Why Is Private Healthcare Better?

Private healthcare isn’t necessarily ‘better’ than the NHS. Often the same consultants and surgeons will work for both the NHS and the private sector. The main benefit in private healthcare over the NHS is largely the speed at which you’ll be treated. You will also have a choice of facilities you can visit and doctors you can see. You can expect ensuite rooms and an environment where friends and family can enjoy round-the-clock visiting hours. There’ll also typically be a better quality of the dreaded hospital food! However, these are generally ‘nice to haves’ rather than essential healthcare services.

Will It Cover Pre-existing Conditions?

A personal health insurance policy is designed to cover unknown acute medical conditions. Anything that was pre-existing before taking out your policy is unlikely to be covered. If you choose moratorium underwriting any condition you have suffered or received treatment for in the past 5 years will be excluded. If you opt for full medical underwriting, any exclusions for existing health conditions will be declared from the outset.

Does Medical Insurance Cover Overseas Travel?

Some of the best UK policies include overseas travel cover for a set number of days per policy year as standard. There are also a number of options to upgrade your cover to include travel. If you are spending significant time abroad then you may want to consider an international health insurance policy .

Compare 6 Best Private Health Insurance Companies UK 2023 [Review]

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Tom ConnerDirector

0127 364 6484

25/10/2023

10 mins

Finding the best Private Health Insurance can be tricky. There are a range of insurers and plans available, each with their own policy options and tiers of cover.

At its core, all Private Medical Insurance pays for private healthcare. This lets you skip lengthy NHS waiting lists and get treatment exactly when you need it the most.

Access new drugs and novel treatments that may not yet be available on the NHS
Private hospitals usually have superior facilities, e.g. private, ensuite rooms and round-the-clock visiting hours
Treatment is all paid for by your insurer (less any excess).

However, not every policy or provider is created equal. Some more than others will better match your needs and circumstances. This guide covers the key policy options and top providers you will want to consider when looking for the best UK Health Insurance.

In addition to this expert guide we have also written reviews for each of the top UK health insurers including Bupa, Aviva and Vitality.

If at any point you want to get an idea of cost our online quote tool compares premiums of all the top UK health insurers →

How Do You Get The Best Private Health Insurance Coverage?

To get the best cover, you’ll need to compare some key factors relating to providers and policies. For example, you’ll want to examine:

The Insurer

First and foremost, look at the insurer providing your cover. Take a look at insurer reviews, both from clients and from expert advisers.

How is the claims experience? Do they offer the level of cover you want in the areas you’re most concerned about?

Policy Options

This is the real nitty-gritty of the policy, laying out exactly what the plan will and won’t cover you for.

Inpatient vs Outpatient Cover

All Health Insurance covers inpatient treatment — care needing at least one overnight stay in a hospital bed — as standard. However, few providers cover outpatient treatment as standard. This is all care not needing a hospital bed, anything from X-rays and blood tests to physiotherapy.

You’ll usually therefore need to add outpatient cover on for an extra premium.

Other Options

Other options to consider include:

Therapies cover
For example physiotherapy, osteopathy and chiropractor appointments. Insurers might include it with outpatient cover or require you to add all therapies for an extra premium.
Mental healthcare
Treatment from a psychiatrist / psychologist in a private psychiatric facility. One major insurer offers this as standard, but most have it as an optional add-on for an extra premium.
Cancer coverage
All policies cover cancer care as standard. However, the scope of cancer coverage varies between insurers. Some offer the most cutting-edge cancer treatments, such as proton beam therapy, while others do not.
Dental and optical cover
Cover for routine dental (e.g. checkups, fillings, crowns etc.) and optical care (checkups, money towards glasses / contact lenses). Always an optional extra for an additional premium, this reimburses you a set amount towards treatment rather than paying in full.

Your Excess

The excess is how much you agree to pay upfront towards your treatment. You can opt for an excess of zero, which means the insurer picks up the entire bill for your treatment. At the other end of the scale, some insurers offer a £5,000 excess.

The higher your excess, the lower your premiums. It could be more cost effective to set a higher excess to reduce monthly premiums depending on your circumstances.

Hospital List

Insurers arrange their hospital lists in tiers. The best Health Insurance offers treatment in the top tier of hospitals. These include world-leading private facilities in Central London.

Choose from a smaller list of less prestigious facilities outside of Central London if you want to save money.

