Cost of private health insurance

[MiAmoreChicaDee]

If you have it, how much do you pay for your private health insurance to get decent cover? I’d like to have insurance to cover my husband and I and our two children. I don’t want basic cover, but I don’t want top notch either. We’re not currently in the UK, but may move back soon.

We started off paying about £275 about 5 years ago for 2 adults but it doubled to £500+ over 3 years for no apparent reason.
we cancelled it, and now put £500 pm into a savings account to cover any big bills

Private insurance in the UK still requires a referral from the NHS.

I have a friend who was a physio for BUPA and he said they had KPIs to refer 9 out of 10 back to the NHS.

It's utterly shocking but make sure you are aware what you are getting for your money.

And I say that as someone waiting for a non urgent keyhole operation that is a 2 year waiting list on the NHS.

But if I want to pay £3k I could get it next week privately.

The fact it would probably be the same staff moonlighting is neither here nor there. And yes I am bitter about it.

We are with AXA PPP, my DH is on an existing old style policy that covers everything and will do whilst he continues paying, it’s expensive but don’t want to change it, due to having existing medical conditions covered. Myself and 2 adult DC are on a no claims policy with them a bit like car insurance, if you claim your premiums go up, otherwise it stays the same, we pay £1,700 per year 64, 33 and 29 year old. We have no outpatients cover, as it only pays out first £500 and have an excess of £1,000, but these bring the price down. DC2 has claimed 3 times for knee operations, DH had an urgent triple heart bypass operation and 10 nights in hospital, 2 in HDU, plus a couple of smaller operations all covered. With AXA you don’t have to be referred in some instances.

In the past I’ve had private medical via my work, and DH has had 2 operations on it that wouldn’t have happened so quickly (if at all) on the NHS. I had an MRI and some physio, which over the 20 or so years wouldn’t have been good value if I’d paid for it myself!

We don’t have it now (not got it through work any more) as the monthly cost is too high - I would rather pay as we go for things like physio, and if another big procedure was needed then we’d take a loan if we don’t have the savings (which we would have at least some saved by not paying the premium).

Thanks MindyMomo that’s very helpful

Mine doesn't with Bupa - half the time my GP doesn't know what I'm up to until he gets a letter

I've litterally just been looking at mine today. I pay £70 pm just for me with bupa. 250£ excess which keeps cost lower and "guided options" which means they decide my hospital lists

I am underwritten since 2022 as I had a medical history disregarded policy so pre existing conditions were covered this was via my job but when I left them I managed to get insurance on a continued basis so kept my mhd underwriting.

I have access to bupa GP so can get onward referral through this if needed. Not my nhs GP.

Dh and dd covered via dh work

We have family Bupa including gp and mental health services through work. It’s about £180 a month.

I’m with AXA and pay £98 a month just for myself, my children are £46 each.

Mine didn’t and I’m with BUPA.

£300 two adults and one child. For the procedure I needed the waiting list on the NHS was at least 12 months so I decided to use our private healthcare and it’s was all sorted and done within 8 weeks

not true about referrals. I had issues with Gallstones and booked an appointment to see a consultant through Bupa.

Had initial meeting, tests, and gallbladder removal within 9 weeks of consultation - first my doctor knew about it is when they had a letter from the consultant and surgeon.

But they are not moonlighting?? There is nothing secret about the fact that consultants/surgeons etc have a private list as well as an NHS list.

I am with axa through work and we have a private GP. I’ve had quite a few surgeries done via insurance and I only use my private GP. It’s unlimited and some weeks if we have an issue I have 4-5 appointments (online). I think it’s one of the best perks ever. I’ve never been denied and I’ve done lots of physiotherapy and also mental therapy. Don’t know how much I pay.

I used to have it through work and paid a bit extra to cover DH and DS. During that time I had a small op on my foot and DH had a knee cartilage op, both of which we could have had on NHS but would have waited a couple of years for (Wales).
Now I don’t have it through work any more, we looked at cost at it would have been > £300/ month for the two of us. We are in our 50s, fit and well non smokers. That’s a lot of money. DH recently paid £5k for a knee op (same thing in the other knee), we reasoned that a) might not have been covered as kind of pre-existing in the other knee, b) would make premiums go up in subsequent years, c) a few years of saving would cover it anyway. We decided that « self insuring » is more efficient and anything super urgent or serious would default to NHS anyway.
I don’t think we’re set up for private health here unless it’s a corporate scheme or you’re very wealthy. There is no middle tier layer where you can Co-pay like in other countries.

I pay £66 a month for me and my 14 month old. Zero excess. Includes cancer cover
I use WPA Health

£150 per month it Has full cancer cover which I ended up having to use last year, so I’m expecting it to go up when it’s renewed because of that.

you don’t need an nhs referral as someone said above at least not with bupa.

I am self employed so have it for peace of mind as I can't afford to be off work too long if I fell ill and was incapacitated until I could get treatment. I pay around £800 per annum (currently 56) and have never claimed so far. I understand from others' experience that if you claim the premiums can shoot up quite quickly. I've had the policy for the last 10 years or so, since becoming self employed.

Some things need a GP referral, others, like mental health or physio, you can self-refer. I have access to a private GP however (which doesn't affect your no-claims) which is a real bonus and means the referral thing shouldn't be an issue.

They do (with my permission) track my exercise levels which brings my premium down by around 5% a year as long as I stay active.

61 year old no claims but £1,380 per annum for a very comprehensive policy but £500 excess.

Thank you everyone, your responses have been very helpful. From what you’re saying, it’s possible to get good cover for not as much as I feared.

Do remember that if you have an operation, you will be charged for any medication you are given to take at home. Private insurance doesn’t cover it. Also, they will not cover a chronic condition.

Have any of you got pre existing conditions? If so they will either be excluded or the cost may rocket.

OP try a broker. We are in our 60s with pre existing conditions and have a good policy (£124 per month) via Usay Compare. They appear to be very professional so far. Just took the policy out a couple of years ago.

Just saw this had been bumped, mine ended up going up not too much, only 8 pounds more, not sure why so little, I expected it to be a lot more with how much it was used