My Honest Review of Renaissance Insurance: What I Got Covered and What I Didn't - Plus, How Much I Saved!

Hello everyone! It's that time of the year again - time to wrap up my experience with another insurance company.

This year, my employer partnered with Renaissance Insurance for our company's DMS (daily medical services) needs. We were offered a choice of three tariffs (economy, standard, or business) and had to pay a monthly premium accordingly. The good news is that the employer covered the bulk of the costs, and the prices for employees were relatively low and dependent on our job position, length of service, and other factors.

For my role, the standard tariff would have been the best option, but I decided to go for the economy tariff instead, as it included the clinics that were most convenient for me. The monthly premium came out to be 615 rubles (my employer would deduct it from my salary card), and the total cost for the entire insurance period was 7380 rubles.

>>> The benefits <<<

Before I dive into the details of my experience with the insurance company, I want to highlight just how beneficial it was for me to have a DMS policy.

I compiled a table of all my medical visits for the year (and there were a lot of them!) and calculated that I would have had to pay a whopping 108.5 thousand rubles out of pocket. But thanks to the insurance, they covered 94.5 thousand rubles of those costs, which is approximately 87% of my total expenses.

Here's a screenshot of my Excel table, where I listed the services, costs, and whether the insurance company covered them or not.

Below, I'll go into more detail about which services were covered and which weren't.

>>> The procedure for getting services approved in Renaissance Insurance <<<

Whenever I needed to see a doctor, I'd first book an appointment at the clinic and then notify the insurance company through their app, Renaissance Health.

I'd mention the clinic I wanted to visit, the reason for my visit, and any other relevant details. After that, the insurance company's managers would review my request and send a guarantee letter to the clinic (which was valid for one month from the date of issuance). It was pretty cool that I could access these guarantee letters in the app, too.

If the doctor ordered any tests or procedures, I could also notify the insurance company through the chat and attach a photo of the doctor's order. Sometimes, they'd approve it immediately, and sometimes they'd contact the clinic for additional information.

I've noticed that response times vary. Sometimes, they respond right away, while other times it takes an hour or two. My longest wait was around a day, but that was a one-off (I guess it was a busy period). If you need something sorted ASAP, like a test result, you can call the hotline. From a technical standpoint, I didn't have any issues with getting services approved. Everything was super straightforward and easy.

>>> TOP-5 services that got approved <<<

I had some pretty complicated appointments (especially the pricey ones) that even the doctors said would be tough to get approved. But, surprisingly, they all got cleared. Here are the top 5 most expensive ones:

1. Colonoscopy (5400 rubles) with sedation (4800 rubles). Even the clinic staff were shocked that they approved the sedation. But, it was actually listed in my insurance contract, and it's a pretty important service.

2. Throat lavage on the Tonzilloor device (5 times) - 5500 rubles

3. CT scan of the abdominal organs (no contrast) - 4000 rubles

4. Endoscopy with two types of biopsies - 5400 rubles

5. Barium enema with a colonoscopy and X-ray of the stomach - 2800 rubles

Aside from these, they also approved consultations with various doctors and tests, including ultrasounds for my gastroenterologist, therapist, mammologist, gynecologist, endocrinologist, and ENT specialist...

>>> Services that DIDN'T get approved <<<

Unfortunately, not all services got approved:

1) Chest X-ray - they said it wasn't necessary based on my diagnosis. I'm not so sure about that, though. My ENT specialist thought it was a good idea. I ended up getting it done on my own for 770 rubles.

2) Calprotectin test - it's an expensive test, and my insurance said it's not covered. I did it on my own.

3) HPV test - even more expensive, and not covered by my insurance. I did it on my own.

4) Stool test for Clostridioides difficile toxin - similar to the previous test. I decided not to do it, though, since I didn't have any symptoms. I'm not sure why my gastroenterologist ordered it.

5) Blood test for creatinine and urea - they said it wasn't necessary based on my diagnosis. My therapist had ordered it 'just in case.' I guess it's not necessary, since my insurance agreed.

I had a few more tests that I didn't even try to get approved, since I knew they weren't covered (like a genetic test for celiac disease).

>>> Telemedicine <<<

I avoided telemedicine for the first six months or so. It seemed like a total waste of time.

However, my insurance app has a feature that lets you schedule online appointments with certain doctors and get advice on health-related issues.

But, eventually, I decided to give it a shot - and it was actually really convenient. You can choose a doctor, read reviews, schedule an appointment for a specific day and time, and even have a video call or phone call. The doctor will then send you a conclusion.So, I went to see a therapist, gynecologist, endocrinologist, immunologist, gastroenterologist, and even a psychologist. Not all appointments were productive, and in some cases, I just got the standard information I already knew. But some consultations were super helpful, like the one with the endocrinologist. It all depends on the doctors, I guess. You should definitely read more reviews before booking an appointment.One of the main perks of telemedicine is getting test appointments without having to visit a doctor. Plus, the tests they recommend in telemedicine seem to get approved by my insurance more easily. They even offer to book an appointment for me!

>>> Booking an appointment <<<

As I mentioned earlier, my insurance offers a service to book appointments at clinics. It's super convenient for those who don't want to waste time searching for a hospital or don't mind who they see. I've used this service twice, and both times, I encountered some issues.

The first time, I was booked to see a specialist. I specifically asked to be booked at a clinic near my home. My insurance chose one of those clinics, and I thought everything was good to go... But the day before the appointment, the hospital calls me and says I'm booked at a different branch (on the other side of town!). And to make matters worse, the specialist doesn't even work at the clinic near my home. So, I had to go all the way there. It was a weekend, so I got to take a little stroll.

The second time, I booked a CT scan. There was no issue with the address, but it turned out my insurance forgot to send the guarantee letter to the clinic! I had to call them in a rush to get it sorted out. But it was resolved quickly, so I don't consider it a major issue. It was just a one-off mistake, probably due to human error.

>>> The Verdict <<<

I'm really happy with the DMS service from Renaissance Insurance. I'd be more than happy to continue using their services, but unfortunately, my employer switched to a different insurance provider next year. Will it be better or worse? Only time will tell.

The verdict: I highly recommend DMS from Renaissance Insurance.

Wishing you all good health!