Medical Underwriting

The policy underwriting affects both the cost and the conditions you can claim for based on your pre-existing medical history.

Additional Benefits

Look beyond the core cover. All policies pay for private medical care — not all health insurance companies offer the same additional benefits.

This might include:

24 / 7 video GP service
Medical helpline staffed by trained nurses for more minor medical concerns
Mental health support helpline
Gym discounts
A cash benefit if you opt for NHS inpatient care for a condition the policy covers rather using your insurance
A baby bonus if you have a child during your policy
Parent accommodation one of your children who the policy covers requires private inpatient care.

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What Do Top UK Health Insurance Policies Cover?

The main way insurers categorise their Health Insurance policies is by present of outpatient cover.

Basic Health Insurance
Only pays for inpatient care and doesn’t offer any outpatient care at all.
Mid-Range Cover
Covers some outpatient treatment up to a set monetary limit per year. The insurer offers a range of choices for this limit, such as £500, £1,000 or £1,500 per year.
Comprehensive Health Insurance
The best Health Insurance, comprehensive cover pays for all eligible inpatient and outpatient care in full.

The more outpatient cover your policy provides, the better the medical insurance but the higher your premiums will be. The best Health Insurance in the UK is comprehensive cover.

Do I Need Outpatient Cover?

You don’t have to add outpatient cover. Having little or no outpatient cover means your premiums will be lower. However, the top Health Insurance policies all include at least some level of outpatient cover.

Treatment With Outpatient Cover

Without it, you have to rely on the NHS for outpatient tests and scans. This often slows up access to private inpatient care under your Health Insurance policy.

Treatment Without Outpatient Cover

How Much Does the Best Health Insurance Cost?

Premiums vary depending on your circumstances. To price your policy, an insurer looks at your:

Age
Location
Smoker status
Health and pre-existing medical history.

The cost of Health Insurance also depends on the above policy options you decide on. Ultimately, the more comprehensive Health Insurance becomes, the higher premiums will be.

For example, choosing add-ons such as psychiatric care or access to the best private hospitals in Central London will bump up the cost of cover.

Example Premiums

To compare Health Insurance premiums in the table below, we’ve assumed each individual is:

In good health
A non-smoker
Looking for comprehensive Private Medical Insurance covering inpatient and outpatient treatment in full
Looking for a comprehensive nationwide hospital list
Willing to pay a £250 excess upfront towards the cost of private medical treatment
Wanting full cover for mental healthcare
Living in the same postcode as our Brighton-based insurance advisers.

Single Applicant
30 Year Old	40 Year Old	50 Year Old
£57.64 per month	£73.08 per month	£97.50 per month
40 Year Old Couple
£136.10 per month
Family Cover
Parents Age 35, Children Age 13 and 11
£165.06 per month

Health insurance quotes accurate as of March 2022

Which Is The Best Medical Underwriting?

With Health Insurance you can choose moratorium underwriting or full medical underwriting (FMU).

Moratorium Underwriting

The most common form of underwriting. Moratorium excludes any medical condition you’ve had advice, treatment or medication for in the past 5 years.

This is usually on a 2 year rolling moratorium basis. Here, the insurer will consider any claims for medical conditions that you suffered in the 5 years before your policy started once you’e served at least 2 years on the policy without having any medical attention for that condition.

Full Medical Underwriting

Full medical underwriting (FMU) examines your entire medical history before you take out the policy. It then excludes all pre-existing conditions.

This means you know exactly what you are and aren’t covered for from the start. However, there’s usually very little opportunity to get exclusions removed.

Conditions you had more than 5 years ago aren’t generally taken into account when insurers underwrite you on a moratorium basis. However, they will most likely be examined when an insurer underwrites you on an FMU basis.

Which Should I Choose?

When you compare the two options, it all boils down to your medical history.

If you’ve had a minor medical condition in the past then an insurer might decide not to exclude it on an FMU basis once they’ve seen the medical evidence. This won’t likely be the case on a moratorium basis.

Ultimately, whether FMU is better than a moratorium really depends on you and your medical history. It is critical to get this right, which is where having an expert in your corner can help.

Who Are The Top 5 UK Private Health Insurance Companies in 2023?

The UK has a few major Health Insurance providers to compare. Each insurer has its own unique underwriting, policy options and pricing philosophy.

