Since 1 April 2018, policyholders may be able to upgrade from a policy which offers restricted benefits for hospital psychiatric services to a policy which fully covers psychiatric services without having to serve the normal two-month waiting period.

This option is part of a Government reform designed to make it easier for policyholders to access psychiatric services when they need it. 

This exemption from the two-month waiting period can only be used once in a person’s lifetime, regardless of whether you have transferred between insurers.

If you have not fully served the waiting period on your previous policy, the unexpired waiting period will still apply. If your previous policy had an excess, the excess provisions of the previous policy will apply for the first two-months of any upgrade.

During your hospital admission you must be under the care of a consultant psychiatrist or addiction medicine specialist and the option to upgrade your policy must be taken within five working days of your admission to hospital.  On upgrading, your premium will change to the rate of the upgraded policy.