Private Medical Insurance [2026 guide]

Q: How to choose an affordable private medical insurance policy

Compare policy features and benefits – the number of additional features and benefits you get with a policy can vary between insurers, comparing insurers allows you to find the option that offers the right benefits for you (allowing you to make the most of your cover). Only choose cover that actually meets your needs – it’s tempting to add all the additional options and extras to your policy but this could lead to you paying more for your cover (which could become costly over the lifetime of the policy). Before taking out a policy, consider exactly the type of cover you need. Check your employee benefits – many employers provide private medical insurance as an employee benefit. If this is something you receive, check the policy documents to find out what’s included. This could reduce the amount of personal cover you need, or you might not even need a personal policy at all if the cover is sufficient for your needs. Lead a healthy lifestyle - not smoking, cutting back on alcohol and maintaining a healthy weight could help you to achieve more affordable premiums. Be open and honest during the application – it’s essential to give accurate and correct information when you’re asked about your medical history. Giving false information could invalidate your policy. Consider paying annually – some insurers offer a discount if you pay your premium annually, rather than monthly. If it’s within your budget, making the payment upfront each year could help you to save some pennies. Shop around to find a great price – as with any other insurance, it’s important to compare as many quotes as you can to make sure you’re getting the best price on a policy that meets your needs.

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Private medical insurance

What is private medical insurance?
How does private medical insurance work?
What does private medical insurance cover?
What are the benefits of private medical insurance?
What policy options are there?
How much is private medical insurance?
Who are the best private medical insurance providers?
Is private medical insurance worth it?
How to choose an affordable private medical insurance policy
Private medical insurance FAQs

Private medical insurance [quick summary]

Private medical insurance can help to cover the cost of private medical treatment
It helps to give you quicker access to specialists and treatments should you become ill
You’ll be covered for acute conditions that occur after a policy has been taken out. You won’t be covered for long term conditions or pre-existing conditions
It’s possible to add optional extras to your plan (such as dental cover, eye care, hearing care etc)
Comparing multiple plans can help you to find the right option for your needs

What is private medical insurance?

Private medical insurance (PMI), also known as private health insurance, helps to cover some or all of the cost of private medical treatment.

It allows you to get easy and fast access to:

Appointments
Diagnosis
Consultations
Specialists
Tests
Treatment
Surgery

In the UK, we benefit from having free healthcare through the NHS. However, this sometimes means long wait times before you can access the care you need.

By having private medical insurance in place, you’ll experience shorter wait times leading to quicker diagnosis and treatment.

How does private medical insurance work?

Private medical insurance works by helping to cover the cost of private medical treatment. This could be the full or partial cost of your treatment depending on what’s required and what’s included in your plan.

It helps to compliment NHS care by providing faster access to appointments, specialists and treatments following an initial GP visit.

The simple steps below breakdown how private medical insurance works:

Apply for a policy – when applying for private medical insurance, you’ll need to answer a questionnaire so that insurers can determine your eligibility and the price you’ll pay. You’ll also decide on details such as the type of policy you want (e.g. just for you or for you and your family) and your excess (you could choose not to have an excess, but this will increase the price you pay).
Pay your premiums – once a policy is in place, you’ll need to pay a monthly or annual premium to keep your cover valid.
Make a claims – if you develop a condition and want to claim on your policy, this typically involves seeing your GP and contacting your insurer. You’ll need to see your GP in order to get a referral and, once you’ve done this you’ll need to contact your insurer. They can check that your condition is covered and provide pre-authorisation if it is. Your insurer will then arrange your treatment. In some cases it could be possible to get treatment through your insurance without a GP referral.
Pay excess – if you have an excess included in your policy, you’ll need to pay your contribution when making a claim. It’s possible to choose not to have an excess but this will increase the price you pay for your monthly premium (the more you choose to pay for your excess, the cheaper your premium). Exactly how an excess works can vary between providers so it’s important to clarify this information when comparing quotes.
Receive treatment – with private medical insurance, you have the option of choosing a specialist/consultant/hospital from your insurers network. You’ll need to keep your insurer informed about what’s requested at your appointments so they can arrange for the costs to be covered.

What does private medical insurance cover?

