Comprehensive Health Insurance

What is comprehensive health insurance?

Health insurance provides cover for private medical care which can reduce the lengthy delay often experienced by those needing treatment. It means you don’t have to put your life on hold or face a worrying wait.

Health insurance pays for treatment if you’re ill or have suffered an injury. It allows you to get a faster diagnosis and to start treatment sooner than you might expect on the NHS, and can also offer benefits such as a choice of hospitals or treatment centres, your own private room and appointments at a time to suit you.

When you get a comprehensive health insurance policy, it provides you with all of the above, and also covers outpatient care including appointments for specialist consultations, diagnostic tests and scans, as well as ongoing referrals for appointments after initial treatment. It helps you avoid long waiting lists on the NHS that could otherwise delay your diagnosis and treatment.

What level of health cover should I choose?

Generally, health insurance providers offer a choice between a standard or ‘core’ policy or comprehensive health insurance, with the cost of your premiums (payments) reflecting the amount of cover you receive.

Core policies usually cover you as standard for treatment as an inpatient, where you need a hospital bed. This might include attending hospital for the day to undergo a minor operation or having surgery or treatment that necessitates an overnight stay.

Comprehensive health policies also cover you for outpatient care including appointments for specialist consultations, diagnostic tests and scans, as well as ongoing referrals for outpatient appointments after any initial treatment. The advantage of this type of cover is that you can avoid long waiting lists on the NHS that would delay your diagnosis and treatment.

Lots of insurance companies offer a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach, where you choose a basic or core cover policy and supplement it with your choice of additional options. ActiveQuote can help you compare health insurance policies to find the right option for your budget.

How does comprehensive health insurance work?

If a policy doesn’t offer everything you’re looking for as standard, it’s easy to add extra levels of cover to create a fully comprehensive health insurance policy, depending on what you feel is important to you.

If mental wellbeing is central to your overall health, for example, you may be interested in a mental health add-on, which can cover you for in-patient treatment if your mental health suffers or you are diagnosed with an acute psychiatric condition.

Many comprehensive health insurance policies also now include health apps, which may offer 24/7 GP support, fitness programmes and counselling, including for any teenagers named on a family policy. Many of these digital GPs can now provide referrals for certain levels of treatment/diagnosis as well as write private prescriptions.

If you have a physical or manual job where you’re at risk of muscular and joint injuries, you might also choose to benefit from speedy access to specialist treatment to get you back to work as soon as possible. In such cases, adding cover for physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic and acupuncture treatment can be a good idea.

You can even enhance your comprehensive health insurance policy with dental and optical cover too.

What does comprehensive 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
• Psychiatric treatment
• Dental treatment
• Optical appointments
• Medical treatment and nursing at home.

What extras are included with comprehensive health insurance?

If a policy doesn’t offer everything you’re looking for as standard, it’s easy to add extra cover to your health insurance policy, depending on what you feel is important to you.

Mental wellbeing is central to our overall health so you may be interested in a mental health add-on, which can cover you for in-patient treatment if you’re diagnosed with an acute psychiatric condition. Many policies also now include health apps, which offer 24/7 GP support, fitness programmes and counselling, including for any teenagers named on a family policy.

If you have a physical or manual job where you’re at risk of muscular and joint injuries, you might benefit from speedy access to specialist treatment to get you back to work as soon as possible. In such cases, adding cover for physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic and acupuncture treatment can be a good idea. You can also enhance your policy with dental and optical cover.

What are the benefits of comprehensive health insurance?

There are many benefits to comprehensive health 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 Wi-Fi 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.

What isn’t covered by comprehensive health insurance?

• Every policy will have different add-ons and exclusions, so it’s always really important to read the small print so you know exactly what is and isn’t covered, and make sure to fully compare comprehensive health insurance policies before you buy. It is also why it’s best to speak with an advisor in person before putting any kind of health insurance in place.

  Most private healthcare policies won’t cover ongoing treatment for a chronic illness or condition you have before you take out the policy. Elective treatments such as fertility treatment and cosmetic surgery are also not usually covered.

  Some policies do cover maternity benefits, as well as complications and emergencies arising from pregnancy but, again, this isn’t always standard and it’s wise to check your policy documents thoroughly to make sure you know what is and isn’t included.

  Good health – and healthcare – is a priority for us all. You might like to read our guide to looking after your wellbeing for some top tips to stay in top shape!

   

  Are pre-existing conditions covered in comprehensive health insurance?

  A pre-existing conditions is a health issue you’ve experienced previously, before attaining comprehensive health insurance. For example, if you hurt your knee in March and then took out your policy in June, any treatments for that knee injury would not be covered by your policy.

  A pre-existing conditions could range from a chronic condition such as diabetes or depression to singular occurrences such as back pain. When applying for insurance, expect insurers to request your complete medical history. However, when transitioning to a new policy, some insurers may honour coverage for pre-existing conditions previously covered by your old insurance, a practice known as continued personal medical exclusions.
  
  Learn more about health insurance for pre-existing conditions

What else do I need to know before I compare comprehensive health insurance?

• It is likely to cost more than a standard policy
• The treatment you require may also be available on the NHS
• Private hospitals often have no A&E department
• Your treatment options may not be local depending on the kind of service you require.

How much does comprehensive health insurance cost?

The cost of your comprehensive health insurance policy depends on:

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

Why compare comprehensive health insurance with Active Quote?

At Active Quote, we recognise the importance of finding the right coverage for you and your loved ones. While our policies can be straightforward and available for online purchase, we take pride in our exceptional advisors and we are on standby to address any questions you may have.

For comprehensive health insurance enquiries, we prefer personalised discussions to ensure we meet your specific needs. Our advisors are available to address any inquiries, offering invaluable peace of mind, especially for those navigating unfamiliar territory.

With ActiveQuote you can expect:

• Access to over 50 quotes online
• Comparison of leading insurers across the UK
• Customisation of quotes with real-time price updates
• Convenient online purchase of your selected health insurance
• Expert advice from our dedicated health insurance advisors.

Comprehensive Health Insurance FAQs

Does comprehensive health insurance cover cancer treatment?

Research has shown that one in two people will develop cancer in their lifetime, so being covered for cancer care, with the reassurance that you can access faster and often more extensive treatment, is a priority for many.

Basic policies are less likely to cover chronic conditions like cancer, but the good news is that many comprehensive health insurance policies will. Depending on the level of cancer cover you have, you can either claim for treatment up to a certain annual limit or access comprehensive cancer care, including innovative and expensive specialist treatment such as stem cell transplantation, biological therapies and hormone therapies.

With some comprehensive healthcare policies, you can also claim for the cost of holistic therapies and accessories such as wigs, and home nursing too. Certain fully comprehensive policies also provide access to experimental drugs and treatments.

Can I get comprehensive health insurance when self-employed?

You can still take out comprehensive health insurance policies when you are self-employed. The process will work in the same way, in that you can still tailor the policy to your needs and budget. A large benefit of having comprehensive health insurance when self-employed is that whether you need to see a specialist or you require surgery, you will have less of a wait and be able to return to work faster.