Health Insurance - Private Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance and Critical Illness Cover

Welcome to health insurance.

Why do you need health insurance?

Health insurance is an add-on to the National Health Service. Also known as private medical insurance (PMI), health insurance is cover taken out to pay bills for your medical treatment.

The main reasons people take out health insurance are to avoid long queues to see a specialist or to get hospital treatment and to be treated in clean hospitals of their choice.  PMI can also mean being treated with the latest drugs that are banned by the NHS as they are seen to be too expensive for general use.

It's only designed to pay out for illnesses that are curable - not long term conditions such as asthma or diabetes. You also shouldn't regard private health insurance as an alternative to the NHS which is free for everyone to use and is the first port of call in an emergency.  In most cases you'll still visit your GP for an initial diagnosis before going private. PMI also gives you the opportunity to get a second opinion if you’re unsure of advice given to you by your GP.

What sort of health insurance policy should I take out?

Choosing the right cover can be a minefield.  The type of cover available varies widely.  You could opt for a low-cost cash plan, choose to cover only those illnesses you are particularly worried about such as cancer or go for different levels of private medical insurance ranging from budget policies to gold-plated comprehensive cover.

Our health insurance guides section will explain how the different levels of private health insurance, hospital cash plans, critical illness and income protect work.  Our guides spell out the differences, so you can be sure you’re making the right decision.

You can also keep up to date with the latest developments in health insurance in our news section and follow more detailed in-depth articles in our features section.

To discuss your needs, you can contact one of our FSA-regulated specialists in health insurance who will help you pinpoint the type of cover that’s right for you  and warn you about exclusions for pre-existing conditions and limits on the amounts you’ll receive.

Go to the quotes page to ask a specialist to compare costs for you for free without any hard sell or confusing jargon.

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Choosing the right medical insurance is really important so why not let an advisor search the market to find the best cover for your needs so you don't have to.

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NB. If you are thinking of taking out a new Private Medical Insurance policy or transferring your existing policy you may not be covered for existing or pre-existing medical conditions.

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