It is important to compare quotes from every provider to ensure you find the best Private Health Insurance policy for you.


Outpatient Cover
✅	Included in full as standard. You can remove it to reduce premiums. It covers: Tests / scans and therapies in full Up to £2,000 per policy year for GP-referred outpatient psychiatric care. You can cap outpatient cover at £500 or £1,000 per policy year. If you do, Aviva still pays in full for chemo / radiotherapy, scans and tests before an inpatient admission.
Cancer Care
✅	In full as standard. Includes: Inpatient and outpatient chemo / radiotherapy Surgery Bone strengthening drugs (e.g. bisphosphonates) Stem cell / bone marrow transplants £5,000 towards post-surgery prosthetics and £100 towards a wig following hair loss from chemotherapy.
Therapies Cover
⚠️	Aviva includes therapies under outpatient care, but only when referred by a specialist Access to therapies via a GP referral is an optional extra for an additional premium.
Psychiatric Care
💷	Not as standard (except £2,000 towards GP-referred outpatient psychiatric care per policy year) Add it for an extra premium to get up to 28 days of inpatient treatment per year.
Additional Benefits
24/7 remote GP appointments via Aviva Digital GP Home nursing following eligible inpatient or day-patient treatment Transport in a private ambulance Parent accommodation if your child under 15 is in hospital having eligible inpatient treatment Up to 2 sessions of GP-referred speech therapy for children under 18 £100 for each baby born / adopted during your policy Limited emergency overseas cover if you need inpatient / day-patient treatment while abroad on a trip of up to 90 days Hospice donation of up to £70 per day up to 10 days NHS cash benefit of £100 per night for up to 30 nights spent as an inpatient having treatment your policy covers NHS cancer cash benefit of £100 each day you have NHS cancer treatment rather than using your policy.
The Drewberry Verdict
👍	Some outpatient mental healthcare as standard
👍	Aviva’s partnerships offer treatment in a wide variety of private hospital networks
👍	Aviva’s £3,000 and £5,000 excesses are the highest available. If you can afford them they will significantly cut premiums
🏆	Winner: Best Individual PMI Provider Awards at the Health Insurance & Protection Awards 2019 5-star rating from independent insurance reviewer Defaqto.
❌	Therapies cover is standard with outpatient care, but only by a specialist’s referral. To get GP-referred therapies, you must pay extra.

Outpatient Cover
💷	Not as standard—add it for an extra premium. If you do, there are 2 options: Standard cover—up to 3 specialist consultations a year, unlimited diagnostic tests and scans Full cover—no annual limit on specialist consultations, diagnostic tests or scans.
Cancer Care
✅	Comprehensive cover included as standard. This provides: Inpatient and outpatient chemo / radiotherapy (including at-home chemotherapy where clinically appropriate) Surgery Biological / hormone therapies Bone strengthening drugs (e.g. bisphosphonates) Proton beam therapy for certain cancers in limited circumstances Stem cell / bone marrow transplants £5,000 towards post-surgery prosthetics, £400 per year towards wigs following hair loss from chemotherapy.
⚠️	If you’ve previously had cancer, AXA may only offer NHS cancer support. Here, AXA won’t pay for cancer care, so you use the NHS unless there’s a licensed treatment the NHS doesn’t offer
Therapies Cover
💷	Not as standard or with outpatient cover. You must add it at extra cost. Get up to 10 sessions from a physiotherapist, acupuncturist, homeopath, osteopath or chiropractor when a GP or Working Body refers you. If a specialist refers you, AXA covers further sessions at its discretion.
Psychiatric Care
💷	Not as standard. Add it for an extra premium. If you do, it pays in full for: Inpatient fees for mental healthcare Specialist fees for psychiatric treatment as an inpatient or outpatient Outpatient treatment by psychologists, psychiatrists and cognitive behavioural therapists.
Additional Benefits
Up to 5 x remote GP appointments (24/7) per year when you pay for extended cover Fast track access to physiotherapy for musculoskeletal problems via AXA’s Working Body Health at Hand—a 24/7 helpline staffed by nurses and counsellors to assist with minor health issues Transport in a private ambulance NHS inpatient cash benefit of £50 per night up to £2,000 per year if you opt to have inpatient treatment that your policy would have covered on the NHS instead If you have Comprehensive Cancer Cover, AXA pays an NHS cancer treatment benefit of £50 a day up to £2,000 a year if you opt to have chemo / radiotherapy on the NHS that your policy would have paid for Parent accommodation if your child under 16 is in hospital having eligible inpatient treatment Child ear corrective surgery—one surgery for a child (aged under 14) covering procedure to correct prominent (bat) ears Port-wine stain birthmark correction—laser treatment to improve a port-wine stain birthmark on the face of a child the policy covers aged under 14 Child speech therapy—up to 6 sessions per year for a child under 14 who needs it due to developmental delay.
The Drewberry Verdict
👍	High excess of £5,000 available when you choose full outpatient cover. If you can afford it, this will significantly cut premiums
👍	Excellent cancer care with comprehensive cover. This includes proton beam therapy in limited circumstances for certain cancers, which is rarely available elsewhere
👍	Fast-track access to physiotherapy via AXA Working Body if you suffer from musculoskeletal issues
👍	AXA provides policies to applicants who are receiving treatment of raised blood pressure
👍	Its personal health policy is one of the best on the market in terms of how flexible cover can be. Policyholders can tailor their cover
🏆	Winner: Best Direct Healthcare Provider at the Your Money Awards 2019 More than 1,400 reviews on independent reviews website Trustpilot, rating it 4 stars out of 5 Defaqto gives it a 5-star rating.
❌	Digital GP appointments are limited to 5 per year. Only available when you pay for extended cover
❌	If you’ve had cancer before taking out a policy, AXA typically only offers NHS Cancer Support. This doesn’t cover cancer, so you have to use the NHS for cancer care unless there’s a licensed treatment the NHS doesn’t offer
❌	Therapies cover isn’t included as standard or with outpatient cover. You pay extra to add it on, but even then it’s fairly limited in scope
❌	Premiums can be costly for policyholders with the highest level of cover

