Private Health Insurance
Over the past decade the UK government has invested billions into the national health service (NHS) which is still free at the point of entry. Before this investment it was wise to have private health insurance to jump the queue to get a consultant to see you in days rather than months or even years. Although the waiting lists have fallen to all time lows there are still many reasons to consider investing into your future for PHI or private medical insurance.
The Benefits of Private Medical Cover
So you may well ask what is the point of paying when the NHS is so great ? Well there are critical elements that you may or may not receive if you just choose the NHS over private cover.
- Your time - even today you could be waiting weeks to see a specialist. Many health policies allow you to also choose to wait 6 weeks and if you haven't seen someone in that time your cover kicks in. This can save you a lot of money but is also there for a fall back if you are still waiting
- Your choice of consultant - if you go with the NHS you are unlikely to be able to choose who you see. When you go privately you get to choose which consultant to see. And if you have a medical condition that means you will need to see someone over many months or years this ensures not only you can see the same person but also see a real specialist rather than their staff
- Your choice of hospital - There are many excellent private hospitals and teaching hospitals which NHS patients can not access. With private health care you can usually choose where you are treated and this is important if you live in the major UK cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham or Leeds. Of course with a private hospital you can also generally choose the exact day to have any operation or proceedure that you require.
- Care and facilities - Many people liken private hospitals to hotels these days because of the standard of what you receive once you enter through the doors but also how you are treated. Although you would expect the care in NHS hospitals to be of a high standard unfortunately this is not always the case.
Private Health Insurance - A Users Guide
So how do you choose the right health care plan for your circumstances ? What should you look for once you have the quotes ?
The best place to start is using our online quoting system. Once you enter the details about yourself and your family you will be able to see which providers can provide cover. Then it's down to the choices of what you believe is important based on your lifestyle. Here is our guide to choosing health insurance.
- Don't always go for the cheapest option - although you want private cover and price will be important you should decide the important elements that you require. Check the policies carefully before making a decision as providers price differently
- Check if additional children are covered - some policies allow you to add new children for no extra cost but others charge as if they were an adult
- Will you require cancer cover ? - some insurers include this in their basic cost but others will charge
- Ensure you add all your medical history - the worse thing that can happen is if your insurance company invalidates your policy because you haven't provided all the correct information. Please ensure that you answer any questions correctly
- The first 2 or 3 years - sometimes you won't be able to make a claim in the initial period so check what these entry points are and if you are satisfied with any agreements
- Check excess charges - some policies could charge you a fixed amount for each claim but some do not so check to see if there are any excesses that need to be paid
There are many combinations when choosing private health insurance so it's best to spend time going through your options and if you are in any doubt speak with a professional advisor. You can get quotes now by completing our online form above.