Health Insurance Research

Transcription

1 Health Insurance Research November 2012

2 CONTENT Background... 3 Introduction... 6 Research Highlights... 7 Key Personnel... 9 Contact Details CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 2 of 12

3 BACKGROUND CoreData is a specialist financial services research and strategy consultancy based out of Sydney, Australia. The firm has operations in Australia, the United Kingdom, China and the Philippines. With a primary focus on financial services CoreData provides clients with both bespoke and syndicated research services through a variety of data collection strategies and methodologies. Clients benefit from a dual offering of business-to-business and business-to-consumer research and consulting services. The group provides clients with market intelligence, guidance on strategic positioning, methods for developing new business, advice on operational marketing and other consulting services. CoreData prides itself in identifying market trends at the earliest opportunity and formulating insightful quantifiable research that clients can use to help them stay ahead of the market and better meet the day-to-day challenges facing their businesses. Our focus is on bringing deep market knowledge to research and strategy development. CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 3 of 12

4 The group s research is not just about information and data but at providing insight so clients can develop strategies that work. The team is a complimentary blend of experienced financial services, research, marketing and media professionals, who together combine their years of industry experience with primary research to bring perspective to existing market conditions and evolving trends. CoreData has a number of syndicated benchmark proprietary indexes across a broad range of business areas within the financial services industry. CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 4 of 12

5 For our research CoreData leverages its extensive proprietary nationwide database of 132,000 Australians to recruit participant respondents. CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 5 of 12

6 INTRODUCTION CoreData has a long and successful history working with companies in the insurance sector. Our research has helped clients to better understand the evolving needs of their customers, potential business opportunities, and provided public relations exposure in the media. Historically our insurance clients have come from the life, business and property insurance industries and include most large Australian insurance providers. Based on our strong understanding of what drives successful businesses in the insurance sector, we have recently expanded into the field of health insurance research, with the intention of providing evidence-based guidance to private health insurers and the PR agencies that service them. Highlights from our inaugural annual Health Insurance Report are outlined in this document. The research has gained a considerable amount of coverage in the press, including on Weekend Sunrise, 2GB, Fairfax newspapers, and a range of trade journals. CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 6 of 12

7 RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS The majority of Australians think that those who live unhealthy lives should be forced to pay more money for private health insurance, and not be subsidised by healthy Australians. CoreData s Private Health Insurance Report 2012 reveals that close to three in four Australians (73.1%) believe that smokers should have to pay higher health insurance premiums than non-smokers. In addition three in five respondents (61%) believe that heavy drinkers should have to pay higher premiums, while 53% believe that obese people should pay extra. Do you believe that people who smoke should have to pay higher health insurance premiums than those who don t? No 26.9 Overall % n = 1213 Yes n = 1213 Female Male Generation YGeneration X Baby Boomers Pre-Boomers Without dependents With dependents Low Medium High Gender Generation Dependents Wealth segment Yes No The research, which was carried out via an online survey in September 2012, collected a total of 1,213 responses from Australians aged 18 and above, of which close to three in four (73.9%) have some form of private health insurance. The majority of respondents who have private health insurance have combined overall coverage (83.4%), while roughly one in ten (9.5%) have just hospital and 7.1% have extras cover only. The research reveals that Australians spend on average $195 per month for combined private health cover, which works out to be $2,341 per year. Respondents also reported spending $78 per month for extras cover, and $137 per month for hospital cover. By demographic, baby boomers pay the most for combined cover at $251 per month. This is more than double the amount that Gen Y respondents pay ($114), and considerably more than Gen X respondents ($193). The main reason that respondents took out their policies was to be covered in the event of a major health related accident (72.2%), followed by coverage for dental procedures (61.4%) and to avoid long waiting lists in the public health system (61.4%). CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 7 of 12

