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.

Private medical insurance gives you access to medical treatment when you need it without having to wait for treatment on the NHS. Some of the biggest names in private medical insurance are Bupa, Simplyhealth, Aviva, Tesco and PruHealth.

Bupa is one of the largest insurers in the UK offering private medical insurance and has been providing high quality medical insurance cover for more than 60 years. It now has customers in 200 countries worldwide and 3 million customers in the UK. Unusually Bupa is one of only a few companies that specialises in medical insurance and gives customers access to treatment without waiting lists in 400 hospitals.

Bupa offers its customers access to some of the most extensive private medical Insurance cover in the UK. Customers can choose a policy that offers them the level of cover they need at a competitive price. Bupa offers access to high quality treatment both in hospitals and as outpatients.

Simplyhealth offers private medical insurance and health cash plans. Private medical insurance gives you access to private healthcare in the event of illness without having to wait for treatment on the NHS. Health cash plans give you money to pay for every day health care costs, such as the dentist, optician or physiotherapy or chiropracty.

Simplyhealth was previously known as HSA, BCWA, HealthSure, LHF and Totally Active and was formed over the last few years. Together Simplyhealth has been helping people get access to medical care for almost 140 years. Simplyhealth doesn't have any shareholders and these mutual values mean that it really puts its customers first. Simplyhealth prides itself in helping people get treatment when they need it without having to wait till they can afford it. Simplyhealth is one of the UK's leading providers of healthcare and has 1.3 million customers.

Aviva is the UK's third largest private medical insurer and offers fast medical treatment when and where you need it in a clean and comfortable private hospital bed. Aviva is an award winning company and offers an innovative private medical insurance policy, which rewards you with lower premiums if you live a healthier lifestyle. Living healthily could not only improve your life and help you live longer, but it could also cut the cost of your private medical insurance premiums. Aviva reduces its premiums for people who improve their health from year to year.

With Aviva's MyHealthCounts scheme on its Healthier Solutions policy you can receive a discount of up to 15% on the following year's premium each year if your health 'Q' score improves. The scheme will help you understand your current health and provides advice and action plans to help manage and improve your health. For example, your premium will be reduced if you do more exercise, give up smoking, eat healthily or regularly visit a gym. The MyHealthCounts discount is separate to the no claims discount you earn on the policy so you continue to benefit even if you make a claim.

PruHealth was formed by Prudential and Discovery in October 2004. Prudential has offered insurance in the UK since 1848. PruHealth also gives lower premiums for people who stay healthy, exercise regularly, eat well and don't smoke. With PruHealth's Vitality rewards you can get a discount of one month, two month's or three month's premium each year if you earn enough reward points. You earn points for not smoking, going to the gym, eating well and having a healthy lifestyle.

Tesco Health insurance offers private medical insurance through AXA PPP one of the UK's largest private medical insurers. With Tesco you can choose the right level of cover to suit you and your budget. With Tesco Health you can be treated in one of more than 250 private hospitals in the UK.

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 medical insurance cover and will search the market and help you find the right cover at the best price available. Quotes for medical insurance are free and you are under no obligation.