Compare health insurance quotes

What are the benefits of private health insurance over the NHS?

The benefits you’ll receive from your private health insurance plan will depend on your level of cover, but in general you’ll be able to:

• Skip NHS waiting lists and receive treatment as and when it’s convenient for you

• Receive fast-track consultations and treatment for short-term medical problems

• Receive private treatment in an NHS or private hospital

• Choose your hospital

• Have access to treatments not covered by the NHS.

Generally, people choose private health care over the NHS because they’ll be able to get appointments faster and more convenient to their schedule.

Getting time to see a specialist after being referred by the GP might also be quicker.

Most private hospitals give patients a private en-suite room with TV, a selection of food and up-to-date technology.

How does private health insurance work?

Like most other forms of insurance, you will get to select the level of cover you require, so compare health insurance quotes, be it comprehensive, or a selection of a few areas.

Depending on your budget, you may wish to add in extras such as blood tests and x-rays, pick which hospitals you’d like access to, and how much excess you wish to pay.

The more comprehensive your cover, the more expensive your premiums are likely to be. So it's important to identify how important each area of cover is to you, and whether you would prefer NHS treatment in that case.

Health insurance can also provide cover for cancer treatment, including drugs and therapies that may not be approved for use by the NHS.

In a medical emergency you would still use Accident and Emergency but if you have a health insurance policy you can be moved to a private hospital, if you require further treatment or for recovery.

What are the different policy options?

Whether you're buying medical cover yourself, or are offered it as a perk at work, there are a number of different options:

Individual policy – this covers you for treatment if you're ill and injured and means that you don’t have to join an NHS waiting list but can be seen quickly. You can choose where you want to be treated.

Joint policy – this covers you and your partner or spouse for healthcare treatment when you need it. A joint policy may be cheaper than two individual policies.

Family policy - you can add the names of your children or dependents to ensure that they are covered for any health issues that may arise.

International health insurance – this covers you and anyone named on the policy if you need medical treatment abroad. It provides emergency, inpatient and outpatient cover if you're living or working abroad. It can be especially useful if you're in countries where medical care is very expensive – like the United States – or where public medical services are very basic.

Company health insurance is offered to employees and their families. It's usually an optional perk provided by your workplace. Your employer may offer this benefit to you as a free perk, or heavily discounted.

How do I choose the level of cover with my medical health plan?

There are usually two types of policies:

Limited health care cover – also known as moratorium underwriting. This won’t cover you for any pre-existing illnesses or any health problems you’ve had in the last five years.

However, if you suffer no symptoms, seek no medical advice and have no treatment or medication for these pre-existing conditions they can become covered again in the future. This period tends to be two years symptom, advice, treatment and medication free.

This tends to be the cheapest type of healthcare insurance.

Full healthcare cover – also known as full medical underwriting. In this case, you complete a medical questionnaire, and the insurer will give you a definitive answer as to what is covered before your policy begins.

Most insurers will only cover you for new conditions, and treatments that can be administered over the short-term. As a result, long-term illnesses or regular care over a long period such as for a standard pregnancy or cosmetic treatments are not likely to be covered.

If you do have some specific areas of concern regarding your future health, then check with the insurer whether you will be covered for them and to what level.

What to check before taking out health insurance

Before you compare medical insurance suppliers, it’s important to check the following details:

• The level of excess on the policy (the amount you would pay towards a claim)

• Which hospitals you’re able to be treated in

• The types of patient fees covered

• The kinds of additional benefits that may be included

• Whether any particular illnesses and treatments are not covered

• Any exclusions, or limitations to the policy

You can find out more about health insurance here.