Outpatient Cover
❌	Treatment & Care Plan No, unless part of an inpatient admission / follow-up within 6 months of an inpatient discharge
✅	Comprehensive Plan Covered in full, including tests / scans and mental healthcare
Cancer Care
3 options: Full cancer cover—full cover for all inpatient and outpatient cancer treatment with no time / financial limits NHS cancer cover plus—only pays for cancer care if the NHS doesn’t offer a licensed treatment you need No cancer cover—does pay for cancer treatment, you use the NHS for your care if you develop cancer.
Therapies Cover
✅	Both Comprehensive and Treatment & Care plans cover physiotherapy in full
💷	Add the complementary therapies options for an extra premium for access to: Acupuncture Chiropractic treatment Osteopathy.
Psychiatric Cover
✅	Up to 28 days of inpatient mental healthcare covered in full as standard Outpatient mental healthcare covered in full as standard on the Comprehensive plan.
Additional Benefits
24/7 remote GP access 24/7 access and unlimited calls to a helpline staffed by trained nurses for smaller health concerns Direct Access fast track service—see a specialist without visiting your GP first for cancer, mental health and musculoskeletal symptoms Parent accommodation if your child under 16 is in hospital having eligible inpatient treatment Transport in a private ambulance NHS cash benefit of £50 per night for up to 35 nights if you opt to use the NHS for inpatient treatment that your policy would have paid for If you choose full cancer cover, Bupa pays a cancer cash benefit of £100 for each day / night you have NHS cancer treatment that your policy would have paid for.
The Drewberry Verdict
👍	Remote GP service
👍	Full cover for inpatient mental healthcare as standard
👍	Huge network of private hospitals to have treatment in
👍	Bupa provides policies to applicants who are receiving treatment of raised blood pressure
👍	Easiest claims process; policyholders don’t need GP referral
👍	Best cancer care cover in the UK; offers experimental treatment
👍	Specific specialist centres / direct access for cancer (bowel, prostate and breast cancer), cardiovascular & musculoskeletal issues
🏆	More than 7,000 reviews on independent reviews website Trustpilot. This rates it as excellent with 4.4 stars out of 5 5-star rating from Defaqto.
❌	While physiotherapy comes as standard, access to other therapies requires you to pay extra
❌	Bupa’s highest excess is £500. If you want and can afford a higher excess to cut premiums, another insurer might be better.

