to take out health and critical illness insurance?

[FrenesiGates]

I'm nearing 40 and am getting increasingly worried about what would happen if I were to get seriously ill (no foundation for this, just general worries about getting older!) I am thinking about health insurance and critical illness insurance but have no idea where to start and what to look for... any advice? Is health insurance worth it in the UK with the NHS? I keep hearing different things. It also seems very expensive from what I've seen and I don't have lots of disposable income, but am scared of getting ill and having to deal with illness and financial worries. Thank you!

I suspect that having a broker pays off when you need to make a claim. I would have struggled to fill that amount of forms in myself and made mistakes but I was very clearly and carefully talked through them.

Have you considered getting income protection insurance rathan than critical illness? The latter often has so many exclusion clauses that claims can be difficult, but the former simply pays out if you can't work through illhealth (there will still
be the usual exclusions of course).

@MoonMum90 thank you for the names! I'll reach out

@mauvish I did consider income protection as I work freelance but felt that the serious / critical illness cover was more suitable – I have no idea if that was the right decision or not tbh!

I'm glad someone mentioned income protection insurance, that's what I went for in the end. But no idea if it's right for you - I agree 100% with getting a broker.

Look very very carefully at Vitality before you go with them. They are cheaper but they have a lot of restrictions, like having to keep to a particular weight. I decided I couldn't be sure of that.

Plans will pay out if you have disclosed your medical history, smoking or vaping history.

Claims are honoured if you have the condition like any insurance.

The benefits are free of taxation. It's the most valuable investment of your life and lifestyle

Not sure on critical illness insurance but definitely yes to the private health insurance. I left the UK 2 years ago now, but in my 15 years prior I always had private health insurance. It was useful, I got treatment very quickly for various things, I got an MRI within 2 days of an injury, I got access to great surgeons etc. I never ended up using the NHS because every time I needed something it was 2 weeks wait just for an initial appointment!

I convinced my mum to get private insurance and she relatively soon after that got thyroid cancer and received excellent and quick care.

When we go back to the UK, we are definitely taking private health insurance again.

We have private health insurance via Benenden, been members for over 25 years, sensible premiums, our whole family is covered. We have all claimed over the years, children have seen dermatologist, ENT consultants, paediatric gastroenterologist, and Ed psych. I had my MS diagnosis funded by them. And my gallbladder surgery. Everything we have ever needed they have authorised.

I was coming to the thread to mention Beneden. Not so much medical insurance but possibly a useful safety net?