To consider private health insurance for my child following another frustrating nhs experience?

[JadeVS72]

Another nightmare nhs appointment waiting around for literally hours in hospital for my poor daughter (basic paediatric allergy patient, routine appointment)
Wondering about adding her to my vitality insurance through work, does anyone have this for kids and can comment? I think anything long term like allergies/eczema/asthma wouldn't be covered but things like private gp appointments would. Possibly not worth it (it hasn't come up for renewal yet but I seem to remember it not being cheap) as she is generally ok apart from those things! Interested in thoughts!

I’m about to look into this.

It might be possible to pay as you go for private GP, if most of the things you want aren’t covered (like allergies, or of course A&E).

I don't think most standard private health insurances provide GPs. I've have a few and they haven't. So you still need to see the GP for a referral. However as others have said, you can often access private GPs on a pay as you go basis. Appointments around where I am range from £40-60.

I think the vitality GP "perk" is actually really expensive - im sure the excess is like £200 - but that's for a year - so if you just use it the once in 12 months it's really expensive

I think on the current climate it's very worth it. If anything serious were to crop up you'll never regret having it.

We have vitality and it is actually brilliant. Online GP is free, face to face private GP is only £20 a visit. They actually send someone to your house to do bloods if needed.

Really easy referral process.

The earlier you get LO insured the better as they won't have many or any pre-existing conditions.

@JadeVS72

I don't think many, if any, insurers would cover existing medical conditions. They would only cover conditions that arose after taking out insurance. Also as a previous poster mentioned, GP appointments wouldn't be covered

Existing or anything treated for in last 2 years not covered. Other issue is often paediatric private very limited so I've had to travel further afield with my dc to use.

@nicknamehelp ah yes this is what I was finding looking for paediatric allergy specialists - nobody particularly local. I think for this particular case we will just pay to get her prick test done somewhere and send it to her consultant, I am going to call the nurse about this today and make sure that is ok!
@oliveandwell - Brilliant. I have found Vitality good for me, although haven't used the online GP yet. Gives us peace of mind as GP appointments aren't the smoothest here (submit an online form and hope they call you in the next few days to triage or give you an appointment) even if we didn't use it, nice to know it's there if needed although really hope she doesn't need referring for anything new 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

We have benenden for our family, it is £12.80 each a month and doesn't matter about if pre-existing or not. It is good for diagnosis but only covers some things for treatment. It's best to look and see online if it suits.

Yes add them. If it’s a company policy you’ll almost certainly have pre existing conditions covered, I always have my children seen privately unless it is an emergency. I have an excellent paediatrician who has looked after al my kids since they were babies. I use the GP for things like standard ear infections and things I know just need a quick look or prescription. Anything else I do privately, vitality and it’s covered,

@Rainydaysgetmedown ah brill thank you. I do hear good things from other people about Vitality and they have always been good to me (actually paid for some surgery I needed which I didn't expect them to agree to!) Hoping I will get the option up soon as current plan expires 1st June.

I have my kids on my BUPA through work, I think I pay less than £8 a month. Pre-existing conditions covered.

Used it loads, online GP several times particularly through COVID but also used on holiday in Greece when they both had ear infections - prescription sent to the local pharmacy and picked it up.

DT1 has had MRIs, several courses of physio - she has some joint issues. She would still be waiting to be seen on NHS.

I'm not sure this is true. I've just added my partner and DD to my insurance and it absolutely covers previous issues.

We have our daughter under our insurance. will be a couple hundred at most really. Our daughter cost about £500 but was more expensive as she was premie. My sister pays about £50 for each of her two kids. However, i will say to be careful to get inner london included (assuming you aren't too far) as my sister didn't and when her son needed gromits found all the pedatric ents operated out of harley street so it was a nightmare.

However, still finding long waits even for private doctors atm

I am sure it's a lot more expensive than this for us or would have done it sooner. I think maybe £30-40 extra a month to add child. Will have to understand the benefits as if I can just pay as I go for GP appointment or similar she definitely wouldn't need one every month!
Sounds like you have a great deal and great that you haven't had to wait for nhs!!

I put my son on my work policy. It's £25 a month, but happy to pay it to have him covered. It's great, and it's handy to have a GP 24/7, even if it is online. There is the option for a face to face app but a small charge. I think it's definitely worth doing. My work one covers previous medical issues also.

Aviva has an offer where if you have 2 children you don't pay for the youngest.

You should be able to add her to your work health insurance quite easily.

I was in my Dad's work insurance policy with BUPA until the age of 22 as I was at university - had my tonsils out & my impacted wisdom teeth out in my late teens.
Once I came off his policy, they gave me a decent monthly rate until the point that they had to pay out over £150k for an acute condition which then became chronic at which point my monthly payments became too high for me to afford.
Now because of yet more chronic conditions, I doubt I'd get any affordable health insurance anywhere.

Personal policies tend to be underwritten, however, many employers offer medical history disregarded so check the policy. If no underwriting, they'll see your child through to diagnosis, including allergy testing. Some employers choose to add private gp appointments to the policy, otherwise, you'll have the 24/7 virtual go service.

With allergies, once diagnosed, its unlikely that any management or treatment would be covered by the main policy, but you can pay for private prescriptions via the private/virtual gp service.

If underwritten, then it would only cover conditions where symptoms start after the policy start date.

Feel free to give me a shout if you want more info. I know the health insurance industry very well.

Sorry to hear about your chronic conditions! I suffer with rheumatoid arthritis so that's something I am very much stuck under nhs for but do have some very expensive meds so eternally grateful for this option!
I was similarly under my dad's Bupa until uni and saw physios and chiropractors for scoliosis! Good thoughts about things like tonsils and wisdom teeth- if she needed an operation I would much prefer a shorter wait and a private hospital for her! I think she will likely need braces unless her teeth straighten a lot in the next couple of years (she's 8) so also need to consider what's available through my work dental (Bupa) or whether we just do what we were planning and pay the fees for braces. None of us are under nhs dentist as moved area in 2018 and it is actually impossible here!

My kids are covered under my work private health policy, but it doesn’t cover primary care GP appointments. Make sure you look around if that’s something you want.

Also, they are covered at nil cost, with AXA

It depends what the underwriting is on your work policy as to whether pre existing conditions would be covered - some big companies are medical history disregarded so would be covered, some are moratoriums so pre existing covered after 5 years as long as you have spent 2 years symptom and treatment free.

I think it's worth it. Some companies even offer private GP services benefits now.

I've got PMI through work for my kids as well but it doesn't avoid sadly when you have to go to A&E, had some shocking experiences there recently.

I'm similar and this is why I use Benenden,

Thank you, that's very kind of you. She is diagnosed with allergies as of a few years ago so just has annual prick test and maintenance appointment so I don't think that would be covered unfortunately as it is routine maintenance. Would love her to grow out of the allergies! 😊

I’ve just added DS to my Vitality work insurance and it definitely includes GP access. Some specialists don’t even bother asking for a GP letter now - my gynae and dermatologist for starters.