Private Medical Insurance

Private Health Insurance is designed to cover the costs of private medical treatment, for what are commonly known as ‘acute conditions’ that start after your policy begins.

Most insurers define an acute condition as a disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and aims to return you to the state of health you were in immediately before suffering the disease, illness or injury, or which leads to your full recovery.

Your insurer can tell you about their cover for this and other conditions, such as cancer and chronic (long-term) conditions.

Why buy Private Medical Insurance?

Most people buy this type of insurance to:

• be reassured, knowing that treatment is available quickly if they become ill or are injured;
• have a choice about when treatment will take place, the specialist who treats them and the hospital; and have the privacy of an en-suite room with a TV and other home comforts.

How does Private Health Insurance work?

Although policies can be different, medical treatment usually has to start with a referral by your GP to an appropriate specialist.

Before you arrange any private treatment, you should call your insurance company to check that you are covered for the treatment. In fact, most insurers need you to do this. Stay in touch with your insurer at each stage of your treatment. Your insurer will confirm if you are covered. Treatments for some illnesses, including pre-existing conditions (conditions from which you are already suffering, or have already had) will not be covered by a private medical insurance policy.

It is also important to remember that Private Health Insurance is designed to work alongside, not to replace, all the services offered by the NHS. Some services, such as accident and emergency, are not available at most private hospitals.