private health insurance

[LadyWithLapdog]

Due to a recent health scare I was thinking maybe we should consider private health insurance. Opposed to it in principle, NHS supporter etc etc. No other medical conditions but we're not getting younger and may need some checks in the future and better to have them done quickly for peace of mind. We don't get the choice through work, so it'd be self-organised. Anything to look for or avoid? Thank you.

BUPA are very expensive and often worse than many other providers.
I have had really experiences with both AxA and Aviva. Currently I am with Aviva and they have been brilliant with a investigation and treatment of a breast lump,a chronic autoimmune condition and carpal tunnel syndrome.
There are specialist healthcare brokers and they can be helpful in explaining the advantages and disadvantages of policies as they are not all the same.

Thank you. I haven't heard of brokers, I'll do some googling to research this.

I'm going to say something totally different of course, me and DH are with BUPA full comp. We looked around at different insurers but once you addon all the extras for comparison they would out to be about the same cost.

One reason we picked Bupa is that we wanted to add an excess so that we weren't paying such high monthly amounts and rather would pay out when needed. Bupa work their excess per a person per a year where as other insurers we spoke to stated excess per a illness. We were also assured that claims on Bupa should not increase our overall cost, whereas other insurers stated they would.

I think you should have a look at the big companies, all the reviews are negative for most of them as of course who ever bothers writing positive reviews?

But as far as I'm concerned I have had my claim promptly with every option available to me.

Also I wonder, Lonecat have you ever been with Bupa? Lots of people make claims about companies without actually having ever tried them out?

Was with BUPA for seven years half the premium and improved the cover by moving.
Yup tried them they are expensive and rubbish.

I would add Aviva truly have been marvellous I could not fault them on any of the claims I have made, even going out of their way to find a way to pay for ongoing medical conditions.

BUPA have not increased the amount that they pay to consultant for 10 years and are now reducing it. Any who won't work for the pittance they pay are being deregisted. If you are with BUPA, expect not to have a free choice of consultant and to have to pick up some of the cost yourself.

Aviva, pruhealth, WPA and exeter have a good reputation.

We were also assured that claims on Bupa should not increase our overall cost

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. wait til you claim.....

Thanks for more options on this.

Been with Bupa, PruHealth and Cygna through work. Bupa was ok years ago but recently noticed all my consultant info comes with warnings that full costs aren't covered for Bupa patients, so you're left to pick up the extra!

PruHealth good and if has a sort of club which can reduce premiums if you have certain behaviours. Never worked for us as none of the shops/health clubs etc were close enough. Paid out but took some time. Had useful Personal Health Fund you could use to get physio without going through GP.

Cygna - only had it a few months. Not so flexible as Pru we find and covers less. They seem to pay claims quickly though.

Soggy, DH has a corporate plan with BUPA which includes cover for me and the boys.

Five years ago I had arthoscopy to the knee. I feel the same problem has come back so rang BUPA got the authorisation number but was told my old consultant is no longer plan approved for our plan... So now I have to see someone else which yes he is probably just as good but would rather have seen my old consultant.

We have private cover with my job. We are 8-9yrs from retirement and were thinking of saving say 75% of potential premiums in a savings account every month. Then if needed we would dip into it as required. Wouldn't let it get over about 6k. I still believe the NHS is good for something really urgent.

remember that private health will NOT cover you for pre existing conditions - so your scare will be excluded from cover but they will still ramp up your premiums.

The NHS is amazing.
Do not let people tell you otherwise.

I went private on an op for DS but would always stay within the NHS by choice.

The NHS is not amazing. It's crumbling......My company policy does cover pre existing illnesses as well.

I went privately on this occasion because I was going on holiday and wanted an answer ASAP. I haven't received the invoice yet (nice little thing to get back to). It just set me thinking that we should look into private insurance for situations like this. It wasn't a cancer sort of scare that would have been very urgent otherwise. Thanks for all the posts on this. They all help. I will shop around.