Health Insurance

What is health insurance?

Health insurance provides cover for private medical care. If you get ill or have suffered an injury, health insurance pays for private treatment. This takes away the lengthy delay often experienced. If you need treatment you don’t have to put your life on hold or face a worrying wait.

Private medical care enables you to get a faster diagnosis and to start treatment sooner than you might expect on the NHS. It also offers other benefits such as a choice of hospitals or treatment centres, your own private room and appointments at a time to suit you.

You can choose from different types of private health insurance depending on who you want to insure, such as for yourself or your whole family.

Compare private medical insurance quotes online from leading health insurers to find a policy that meets your budget

How does health insurance work?

Private health insurance works the same way as other insurance, like your car insurance for example. Policyholders pay a monthly or an annual premium, which is set depending on the level of cover that person requires. The insurer pays out for any treatment covered by the plan as and when is necessary.

The cost of health insurance depends on factors such as your age and health at the time of taking out the policy. The excess and even things such as whether or not you track your physical activity can impact the cost. Where you live can also make a difference, as treatment can be more expensive in some parts of the UK than others. Sometimes it might pay to travel further afield for care to keep costs down.

Private medical care works alongside the services provided by the NHS and treatment often takes place within NHS hospitals. If you suspect something is wrong, visit your GP to discuss your concerns and let them know you have health insurance. If you then need to see a specialist, private healthcare will be arranged and you can make a claim with your insurer.

What does health insurance cover?

Health insurance typically covers the cost of treatment for acute conditions that occur after your policy has begun. It can include cover for treatment as an inpatient, an outpatient, and a day patient, depending on the level of cover you choose to put in place.

Some health insurers also let you pick exactly what is covered from a range of options, such as:

• Physiotherapy
• Treatment for specific diseases like cancer
• Mental health
• Dental treatment
• Optical appointments
• Medical treatment and nursing at home

Is there anything that health insurance doesn’t cover?

Most private health insurance providers have a definitive list in place of scenarios they are not able to provide for. These can include a selection of:

• Pre-existing conditions
• Chronic illnesses
• Drug abuse treatment
• and more.

Elective treatments such as cosmetic surgery and fertility treatment can also be excluded but it’s important to remember that the terms offered will always vary between providers. That's why comparing the full range of policies available to you is extremely important.

What is a pre-existing condition in health insurance?

A pre-existing condition is a health issue you’ve experienced previously, before attaining health insurance. This can range from a chronic condition such as diabetes or depression to singular occurrences such as back pain. Insurers will most likely ask for your medical history as part of the application process. However, if you’re moving to a new policy some insurers will cover any medical conditions that were covered by your previous insurance, which is called continued personal medical exclusions

What are the different types of health insurance?

There are a number of different types of health insurance and finding the right one for you will depend on what kind of treatments you need covered and who you’d like included in the cover.

Comprehensive health insurance

Comprehensive health insurance is slightly different from standard health insurance, in that it covers the highest levels of private healthcare cover. It also differs from standard health insurance in that it also includes outpatient care, including diagnostic tests and scans, as well as ongoing referrals after your initial treatments.

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Family health insurance

Family health insurance covers you and your family in case of illness or injury. Children are usually covered until the age of 18, though there are some insurers that offer cover beyond this, so long as they’re still in full-time education.

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Child health insurance

Child health insurance is a separate insurance just for your children, as opposed to the whole family. Again, this cover usually ends at the age of 18 and covers them in times of illness or injury.

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Health insurance for the under 30s

Health insurance is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re under 30, but when you’re young is often the best time to get health insurance. Your premiums are lower and you’re less likely to have pre-existing medical conditions, which are more likely to happen as we age.

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What are the benefits of health insurance?

There are many benefits to private medical insurance, including:

• No NHS waiting lists
• Receiving a quick diagnosis from a consultant
• Getting fast access to treatment
• Being able to choose the hospital and the doctor
• Choosing appointments to suit your schedule
• Recovering in a private en-suite room, often with WiFi and your own TV
• Unrestricted visiting hours
• Freshly prepared, healthy meals
• Physiotherapy
• Alternative therapies and complementary medicine
• Access to drugs and treatment that may not be available on the NHS

How to buy health insurance

As with any domestic insurance policy, the best way to make sure you’re getting the right cover for you is to compare quotes from different providers. ActiveQuote is the leading health insurance comparison website in the UK.

When you compare health insurance quotes with ActiveQuote, we'll ask you a few simple questions including:

• Your name
• Your address
• Your date of birth
• If you smoke
• Your ideal monthly health insurance budget

Different policies offer different benefits, so making sure that the level of cover suits your needs is essential in order for you to maximise on the cover available to you. You will also be required to disclose any pre-existing and chronic conditions, which may affect the level of cover you’re offered depending on what these are.

How much does health insurance cost?

The cost of your health insurance policy depends on:

• Your age
• Your medical history
• Your family's medical history
• Your lifestyle
• What you want covered

What is an excess in health insurance?

An excess in health insurance is the amount you’ll have to pay when making a claim. For example, if you need a treatment that costs £2000 and your excess is £250, you’ll need to pay the £250 and your insurer will pay £1,750. One way to decrease your monthly health insurance payments is to have a higher excess.

Why compare health insurance with ActiveQuote?

Buying health insurance can be daunting! We understand how important it is for you to feel confident you have the cover that’s right for you and your family. Whilst the majority of our policies are straightforward and can be bought online, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer care, with a highly trained team ready to take your call and answer any queries you have.

We usually need to speak in person to customers when it comes to our life insurance products and are always happy to do the same for health insurance, depending on your requirements. We’re rated by customers as the number one health insurance broker in the UK, so you can rest assured you’re in safe hands! 

With ActiveQuote you can:

• View more than 50 quotes online
• Compare the UK’s leading insurers
• Tailor your quotes online with live price updates
• Buy your chosen health insurance online
• Get free advice from a health insurance specialist