What Is private medical insurance?
This will vary from provider to provider, but most PMI coverage will include:
in-patient and day-patient treatment cover
cancer cover
MRI, CT, and PET scans
NHS cash benefit (when you receive treatment as a non-paying patient in an NHS hospital)
You may also have the option to add:
out-patient cover
alternative therapies cover
mental health cover
24-hour GP helpline
dental and optical cover
physiotherapy
With so many options available for your (and potentially even your family), we are confident that you will view private medical insurance as a valued service.
During our conversations, we’ll work out what is most important to you, and we will match you to a suitable plan.
Should you take out private medical insurance?
Private Medical Insurance (PMI) covers the cost of diagnosis and treatment at high quality clinics and hospitals. You can adapt the cover to meet your individual needs and budget.
PMI won’t be suitable for everyone. But here’s why it might be the right move for you:
The health insurance provided by your employer doesn’t cover your healthcare needs.
You want to avoid long waiting times for treatment.
You value having more choice and control over who treats you, where, and when.
You want excellent cancer cover, and access to treatments that may not be available on the NHS.
You want to enjoy the comfort and discretion of a private hospital.
You want to access additional services, such as online GP appointments, mental health support, and dental cover.
At The Insurance Surgery, we are leading specialists for putting people in touch with the best insurers when they are seeking to take out life insurance with a condition like coarctation of the aorta. We understand that every client’s condition and circumstances are different, and will help compare the market to find you the best life insurance providers and cover plans for your needs. Simply enter your details into one of our online forms for your free no-obligation life insurance quote.
Critical Illness Cover
Just like life insurance, critical illness cover can be available to some sufferers of coarctation of the aorta. Cover will depend on the severity of your condition and the extent to which it impacts on your general health, well-being and lifestyle.
You may find that insurers are more strict when offering policies for critical illness cover. You may need to provide medical confirmation in the form of records from your GP.
If your condition is manageable and you have no symptoms, it is possible to have an application for critical illness cover accepted on standard terms. If however your symptoms are more severe and you have had surgery, you might be offered cover with non-standard terms that are bespoke to your situation.
Contact us at The Insurance Surgery for more details and to be put in touch with insurers offering critical illness cover that fits your unique circumstances.
Income Protection Insurance
If you are running or supporting a household with bills to pay, it’s a good idea to consider Income Protection Insurance.
This is especially important for anyone living with HIV who is self-employed and doesn’t have access to sick pay. Income Protection can reduce the stress of paying rent, mortgage or monthly bills.
How does private medical insurance compare to the NHS?
The NHS provides a wonderful service. But this well-loved institution is under increasing pressure from budget constraints and staff shortages. This means that patients may face long waiting times for non-urgent treatments, such as hip replacements and cataract surgery.
Private medical insurance can offer faster access, more choice, and higher quality treatment. You can avoid long waiting times, improving your health outcomes, length of recovery, and quality of life. You can also choose who treats you, where you are treated, and when, from a range of private hospitals and consultants across the UK. You can benefit from medication and treatment that isn’t available on the NHS. You can enjoy the comfort and discretion of a private hospital room. You can also choose additional services like mental health support and health cash plans.
PMI isn’t a complete alternative to the NHS. It doesn’t cover everything that the NHS provides, such as emergency care. That’s why it’s important that you weigh up the pros and cons of taking out a private medical insurance policy, before making a decision. Our advisers can help you find the best option for your health insurance needs, based on your budget and current coverage.
Can The Insurance Surgery help if you already have a private medical insurance plan?
Yes, we can. If you already have a private medical insurance plan, we can offer you a free health insurance check-up to make sure your policy still meets your needs. Our advice is free and impartial.
Our health insurance check-up will:
review your current policy to make sure it reflects your needs.
check whether we can save you money without sacrificing important cover.
give you clear recommendations so you can make an informed decision.
compare your policy to others on the market so you can be sure you’re not paying too much.
find out if we can add valuable extra benefits within your budget.
If you have any questions or want to book a free health insurance check-up, contact us today.
Can you take out private medical insurance if you have pre-existing conditions?
The Insurance Surgery specialises in life insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions, but private medical insurance may not always be the right choice for you.
PMI is designed to cover new eligible medical conditions that happen after the policy begins.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t take out a PMI policy, but any pre-existing conditions you have may be excluded from your cover. Often, medical conditions or previous injuries may need a set time frame of no treatment, before they can be included within your policy.
If you have experienced medical complications, or suffered a minor injury that has required treatment (such as a bad back), please don’t feel that it excludes you from PMI. There are always options available, and we always take the time to answer your questions and help you find the right solution for your needs.
Talk to one of our health insurance advisers to find out how we can help you.
Can private medical insurance offer support for mental health conditions?
Yes, private medical insurance can offer support for mental health conditions, depending on the provider and the policy you choose. PMI can help you access private mental health treatment for acute conditions, such as surgery, hospital stays, tests and consultations.
Many health insurance providers are giving mental health support the same care and attention as physical health. They understand that it’s just as important to take care of our minds, as it is to take care of our bodies.