Outpatient Cover
💷	An optional extra for an additional premium except for CT, MRI and PET scans and outpatient surgery, which are covered in full as standard. Choose either: Full cover—pays for all eligible outpatient care in full Limited cover—limits outpatient treatment to £500 or £1,000 per year.
Cancer Care
✅	In full as standard. The Exeter offers: Chemo / radiotherapy (including at-home chemotherapy where clinically appropriate) Surgery Stem cell / bone marrow transplant Hormone therapy.
Therapies Cover
💷	Optional add on for an extra premium. Pays for sessions with a physiotherapist, chiropractor, osteopath, acupuncturist, podiatrist, speech therapist or a dietician (up to 2 dietician sessions per member per year), plus visits to a pain clinic The Exeter pays for these in full or up to your outpatient limit.
Psychiatric Cover
💷	Optional add-on for an extra premium. Pays in full for: Up to 28 days of inpatient mental health care Outpatient treatment by psychiatrists, psychologists and cognitive behavioural therapists.
Additional Benefits
Up to 4 appointments with a digital GP per policy year HealthWise smartphone app offering up to 2 video consultations per year for a second medical opinion; up to 6 video sessions with a physiotherapist per year; and up to 6 video sessions with specialists to help with mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression Transport in a private ambulance Home nursing after an inpatient stay for eligible treatment Parental accommodation if your child under 18 is in hospital having eligible inpatient treatment NHS cash benefit of £150 per night for each night you opt to spend in an NHS hospital receiving inpatient treatment your policy would have paid for.
The Drewberry Verdict
👍	High excess of £5,000 available. If you can afford it, this will significantly cut premiums
👍	Speech therapy included as part of therapies cover; this is rare in the market
👍	Appointments at a pain management clinic are available with therapies cover. This is rare in the market
👍	Competitive premiums; best for low budgets
👍	Community friendly, can provide paper forms as well as online apps
🏆	Winner: Best Private Medical Insurance Award and the Customer Service Above and Beyond Award at the Cover Customer Care Awards 2019 5-star Defaqto rating.
❌	Outpatient options can be confusing. Not only can you limit outpatient cover to cut premiums, but if you do you can then opt to pay extra so you still get unlimited outpatient diagnostics
❌	No option to add optical and dental cover to your policy if you want to
❌	Access to remote GP isn’t 24/7 and is limited to 4 appointments per year
❌	As a smaller insurer, The Exeter doesn’t necessarily have the deep pockets of its larger rivals
❌	Covers cancer treatment in full as standard; however, it’s a more basic coverage than some larger rivals

Outpatient Cover
💷	An optional add on for an extra premium that either pays in full or caps it at £1,500 per year. It includes: GP-referred diagnostic tests (e.g. x-rays and blood tests) up to £750 Scans in full when a specialist refers you for them 6 sessions of physiotherapy following a GP referral.
Cancer Care
✅	In full as standard. It includes: Chemo / radiotherapy, including at-home chemotherapy where clinically appropriate Surgery Biological therapies Hormone therapies Bone strengthening drugs, e.g. bisphosphonates Stem cell / bone marrow transplants £250 towards a wig following hair loss due to chemotherapy 1 genetic test to match your chemotherapy to your cancer.
Therapies Cover
💷	An optional add-on for an extra premium. Physiotherapy comes with outpatient cover, but is limited to 6 sessions if a GP refers you rather than a specialist Pay for the alternative therapies option for further cover. In full, this covers GP and specialist referred acupuncture, chiropractic therapy, homeopathy, osteopathy and podiatry with a 6 session limit if your GP refers you.
Psychiatric Cover
💷	An optional add-on for an extra premium. Pays in full for up to 45 days of inpatient psychiatric treatment Up to £2,000 of outpatient treatment.
Additional Benefits
24/7 digital GP access Free cover for younger children once you’d paid to add your oldest child to the policy Transport in a private ambulance Home nursing for up to 13 weeks following an eligible inpatient procedure NHS cash benefit of £200 for each night you decide to have NHS inpatient treatment for a condition that your policy covers rather than using the plan Baby bonus of £150 for each child born after the policy’s start date.
The Drewberry Verdict
👍	The psychiatric optional add-on covers 45 days of inpatient treatment per year, the longest in the market
👍	Physiotherapy included with outpatient cover
👍	Get a discount if you can afford to pay your premiums annually rather than monthly
👍	Home nursing after an eligible inpatient procedure is available for up to 13 weeks, far longer than with most other insurers
👍	New player in the private health market, best suited to families in London
🏆	Freedom has a 4-star Defaqto rating for its policy
❌	Limits on outpatient diagnostic tests such as X-rays and blood tests of £750 per policy year, even with full outpatient cover. Most providers cover these in full with outpatient care.
❌	As a smaller insurer, Freedom doesn’t necessarily have the deep pockets of its larger rivals.
❌	While Freedom pays for cancer care in full, its coverage is a bit more basic compared to its larger competitors
❌	Limited additional benefits

