Healthcare Insurance

Private medical insurance also known as private health insurance provides access to medical treatment if you are ill. Private medical insurance covers short-term illnesses or injuries and includes consultations, surgery and nursing care and hospital accommodation. You will normally stay in a private en-suite room in a private hospital, or in a private room in an NHS hospital.

Increasingly people concerned about long waiting times on the NHS and worried about stories of dirty NHS hospitals riddled with superbugs have been turning to private medical insurance. In reality waiting times on the NHS have been reduced in the last couple of years and the incidence of so-called super bugs has also reduced. However private medical insurance will still mean much quicker access to treatment and may give you more choice about where and when you are treated.

The NHS has been around for more than 60 years and is facing the challenge of dealing with a higher population, a higher percentage of older people, people living for longer and working longer. On top of this is the cost of implementing costly new treatments and drugs as a result of medical advances. Private medical insurance could mean that you have access to drugs and treatments not available on the NHS.

Health care is very expensive and if you can't wait for treatment on the NHS it could cost you thousands to pay for your own health care. For example, if you need a knee or hip replacement it could cost you between £8,000 and £15,000 to pay for the treatment yourself. It could cost more than £3,000 to remove a cataract, almost £4,000 to repair a hernia or almost £2,500 for varicose vein surgery.

The major benefit of taking out private medical insurance is that you won't have to wait for health care treatment on the NHS. For example, you might have to wait for almost three months for a knee replacement or a hip replacement on the NHS. You could have to wait almost two months for a cataract removal and two months for varicose vein surgery.

Finding the right private medical insurance policy can be complicated because premiums vary and there are big differences in how policies work and what each covers. You can choose a policy, which is fully underwritten – this means the policy takes account of your medical history and you know exactly what's covered and what's excluded when you take out the policy. A moratorium private medical insurance policy doesn't take into account your medical history and you won't be covered for illnesses you have been affected by in a certain number of years before taking out the policy. This can mean the premium is cheaper, but you may not find out you aren't covered for a previous illness until you try and make a claim. With both moratorium and underwritten private medical insurance preexisting illnesses aren't covered initially, but may be included at a later date.

We can help you Find the Right Private Medical Insurance Policy

Private medical insurance is complicated and it's essential that you choose the right policy. We specialise in private medical insurance cover and will search the market and help you find the right cover at the best price available. Quotes for private medical insurance are free and you are under no obligation.