Should you spend more money on health insurance policy? Reply: no

Every fortnight, $198 comes out of our bank account.

That is what we pay to our health insurer, NIB.

And each time that debit is made against our account, I consider whether it is worth it. Whether we have picked the right health insurer. Whether we are getting sufficient rebate for our bucks.

I write this as we again have reports of an increase in our premiums, which will increase by something a little over 5% for the year ahead. And I write this knowing that in the previous 12 months, our claims have been small.

They have had to be small because the amount permitted by our health fund for our claims is teensy. And of course, lucky because our health issues have been what you had expect of 2 middle-age folk who do not smoke, who drink little and whose last experience of recreational drugs was last century.

It is no worse than other funds; and in few respects much better. We gain 85% back on what the dentist charges us for regular dental work, such as fillings or cleaning, but there is a cap (excuse the pun) of around $700. We get something over $200 back on glasses.