Joint health insurance

You might already have private healthcare cover in place and be looking to protect your partner too, or maybe you’re a couple looking into the idea of putting private cover in place for the first time. Whatever your reasons, if there’s more than one of you living under the same roof, joint private health insurance could well be a smart move.

Like other types of insurance policies, if two of you are looking to invest in private health insurance at the same time, it can be just as cost effective to put a single policy in place to cover you both as taking out cover separately.

And like other multi-individual private healthcare policies, the true benefit of putting joint health insurance in place lies in knowing that both of you are in a position to access the treatment you need quickly, and with a healthcare practitioner to suit, whenever the need arises.

What is joint private health insurance?

Nobody likes to imagine the prospect of their partner – or, indeed, themselves – falling ill or getting hurt in an accident and having to spend time in hospital. Joint health insurance is a policy which offers two halves of a partnership cover when it comes to their private healthcare needs.

Joint private health insurance gives you and your partner access to private healthcare quickly without having to worry about lengthy waiting lists for tests, diagnosis and treatment, enabling you to focus all your efforts on your other half. It also offers the convenience of a wider choice of hospitals or experts to visit which are conveniently placed for you both, as well as the ability to book appointments to best suit your schedule.

As a couple you could also look forward to the comfort and privacy of an en-suite room in which to recover, as well as access to specialist treatments and medicines possibly not available on the NHS. Finding the right joint health insurance quotes to cover you and your needs as a couple is essential.

What are the benefits of having joint health insurance in place?

Individual health insurance is fine if there is one of you, or a family policy may be better depending on how many of you are living under one roof. But, if you’re a couple living together and are both keen to put private health insurance in place, there are advantages to seeking out joint health insurance quotes too.

You will find that the cost of taking out a joint health insurance policy is often just as cost effective as taking out cover separately. You would both still be assessed independently -depending on the level of cover you choose, your age, lifestyle, health history and whether or not you smoke - and will likely find that the price is comparable to single policies because of this. The cost of these individual premiums will then be calculated and added together to result in the joint health insurance quote.

Another major advantage of taking out joint private health insurance is the amount of administration involved. With a joint private health insurance policy, you only need to fill out one set of policy paperwork – albeit in duplicate – and pay just one bill monthly, quarterly or annually. There’s also the added convenience of having one point of contact for both your healthcare needs should you need to make a claim.

Investing in a joint healthcare policy is also a great foundation to which children can be added if and when they come along too, by switching your cover agreement to a family policy quickly and easily as the need arises.

Does joint health insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Health insurance is designed to cover you for conditions that develop after you have taken out the policy, not conditions for which you already receive medication or treatment before the policy starts.

There are certain circumstances, however, in which insurance can be reinstated should you be treatment and symptom-free for two years after the start of your policy. Read our guide on health insurance for pre-existing conditions for more information.

When you take out a joint health insurance policy, your circumstances will be treated independently, so if your partner already has a condition for which he or she can’t be covered, but you have no such health condition, then you can still be covered for it.

Health insurance for couples

While individual health insurance is popular, there are advantages to taking out a joint health insurance policy if you are married or living with your partner. Often, the cost is comparable to single policies because you are assessed independently, depending on the level of cover you choose, your age, lifestyle, health history and whether or not you are a smoker. The cost of both individual premiums (payments) will then be calculated and added together to result in the joint premium sum.

The main advantage of taking out a joint health insurance policy is that there is less administration to keep track of. You need to fill in only one set of policy paperwork - albeit in duplicate - and pay just one monthly, quarterly or yearly bill. There’s also the convenience of having one point of contact for both your needs should you need to make a claim.

It’s also easy to add children to the policy, should you start a family, by setting up a family health insurance policy. If you’re unsure which policy is best for your needs, comparing health insurance quotes will help you see whether a single or joint policy is suitable.

What other joint insurance do I need?

If you or your partner do fall ill and become unable to work – or even pass away – your dependants can be left in a difficult situation financially. A joint life insurance policy can help to ease the financial burden should one of you die. 

You can also add joint critical illness cover to your policy, which will pay out should you or your partner suffer a serious illness or injury, or take out joint accident and sickness insurance, which can replace up to 70% of lost income if you’re unable to work for a spell.

Did you know that health insurance can include retail rewards and wellbeing support? Find out about some of the more surprising benefits of health insurance in our article.

Why compare joint health insurance with ActiveQuote?

ActiveQuote searches the market for quotes from all leading UK health insurance providers without obligation on your behalf. ActiveQuote enables you to compare health insurance for you and your partner online and also has a team of specialist advisors on hand to talk you through the process in person if that’s what you prefer.

We maintain direct relationships with our health insurance companies to guarantee that we are the first to hear about changes, new products and special offers. We will also automatically renew your cover every year and contact you if there is a better joint medical cover policy on the market.