However, PMI may not cover chronic or pre-existing conditions. If there are any issues with the policy, we will always talk to you about potential exclusions and how these may alter your level of cover.
Can you add your family onto a private medical insurance plan?
Yes, you can add your family onto a private medical insurance plan, but conditions may vary depending on the insurance provider. A policy that insures your whole family will generally be less expensive than taking out a policy for each person.
If you want to add your family onto a private medical insurance plan, speak to one of our advisors to find the best deal for your needs and budget.
How does private medical insurance help if you’re self-employed?
If you’re self-employed, you can’t rely on work benefits like sick pay or employee health insurance. If you develop an illness that stops you from working, you may have to rely on your savings to support your family.
Here’s how private medical insurance can help if you’re self-employed:
It can offer faster access to private healthcare, which can reduce the time you spend away from work due to illness.
It can provide more choice and flexibility over who treats you, where, and when, which can suit your busy schedule as a self-employed person.
It can cover the cost of treatments and services that may not be available on the NHS.
It may be tax deductible, if you can prove that it’s a business expense that helps you get back to work as soon as possible.
It may also offer additional benefits such as mental health support and dental cover.
Private medical insurance can be a valuable investment for self-employed people who want to protect their health and income.
How can The Insurance Surgery help me to find the right private medical insurance?
At The Insurance Surgery, we understand that finding the right private medical insurance can be a challenge. That’s why we don’t give online quotes. Instead, we have a friendly phone chat with you to find the best policy for your needs and budget.
When you contact us, we’ll do our best to find out more about you and your health insurance requirements. We’ll ask you questions like:
What type of cover do you want?
How much can you afford to pay for your premiums and excess fees?
Do you have any pre-existing conditions or health risks?
Do you already have any sick pay or health insurance benefits from your employer?
Then we’ll search our network of trusted insurance providers to find the most suitable policy for you. We often have access to exclusive deals that aren’t available to the general public.
We’ll provide you with a free, no-obligation quote that reflects the best value for your money. You can rest assured that our price promise means that you won’t find a cheaper quote anywhere else. If you’re happy with the quote, we’ll help you get your policy started as soon as possible. And we’ll continue to support you, answering your questions along the way.
How much does private medical insurance cost in the UK?
There are many different variations of private medical history and your age and general health and wellbeing may affect the price of your monthly premiums.
We can’t offer an instant online price because we see every single person as an individual. A plan that may be right for one person, may not be right for another.
But we can give you some hypothetical scenarios of how much a private medical plan may cost in the UK.
Let’s look at two examples of customers who want to buy private medical insurance cover:
Private Medical Insurance Example Cost #1
Susan is 36 years old. She is a self-employed graphic designer. She has no pre-existing conditions or health risks. She wants private medical insurance that includes in-patient and out-patient treatment, alternative therapies, mental health treatment, and cancer cover.
Susan’s monthly premium is £52.50 and her excess fee is £250
Private Medical Insurance Example Cost #2
Doug is 50 years old. He is an accountant. He wants a basic health insurance policy that will cover him for major illnesses. He has high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He wants to keep his premium and excess as low as possible.
Doug’s monthly premium is £70.49 and his excess fee is £0
With our help and support, we promise that you won’t find a cheaper private health insurance plan anywhere else. That’s because our price promise guarantee is our promise to you that we will always price match any like-for-like quote. So, you can feel confident that you’re getting the best available price for your insurance needs.
Yes, private medical insurance can offer support for mental health conditions, depending on the provider and the policy you choose. PMI can help you access private mental health treatment for acute conditions, such as surgery, hospital stays, tests and consultations.
Many health insurance providers are giving mental health support the same care and attention as physical health. They understand that it’s just as important to take care of our minds, as it is to take care of our bodies.
However, PMI may not cover chronic or pre-existing conditions. If there are any issues with the policy, we will always talk to you about potential exclusions and how these may alter your level of cover.
Can you add your family onto a private medical insurance plan?
Yes, you can add your family onto a private medical insurance plan, but conditions may vary depending on the insurance provider. A policy that insures your whole family will generally be less expensive than taking out a policy for each person.
If you want to add your family onto a private medical insurance plan, speak to one of our advisors to find the best deal for your needs and budget.
How does private medical insurance help if you’re self-employed?
If you’re self-employed, you can’t rely on work benefits like sick pay or employee health insurance. If you develop an illness that stops you from working, you may have to rely on your savings to support your family.
Here’s how private medical insurance can help if you’re self-employed:
It can offer faster access to private healthcare, which can reduce the time you spend away from work due to illness.
It can provide more choice and flexibility over who treats you, where, and when, which can suit your busy schedule as a self-employed person.
It can cover the cost of treatments and services that may not be available on the NHS.
It may be tax deductible, if you can prove that it’s a business expense that helps you get back to work as soon as possible.
It may also offer additional benefits such as mental health support and dental cover.
Private medical insurance can be a valuable investment for self-employed people who want to protect their health and income.