Outpatient Cover
💷	An optional add-on for an extra premium. Choose for Vitality to pay for all eligible outpatient cover in full or have an annual cap of: £500 £750 £1,000 £1,250 £1,500. If you cap outpatient cover, you can add Full Cover Diagnostics for an extra premium, so Vitality still pays in full for diagnostic tests / scans etc. Only consultations come out of your outpatient limit.
Cancer Care
✅	In full as standard. It covers: Chemo / radiotherapy Surgery Biological / hormone therapies Immunotherapy Bone strengthening drugs (e.g. bisphosphonates) Stem cell therapy Bone marrow transplant Unlimited followup care after eligible cancer treatment Up to £300 per cancer claim for wigs and restyling of wigs Scalp cooling to reduce hair loss from chemotherapy.
Therapies Cover
✅	Physiotherapy as standard when you add outpatient cover providing it’s arranged via Vitality’s Priority Physiotherapy Network
💷	Add these on for an extra premium to get full cover for: Osteopathy Chiropractic treatment Chiropody / podiatry Acupuncture Homeopathy Up to two consultations with a dietician.
Psychiatric Care
💷	Optional add-on for an extra premium. It includes: Unlimited sessions of talking therapies (e.g. counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy) £1,500 towards outpatient mental health treatment 28 days of inpatient and day-patient treatment in a psychiatric hospital.
Additional Benefits
Digital GP service Face-to-face private GP service—see a private GP for an upfront payment of £20 if you select London Care as your hospital list Mental health support as standard—core cover includes mental health support that offers services such as up to 8 talking therapy sessions Transport in a private ambulance Home nursing following an inpatient admission for eligible treatment Parent accommodation if a child under 14 is in hospital having inpatient treatment A baby bonus of £100 on the birth / adoption of a child NHS cash benefit of £250 per per night up to £2,000 if you opt to have NHS inpatient treatment for a condition your policy covers. Lifestyle Surgery Vitality offers certain lifestyle surgeries not usually covered by health insurance once you’ve held the policy for 12 months. This is subject to you paying 25% of the cost of surgery upfront. This includes: Weight loss surgery Pays for a gastric band, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass if you have a BMI or over 40 or a BMI of over 35 with co-morbid conditions such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure Port-wine stain birthmark correction Up to ten sessions of laser treatment for a child under five the policy covers to correct a port-wine stain birthmark on the face Correction of prominent ears in children Ear reshaping surgery to correct prominent (bat) ears in a child aged between 5 and 14 Breast reduction / male breast tissue removal Female breast reduction or removal of excessive male breast tissue (gynaecomastia) for covered individuals aged under 21 with a BMI of under 27.
The Drewberry Verdict
👍	Access to mental health therapies as standard, with up to 8 sessions per year even without adding psychiatric cover
👍	Physiotherapy included as standard with outpatient cover
👍	Vitality is one of the few insurers offering surgery such as breast reduction and weight loss procedures. While it’s subject to you paying 25% of the cost and meeting strict eligibility criteria, it’s an option few other insurers offer
👍	High nightly NHS cash benefit if you choose to have NHS inpatient treatment rather than using your policy
👍	Vitality’s personal health cover is one of the best for its flexibility to make changes to policy options
🏆	Winner: Best Private Medical Insurance Provider at every Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts Awards between 2013 and 2020 5-star Defaqto rating More than 20,000 client reviews on independent reviews site Trustpilot, rating Vitality 4.3/5.
❌	Highest excess available is £1,000. Other insurers have higher excesses; if you can afford this and want to keep costs down it might make more sense to choose another provider
❌	After a policyholder makes a successful claims, the premiums will steeply increase
❌	Digital GP service isn’t 24/7 (although there is a free 24/7 GP telephone helpline, which you can also use while abroad)

Private Medical Insurance Product Reviews

Our expert in-depth review of each of the UK's leading providers

How Do I Make Sure I Keep the Best Private Health Insurance?

