Private Medical Insurance Explained

Private medical insurance is complicated and can be confusing so, we would like to make it easier for you to know the different private medical insurance cover options and what kind of private medical treatment is available.

All the private medical insurance companies pay our fees so it will not cost you a penny to take advantage of using our many years of experience and knowledge to shop around for you - saving you both time and money.

Day-case & in-patient treatment

All private medical insurance companies provide day-case and in-patient treatment as a compulsory benefit. With these benefits, you can have an operation in a private hospital and either come home on the same day or stay overnight in a private room.

Out patient treatment

Is any medical treatment where you do not need to go to hospital for an operation, such as private consultations, diagnostic tests, scans and therapies such as physiotherapy or alternative therapies.

Some medical insurance companies offer menu options when you can choose to have some out-patient benefits and not others for example, you might decide you don't want physiotherapy or complementary therapies.

You can reduce the premium by choosing to limit your out-patient cover by £500 or £1000 per year but you should be aware that a 20 minute private consultation with a specialist can cost between £200 - £300 so, there is a risk that you may use up all your out-patient cover and then you may have to pay for some of the treatment yourself.

Cancer

Choosing to include cancer cover on your private medical insurance can increase the cost by 30% or more. In most cases, the NHS is a better place to have cancer treatment although getting some cancer drugs on the NHS can depend on where you live. Choosing to have cancer treatment covered might be worth the extra cost providing you do not have cancer but, there is a history of cancer in your family.

Therapies

This is cover for treatment by physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths and other alternative therapists.

Psychiatric

Is cover for treatment of stress and other mental health problems both within and outside of a private psychiatric hospital.

Six-week wait

The name "six week wait" is confusing because it does not mean that you will have to wait six weeks for treatment. It means that if the NHS waiting list for an operation is less than six weeks then you will have your operation in the NHS.

If the NHS waiting list is longer than six weeks then you can have your operation in a private hospital straight away as you would with a comprehensive private medical insurance plan.

The six-week wait offers a good discount and is a good option if you don't mind using the NHS where you can have your operation within six weeks of seeing the specialist.

Minor other benefits

Some of the more comprehensive private medical insurance plans will also cover benefits such as a cash benefit for using the NHS, a parent staying overnight with a child, private ambulance, limited nursing at home and other minor benefits.

Excess

Paying something towards the cost of treatment yourself is called an excess, and the medical insurance companies will give a discount on premiums if you decide to have an excess. The amount of excess can start at £100 and go up to £1000. The larger the excess you choose, the bigger the discount.

Each insurance company offers different discounts but here are some typical examples

 

Do you want to have quick access to the highest standards of medical treatment or surgery done in the comfort of a private hospital?

You need Private Medical Insurance.

 

For a personal quote - click here »