Private health insurance - is it worth it?

[mamhaf]

I've posted this in legal/money matters too.

We currently have Bupa healthcare insurance on a special rate via my employer.

But the premiums have steadily risen (as they do for everyone as you get older) and the latest renewal notice says it'll be £134 a month with a £250 excess per person per year.

If we have a £500 excess it'll be £109.

We have used it a few times for various treatments over the years - e.g. some gynae problems for me; a back problem for dh and a minor skin complaint for dd2.

We've also had some good and bad experiences with the NHS and so the private healthcare has been useful for peace of mind.

But with prices rising, neither of our jobs all that secure in the present climate, I'm wondering whether to keep it going.

Moneysavingexpert says it's a luxury not a necessity and suggests putting the premiums into a a high-interest account as a way of insuring yourself - that way if you need private physiotherapy or the like you can pay for it from that fund.

What do other people think? If you have private health insurance, what are the advantages would you say?

Has anyone had experiences with the NHS which makes them wish they had had the insurance?

Thanks

My DH has private health insurance and has needed it only once.

He had a bad back a few years ago and was referred on NHS. In the mean time he realised his insurance covered it and got referred privately.

In the end, he had seen a consultant, had a scan and had surgery, 5 weeks before his first NHS appointment would have been.

I was glad he had it but then, despite some horror stories, the NHS is improving in some areas.

Do you get on well with your GP? Might be an idea to seek his opinion - healthcare has a lot to do with the area you live in.

I (fortunately) have company health insurance which covers the family. I only have to pay the tax on this benefit.

My DH has various quite complicated health issues, we have been very glad to be able to get consultations with experts (in London, not our area). At some point DH will probably need surgery, and its the sort of procedure where the success rates vary hugely with the experience of the surgeon.

Whether its a luxury or a necessity depends on whether any of your family have (or are likely to have) conditions which the NHS does not yet cope well with.

I wish we didn't need it but I'm jolly glad we do.

Thanks - I guess it's like all insurance, you never know if it's worth it until you really need it.

The treatment we have had using the private healthcare was quick and good, but of course I don't know how that would've compared with the NHS.

Good idea to ask the GP - as it happens, dh has an appointment this afternoon so I've asked him to see what the GP says. I suppose the question to ask is whether the GP has it for himself and his own family.