UK Medical Insurance Information and General Enquiries

Posted by datahealthconsultancy on August 22nd, 2015

The UK is one of the few places on earth that offers universal health care services for free. If this is the case, why do people still choose to pay for medical care through private insurance policies? According to surveys, the main reasons why people choose to go private are avoiding long wait lists and fear of hospital cleanliness and superbugs like MRSA and other infectious diseases that plague the society. Private medical insurance policies allows holders to be on the fast-track to healthcare, helping them circumvent long NHS waiting lists, and speed up treatment for curable and short-term medical problems. 

UK's health service is one of the best in the world, which is why PMI is not essential, although good to have if you have disposable income and are more than secure, financially, and do not mind using the NHS. 

A standard private medical insurance plan covers essential treatments like consultations, surgeries, nursing, and hospital care, although these also depend on the kind of plan you choose to invest in. Most plans exclude treatment for incurable conditions and drug addiction, although more comprehensive policies do offer additional benefits like dental and optical coverage and complementary medicine. 

Private medical insurance does not replace all NHS services, for example chronic conditions and accident and emergencies. These are some of the exclusions which you should consider, especially when you or a family member is suffering a serious ongoing illnesses. While a PMI can fast-track your treatment for acute medical conditions, you will not necessarily have the same advantage when addressing a chronic illness under a PMI policy. Additionally, you may not have unconstrained options when it comes to treatments because when you buy a policy, you may also be limited to a selection of treatments and their benefit limits. In most cases, the broader the policy's coverage is the higher premium you will likely have to pay. 

PMI premiums vary largely depending on the level of coverage you buy, your age, and the area you live in. Premiums also tend to rise annually as providers try to keep pace with rising medical costs. The risk of illness also increases with age, but discounts are usually available if you pay your annual premium upfront or agree to pay an excess on claims. 

About the Author: 

Dean Ghavami is the Director of DataHealth Consultancy Ltd which was founded back in 2000 and he has over 15 years of experience in the health insurance industry.