8 The major barrier for those without private cover is cost, with more than three in four (77.0%) of the uninsured selecting this as the main reason why they have not purchased cover. A further 39.8% believe that Medicare and the public system cover their needs. When you think of health insurance, which company/companies do you think of? Ranking scores based on a 100-point scale n = 1213 The two most recognisable health insurance brands, Medibank Private and Bupa, are also the providers with whom respondents are most likely to take up a new policy or consider switching. What would be the most attractive features of public health insurance? To avoid potentially long waiting lists in the public health system To be covered in the event of a major health related accident To be covered for major surgery in the future (such as knee surgery, lasik etc.) To be covered for dental and optical procedures To have extras cover 23.4 To save money on tax To avoid the government penalties for not purchasing before turning 30 years old To pay for lifestyle services such as gym membership, remedial massage, etc. The public system falls short of meeting my current and future health needs There are no reasons why I would get private health insurance Other 2.6 *Multiple options allowed n = 316 respondents who do not have health insurance % The research has also found that the most attractive feature of private health cover for the uninsured is to avoid potentially long waiting lists (43.2%), followed by major accident cover (39.5%), major surgery cover (38.9%) and dental & optical cover (38.5%). CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 8 of 12

9 The Government s policies have an impact on private health insurance take-up, with close to one in five respondents without insurance citing saving money on tax (18.5%) and avoiding government loading penalties as an attractive feature of insurance. What are the main reasons why you have not purchased private health insurance? % It is too expensive Medicare and the public system covers all my health needs I do not see the value in private health care and do not intend to purchase it in the future Life insurance is not currently applicable to my stage of life I don't have enough health problems to bother Other *Multiple options allowed n = 316 respondents who do not have health insurance The main barrier to purchasing health insurance for the uninsured was cost, with more than three in four (77.0%) uninsured respondents citing this as a barrier, while a further two in five (39.8%) believing that the public system covers all their needs. Close to one in four believe that they don t have enough health problems to bother (24.1%), while 8.3% do not see it as applicable for their life stage. CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 9 of 12

10 KEY PERSONNEL CoreData s focus is on bringing deep market knowledge to research and strategy development. Our team is a complimentary blend of experienced financial services, research, marketing and media professionals, who together combine their years of industry experience with primary research to bring perspective to existing market conditions and evolving trends. We are passionate about making a difference to our clients. Our success and research is not just about information and data but about developing actionable strategies that allow clients to improve their performance relative to competitors. ANDREW INWOOD B.Ec. (Syd) A.S.I.A. Andrew Inwood is the principal of CoreData and has more than 18 years experience in the Australian financial services industry. He worked for Rothschild Australia Asset Management where he headed the marketing team for four years before moving to AMP Investments where he spent more than a decade as head of marketing, before being seconded to Virgin Direct in the UK to establish the finance and investment arm of the group. KRISTEN TURNBULL BA Journalism, MBA currently studying Kristen is head of Advice, Wealth Management and Superannuation based in the Sydney head office. She is responsible for writing of a range of syndicated market intelligence reports and bespoke research projects for advice and superannuation fund clients. Before joining CoreData Kristen was a financial journalist for seven years, including four years in London where she wrote for a range of institutional and retail finance publications. Upon returning to Australia she worked for media publishing house Conexus Financial as a Senior Journalist on Professional Planner and then as Production Editor for Investment & Technology. TAI ROTEM BSocSci (Psych) Masters (by Research Thesis) Tai Rotem is CoreData s research specialist. He has been developing and implementing market research for over 10 years. Tai has taught statistical methods at the UNSW for 4 years. He has experience working in the health industry, developing surveys for the World Health Organisation. Tai develops and maintains CoreData s proprietary research and question banks and he is involved in the analysis and interpretation of our research. CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 10 of 12

11 JAMES TAYLOR BA (Govt & Hist), GradDip (Econ) James is a business analyst at CoreData. Prior to joining CoreData, James worked as an investment analyst for an Australian alternative investment manager, where he produced a range of reports on international and Australia-based hedge funds, investment managers and economics. In addition, James has experience working in fund management marketing in London, and in business development and project management for an international consultancy s Middle Eastern offices. CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 11 of 12

12 CONTACT DETAILS For further details please contact James Taylor or Kristen Turnbull. JAMES TAYLOR Business Analyst P: E: KRISTEN TURNBULL Head of Advice, Wealth Management and Superannuation P: E: CoreData Health Insurance Research Page 12 of 12