Your insurer will write to you annually when your Health Insurance is up for renewal.

Each year you may find your premiums rise slightly. This is typically down to medical inflation, which reflects the growing cost of procedures, drugs and treatments.

It’s vitally important you regularly review your policy and premiums to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

As part of our service we take care of this for all our clients. If we find you cheaper or better cover elsewhere, we’ll also be able to help you switch insurers.

Common Private Medical Insurance Questions

Why Is Private Healthcare Better?
Private healthcare isn’t necessarily ‘better’ than the NHS. Often the same consultants and surgeons will work for both the NHS and the private sector.

The main benefit in private healthcare over the NHS is largely the speed at which you’ll be treated. You will also have a choice of facilities you can visit and doctors you can see.

You can expect ensuite rooms and an environment where friends and family can enjoy round-the-clock visiting hours. There’ll also typically be a better quality of the dreaded hospital food! However, these are generally ‘nice to haves’ rather than essential healthcare services.
Will It Cover Pre-existing Conditions?
A personal health insurance policy is designed to cover unknown acute medical conditions. Anything that was pre-existing before taking out your policy is unlikely to be covered.

If you choose moratorium underwriting any condition you have suffered or received treatment for in the past 5 years will be excluded.

If you opt for full medical underwriting, any exclusions for existing health conditions will be declared from the outset.
Does Medical Insurance Cover Overseas Travel?
Some of the best UK policies include overseas travel cover for a set number of days per policy year as standard. There are also a number of options to upgrade your cover to include travel.

If you are spending significant time abroad then you may want to consider an international health insurance policy.

What’s the Best Way to Set Up a Policy?

You have two ways to set up Health Insurance. You can either go directly to the insurer or take out cover through an intermediary, such as Drewberry.

It’s important to recognise the difference in these approaches as one provides much more protection than the other.

Going Direct To An Insurer

When you buy cover from an insurer directly, it’s a non-advised sale.

As you have made the decision yourself there’s no financial protection should the policy be inappropriate. The responsibility lies on your shoulders.

Furthermore, in many ways you’ll find going direct to the insurer is much more work, especially if you’re seeking the best option for your needs. For example, you’ll need to approach every insurer on the market and compare quotes from all of them to find the best deal.

Once you’ve done your research and got your quotes, you’ll then also have to compare various policy documents. This includes all the medical and insurance jargon which will decide the policy which can offer you the best coverage.

Get Independent Financial Advice

Alternatively, you can use an independent Health Insurance expert, such as our expert team here at Drewberry.

This is especially important if you have pre-existing conditions. An expert adviser can use their market knowledge to secure the best terms depending on your circumstances.

Moreover, an adviser will not only do all the heavy lifting for you, comparing quotes but they’ll also provide an advised sale.

If their advice is not appropriate and the policy isn’t suitable, you’re financially protected.

Lastly, as expert advisers we do this day in, day out. That means we know the market, and all the policies and providers, inside out. We’re here to translate any complicated insurance and medical jargon for you if you have any questions.

Compare Health Insurance Quotes & Get Expert Advice

Finding the best Private Medical Insurance isn’t easy. There are multiple policy options to look at, all of which affect the cost of premiums but also the coverage on offer.

Some insurers will be better for your circumstances than others. For example, if you can afford a larger excess to keep premiums down, it may not make sense to limit yourself to a provider with £500 as its highest excess.

At Drewberry, searching for the best Health Insurance for our clients is our bread and butter. We do this every day, so we’ve got the expertise you need.

Why Speak to Us…

We started Drewberry™ because we were tired of being treated like a number.

We all deserve a first class service when it comes to issues as important as protecting our health. Below are just a few reasons why it makes sense to talk to us.

There is no fee for our service
We are an award winning 🏆 independent insurance broker who works with all the leading UK insurers
You’ll speak to a dedicated expert from start to finish
We are very proud of the 3640 and growing independent client reviews rating us at 4.92 / 5
Claims support when you need it most.
We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You can find us on the financial services register here 🧐
Claims support when you need it most.

For help and fee-free advice comparing the best Private Health Insurance companies, don’t be afraid to pop us a call.

We’re available on 02074425880, or you can email help@drewberry.co.uk.