Lost faith in the NHS? Why not get the very best healthcare promptly when you need it, with Private Medical Insurance (PMI).

PMI arguably used to be the preserve of the rich, but with innovative and cost effective new plans on the market, and contrary to popular perception it is now generally affordable to the average family budget.

Even though the current Government would argue that N.H.S standards have improved in the last couple of years, most people would agree that the UK still lags behind many of our European neighbours when it comes to providing a consistent level of healthcare provision.

"The Obesity Time Bomb"

The future prospects of the NHS to deliver first class healthcare for all is questioned further by a population that are living longer due to advances in medical science but conversely are victims of what the government terms "The obesity time bomb" a large demographic of people hooked on convenience and fast foods combined with little or zero exercise.

Bizarrely the government have even mentioned cash reward incentives for weight loss and the idea of a fat tax - where duty on some high fat foods would be higher!

Why do I need Private Healthcare Insurance?

Key Issues for going private

• Inconsistency of state funded healthcare provision
• Quality of care and treatment
• Waiting lists for diagnostics and treatment
• Issue of standards of hygiene in many hospitals
• Mixed hospital wards are still common
• The post code lottery for treatment and drugs

"Consumers by and large are used to freedom of choice and quality of service provided by a modern economy, many could argue that provision of healthcare provided by the state is at odds with that idea!"

Choosing the Right Healthcare Plan

There are many plans available - from low cost schemes, offering limited cover, to wide-ranging cover and benefits. Certain schemes even incentivise you to say fit & healthy and then reward you with reduced premiums and subsidised gym membership (conditions apply). Finding the right plan to suit you or your families needs may seem confusing at first, but that's what we are here for.

Helping you choose...with so many different types of plans available, our healthcare specialist Steve will discuss the individual or family plans available and help you choose the plan that meets your requirements and budget.

Free Consultation
If you would like a Free consultation with Steve to discuss Private Medical Insurance options or review your existing arrangements, call us on 01522 540555 or simply fill in the enquiry form

Private Medical Insurance - The Main Advantages

• Prompt access to private medical treatment and diagnostics
• Choice of hospitals and specialists
• Private room usually with en-suite facilities
• No postcode lottery for treatment and drugs

How do I choose the right cover?

When looking at cover, it is useful to know that treatment is categorised in the following way.

Out Patient

• Treatment given at a hospital, consulting room or out-patient clinic where you do not go in for day-patient or in-patient treatment.

Day Patient

• Treatment which, for medical reasons, means you have to go into a hospital or day-patient unit because you need a period of clinically-supervised recovery. However, you do not have to stay overnight.

In Patient

• Treatment which, for medical reasons, means you have to stay in hospital overnight or for longer.

There are a large variety of schemes available - from low cost schemes, offering limited cover, to those which offer wide-ranging cover and benefits. Most schemes offer cover for in-patient and day-patient treatment, but not always out-patient treatment.

You will need to decide what sort of cover you want. There are a number of things you will have to consider, here are a few examples.

• Do you want your cover to include seeing a specialist as an out-patient?
• Do you want a choice of hospitals?
• Do you want ancillary benefits such as physiotherapy and alternative medicine covered?
• Do you want cover for dental, optical, travel or even discounted health club membership?

Frequently asked questions

What is usually covered by private healthcare insurance?

Private medical insurance is designed to cover the costs of private medical treatment for what are commonly known as acute (curable) conditions. Most insurers define an "acute condition" as a disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment which 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.

What is usually excluded?

Primary care (Your G.P) and accident and emergency admissions.

General exclusions include Drug abuse, self-inflicted injuries, out-patient drugs and dressings, HIV/AIDS, infertility, normal pregnancy, cosmetic surgery, gender reassignment (also known as sex change) kidney dialysis, mobility aids, experimental treatment, experimental drugs, organ transplants, war risks, injuries arising from dangerous hobbies (often called "hazardous pursuits").

What happens if I have a pre-existing condition?

Private health insurance is designed to cover unforeseen conditions that occur in the future, however in some cases a pre-existing condition may be covered after a qualifying period depending on the insurer.

Can I switch from another health insurance plan?

There are many insurers now that will let you switch from one plan to another without having it affecting your medical history, again dependent on the insurer.

Will my premiums increase in the future?

Whichever scheme you choose, your premiums may rise above the rate of general inflation. This is because of factors which affect how healthcare is provided in all western economies. Each year more people claim on their insurance cover for private medical treatment. A hip replacement for example, typically costs around £6,000 and is a common procedure, particularly for older patients. The number, sophistication and cost of treatments to improve quality of life are increasing steadily. Most private medical insurance policies aim to cover these treatments as they become established medical practice and available privately.

Some plans available include a no claims discount to control costs and there is now one insurer that enables a policy holder to reduce premiums based on how they maintain their health throughout the policy year.

What other add-on benefits are available?

Many plans enable you to add on dental, optical and travel cover, there are also some offering discounted health club membership to encourage policyholders to keep fit.

Do I need a medical to apply?

No. You do not need a medical.

What age can I apply for cover?

Generally between 18 and 80 dependent on each insurer, once in progress there is usually no age limit to cover.

Free Consultation
If you would like a Free consultation with Steve to discuss Private Medical Insurance options or review your existing arrangements, call us on 01522 540555 or simply fill in the enquiry form