Africans rightfully think that gap cover is yet another expense that they have to add to their monthly bills.
They have to have this gap cover because of the inadequacies of medical aid. If a medical professional charges you R1000 for a procedure in hospital, but the medical aid will only pay R600 of it, without gap cover, you will have to foot the bill of R400.
When it comes to major surgery, the difference won’t be R400 but closer to R40 000 or even R400 000. So while medical gap cover may well be another expense you have, it’s a very necessary expense – a lifeline thrown to you when there is a shortfall amount that needs to be paid.
Medical gap cover for everyone
South Africa has a number of these gap cover providers and Sirago is a gap cover provider that offers unique gap cover products to South Africans. Not only that, their gap cover is for members of any medical scheme.
They are underwritten by Genric Insurance Company who is an authorised financial services provider and registered short-term insurer.
Sirago also covers policyholders and beneficiaries of all ages.
Policy price is determined as to whether you join as an individual or a family.
Your age does influence the price of your policy. Sirago divides age up into the under 54s, the 55 – 64-year-old age group and those over the age of 65.
Everyone in the family is covered under one policy.
With Sirago, a child is a dependant up to the age of 21. For children who are full-time students, cover can be extended to the age of 27.
Sirago gives an assortment of gap cover options – Ultimate Gap Cover, Plus Gap Cover, Gap Assist Cover, Gap-Lite Cover, Exact Cover, Exact with Gap and Co-pay Cover, and Gov Gap
Details of the various options
- Ultimate Gap Cover is their most comprehensive plan. It offers in- and out-of-hospital benefits as well as cancer- and value-added benefits.
- Their Gap-Lite is more geared towards the younger generation and Sirago settles claims with this plan at 200% above the medical scheme rate.
- Their Exact Cover pretty much tells you exactly what it is for – for certain procedures that your medical scheme excludes.
- With their Gov Gap plan, the main member has to be in the full-time employment of The State and the policy ends when the policyholder turns 65.
- Sirago has some waiting periods – a 3 month general waiting period for new policies, and a 10 month waiting period on pre-existing conditions.
A simple online guide to gap cover
You can check out Sirago’s website and see how they have made sure that all their information on gap cover is laid out easily.
They explain each plan in a simple way and they make it easy for anyone from any medical aid to sign up with them. When a medical aid member is shocked with the part-payments of their medical scheme, Sirago’s gap cover will step in, give peace and simply pay up.
Get a quote for gap cover on this page. Use the form.