AIBU of is BUPA Insurance a waste?

[bloodynewusernameagain]

I'm 39, currently pregnant. Have BUPA Health insurance

I took out insurance via BUPA and disclosed a previous UTI and the policy was confirmed stating they won't cover anything(!) in my abdomen. Which for a starter I thought was pretty shit if all I had was a UTI, don't 50% of women have one at some point in their lives?!

So I thought fuck it I'll cancel, then Covid hit and I thought I'll wait 'til the pandemic ends and cancel - not that I could really see any benefit to the cover re. Covid but just in case of cancer, NHS being under stress re. Covid etc etc. Then at the beginning of this year I became pregnant and thought well finally I might find some benefit to having private insurance. There doesn't seem to be anything at all - no option of getting anything (even paying a top up/supplementary/addition bit) birth wise, post-natal physical issues, neo-natal, anything.

Am I completely missing the point of private health coverage? It is about £70 per month and all I can think that it covers is cancer?

I keep uhhming and ahhing over whether to cancel. Please help me decide!

YABU - Keep the coverage you'd be a fool to lose the 2 years cover built upnow
YANBU - Waste of money/private health insurance is a rip off

Thank you!

I don't want to make assumptions about anyone's politics but beneden isn't private healthcare in the same vein as Bupa. It's a not for profit mutual and has the expectation that everyone uses the NHS. It's only if waiting lists are excessive do they offer help

I have it through my employer and our coverage includes pre-existing conditions which is rare. I've used it extensively, for physio for my back as well as ongoing therapy for my anxiety and some other minor things.

Definitely worth it for me

I have BUPA through work and admittedly have never needed it for anything pregnancy related as no DC. But every time I have needed it (I have a chronic skin condition which they cover) they have been amazing. Apointments within 24 hrs at most, excellent advice etc et.

We had it through my work when my husband was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer. I think it might have saved his life as he'd been operated on and was about to start chemo before we got a call for his initial nhs referral from the GP.

Private healthcare is really useful for injuries and for access to procedures that would otherwise have a long waiting list with the NHS.

I wouldn't have it if my work didn't provide it as a benefit. It was useful though when I broke a bone and could access an immediate fracture clinic rather than wait for the NHS one. Plus then I felt like I'd freed up an NHS space that could be used by someone else.

A colleague of mine recently had a procedure that was an 18 month waiting list for on the NHS and she had it done within weeks. It wasn't something life limiting, but it was something that was causing her a lot of discomfort and pain, so it was useful to avoid the wait.

My DF has some cardio issues. If he had private healthcare they'd see him quickly, but as it is he's got to wait until November for an NHS consultant.

The problem with there being 2 systems is that if my DF was able to go private, he'd probably be seen by the same consultant that's seeing him on the NHS as many seem to work for both and therefore end up giving the NHS less time, thereby increasing the wait times.

If no-one had private healthcare, all these HCPs working in private would be able to work for the NHS, but then of course the NHS probably couldn't afford them. It's a bit of a conundrum!

We have Axa through DH’s job and there are no exclusions of pre existing conditions which is fantastic for me because I’m chronically I’ll and disabled

Both DC are covered till 25 which is great and takes them well past Uni till they’re working themselves

Over the years it’s been literally a lifesaver, I’ve had many investigations, operations and physio.

I’m currently waiting to have eye surgery but will have to wait for up to a year as I need a transplant and there is a shortage but it will be done privately when it’s done just in the nhs private wing of our local hospital

@FOTB I took the job I've now been In for 6 months precisely because they offer private health which includes previous medical history disregarded. I pay for it and added my daughter but I think it's well worth it now

It's a standard perk in my line of work - God knows what I'll do when I'm so old I have to retire. Fingers crossed I'll be rich by then and be able to afford my own personal policy...

Health insurance like any insurance seems expensive if you never need to claim but is a godsend if you do need to.

Also it provides other benefits such as swift consultations which may lead to nothing but brings peace of mind rather than being on a long waiting list, operations to suit you and your work schedule/social occasions such as weddings and holidays without needing to cancel/miss out.

As mentioned above means counselling and mental health services can be accessed almost instantly when needed rather than 2 years down the line (when it may be too late!)

So at the end of the day is personal choice as to whether the cost outweighs the peace of mind.