How to choose the right insurance for an IT company: a checklist for HR/HC and CEO

Personnel medical insurance is the modern language of caring for the team. It speaks louder than any words: “You are not alone, we care about you”. An employee who has confidence in access to medicine feels more confident, valued, and motivated. Therefore, it is important for a manager to choose not just a policy, but a reliable insurance partner who will take care of the health of each employee.

 

Yuliia Maslova, Director of Personal Insurance Sales Department at the VUSO, shares how to make the right choice and what to pay attention to.

 

Choose a reliable insurance partner

The first step is to choose an insurance company. Don’t just rely on advertising. Gather 3–5 participating insurance companies that have:

• good recommendations from friends, partners, colleagues; 

• a reliable reputation in the insurance market; 

• positive feedback from the HR/HC community; 

• high positions in professional rankings; 

• confirmed quality of service from your own experience. 

 

This will allow us to form a pool of the best candidates for further analysis. 

 

Create a health insurance program

Determine which services should be included in the program. To do this, study the needs of your team: conduct a short survey among employees to understand which medical services are most relevant to them (e.g., psychotherapy, ophthalmology, dentistry); whether there is a need for insurance for relatives; what services they expect (mobile application, online consultations, fast reimbursement, etc.). This will help create a program that will truly be useful. The following are especially relevant for IT companies today: 

• dentistry; 

• vaccination; 

• vitaminisation; 

• psychotherapy; 

• check-ups and preventive examinations; 

• classes in the gym or pool. 

 

Provide the formed program to insurance companies for cost calculation. Be sure to pay attention to the list of exclusions – not always, the shorter it is, the wider the coverage. The main thing is not the number of paragraphs and pages, but the internal content.

 

Compare price quotes

After receiving commercial offers: 

• check if they fit into your budget. 

• do not choose the cheapest option just because of the price – this can be a “red flag” indicating low quality of service; 

• It is better to tailor the program together with the insurer to find a balance between cost and content.

 

Ask about additional bonuses

Ask the competition participants to add to the program: 

• insurance for close relatives and children of employees; 

• discounts on other types of insurance; 

• additional services without increasing the cost. 

This will not only increase employee loyalty but also reduce their stress associated with organising medical care for their family. 

 

Evaluate the quality of service and technological capabilities of the insurance company

When choosing a winner, please pay attention to: 

• a network of medical institutions – there should be coverage throughout Ukraine; 

• level of medical assistance — SLA, response speed, quality of communication; 

• technological solutions — mobile application, online consultations, automation of drug ordering, online reimbursement. 

 

This is critically important for IT companies — your employees expect fast and convenient digital services. 

 

For example, ITU Member VUSO has provided the opportunity for instant communication with medical assistance through its own application. In just a few clicks, you can not only submit a request for the organisation of the necessary medical care, but also receive an online consultation with a specialist through the “eDoctor” function, receive the necessary recommendations and feedback on their coverage. 

 

Consider your company structure

For large teams or companies with offices in different cities, it is important to: 

• so that the network of medical institutions covers the entire Ukraine; 

• so that the service is of the same quality in all regions; 

• to be able to adapt the program to different groups of employees (for example, novice specialists who are just starting their careers, more experienced specialists, management).

 

Hold final meetings with participants

Invite the finalists to a meeting and ask additional questions: 

• How are doctor appointments, medication delivery, and hospital monitoring organised? 

• How is the quality of service controlled? 

• Do medical assistants undergo training and advanced training? 

• What is the company’s health insurance development strategy? 

 

These answers will help you make an informed choice of partner — not just for one year, but for long-term cooperation. 

 

Communicate correctly

After starting the program: 

• conduct an internal presentation; 

• create a document that collects the most common questions users have and provides short, clear answers to them regarding using insurance, as well as a step-by-step guide or guide that explains how to use a specific product, service, or process; 

• Regularly remind yourself of the opportunities the program provides. 

 

The better employees understand how to use insurance, the more benefits they will receive. 

 

Measure performance

3–6 months after the start of the program: 

• collect feedback from employees; 

• analyse the number of calls, satisfaction with the service, frequency of use; 

• Discuss the results with the insurer and make adjustments if necessary. 

 

Health insurance is not just a social package, but a strategic investment in the health, stability and loyalty of the team. An employee who has health insurance from his company becomes less available to other employers. When employees know that the company cares about their well-being, they work with greater motivation, trust and efficiency.