Market of Voluntary Medical Insurance: voluntary medical insurance is stronger than the crisis

The crisis is not an obstacle: clients do not want to refuse voluntary medical insurance. During the crisis no mass outflow of corporate clients of voluntary medical insurance was observed. Following the results of the first half of 2009 the segment of voluntary medical insurance reduced together with the market and decreased by 7%, amounting to 49,970 million rubles. The reasons for the decline was not outflow of clients but reduction of insurance expenses with review of insurance programs towards cheaper ones. No further acceleration of the rates of decline in this market will occur and reduction of volumes in voluntary medical insurance following the request of 2009 will not exceed 7% compared to 2008, amounting to 67-68 billion rubles.

A gingerbread for an employee: advantages of voluntary medical insurance were assessed by insurants. The crisis revealed that voluntary medical insurance firmly entered the life of any Russian companies and individuals. Reducing expenses companies do not try to refuse voluntary medical insurance since health and loyalty of personnel are important during the crisis as well. On the other hand, employees of the companies management whereof still refused voluntary medical insurance or considerably cut the budget for insurance, gather on their own and acquire a policy of voluntary medical insurance for a group or co-finance the insurance together with the employer.

Health is subject to saving: increase in prices for services of medical establishments force insurance companies to look for cheaper variants which may lead to deterioration of quality of medical services. During the crisis the problem of sudden increase in prices for services of medical establishments has become especially acute. Absence of a large number of clinics possessing highly qualified personnel and up-to-date equipment, has led to the situation when insurers trying to maintain tariff rates for voluntary medical insurance at the previous level, look for cheaper variants concluding contracts with less professional medical treatments. This leads to dissatisfaction of insured with quality of provided medical services.