Private medical insurance covers ‘acute conditions’ that occur once your policy is in place. An acute condition refers to an illness, injury or disease that is easily treatable and that you’ll likely make a full recovery from.

Exactly what’s covered will depend on the specific plan you take out. For example, more comprehensive plans will cover a more extensive range of services than a basic plan.

You could also choose to add optional extras to your plan (for an additional cost), this could include:

Dental care
Eye care
Hearing care
Additional physiotherapy
Complementary medicine
Comprehensive mental health cover

You won’t be covered for pre-existing medical conditions, long-term conditions (such as those that need ongoing treatment, rehabilitation or have no known cure) pregnancy and childbirth, chronic conditions, injuries from high-risk activities, emergency treatment and cosmetic surgery.

It’s always important to read the policy terms and conditions so you understand exactly what you will (and won’t) be covered for.

What are the benefits of private medical insurance?

The main benefit of private medical insurance is that you can often get faster access to medical treatment compared to going through the NHS.

There may be times where seeing your GP is sufficient to treat your illness. However, if you develop a condition that’s likely to need specialist treatment, this is where private medical insurance could help.

As of 2026, the number of people on NHS waiting lists has dropped but the median waiting time for elective (non-urgent) treatment is around 13 weeks (with the total waiting list standing at around 7 million people)^[1].

Having private medical insurance means you don’t have to put treatment on hold while you wait for your turn on a waiting list.

It’s also possible to get plans that can cover the whole family, adding an extra layer of peace of mind.

Benefits of private medical insurance:

Shorter wait times – you can receive private medical treatment, meaning you don’t have to wait on long NHS waiting lists
Specialist treatment – you could have access to specialist treatments, medications and consultants
Tailored cover – you can tailor your cover to best meet your needs. For example, you can choose a plan for just yourself or you could include your family or a partner. You can also choose a level of cover and whether you want to include additional covers (such as dental)
Better choice – you’ll have the choice of what facility you’d like to be treated at and which specialists you’d like to see (from your insurers network)
Added benefits – many plans include benefits such as mental health support services, access to 24/7 GP services as well as discounts on products or services that can support you in leading a healthy life (for example, discounts on gym memberships)

What policy options are there?

When taking out private medical insurance you can choose whether you want a policy just for yourself, for you and a partner or for the whole family.

Individual cover– individual cover will cover just you
Joint cover– a joint policy covers two people under one policy (for example, you and your partner). It could be a cheaper option than taking out two separate policies
Family cover– your whole family will be covered under the plan

Plans can also range from simple and budget friendly to comprehensive. What’s right for you will depend on your needs and circumstances.

How much is private medical insurance?

Private medical insurance can vary in price depending on your personal circumstances, the type of plan you take out, as well as what’s included in your plan.

Factors that influence the price of your cover include:

Age
Your medical history
Smoking status
BMI
Lifestyle
Where you live (this is because medical expenses can vary depending on location)
Policy details (such as your level of cover, any additional covers, as well as your excess)

We have used information from Bupa to give you an idea of the cost of a single policy. These prices are based on a non-smoker^[2].

Age	Approximate cost
Under 30	£28.61
Under 40	£44.33
Under 50	£61.78
Over 50	£70.71
Over 60	£103.21
Over 70	£173.07

Comparing multiple insurers can help you to find the most affordable deal for your circumstances.

Who are the best private medical insurance providers?

Some of the best rated private medical insurance providers include:

Aviva
Axa Health
Bupa
The Exeter
Vitality

All of the insurers listed above are rated 5 stars on independent review site, Defaqto. 5 stars is the highest rating an insurer can receive, with plans being assessed based on the features and benefits that are included.

However, what makes an insurer the best for you is whether they offer the cover you need at a price that fits into your budget.

Is private medical insurance worth it?

Hopefully this article has helped to explain private medical insurance and whether it could be worthwhile for you and your family.

If you worry about what would happen if you should fall ill, it can help to give you peace of mind that you can get a fast diagnosis and receive the treatment you need.

It can also help to give you extra peace of mind that your family are taken care of if you opt for a family plan.

How to choose an affordable private medical insurance policy

Compare policy features and benefits– the number of additional features and benefits you get with a policy can vary between insurers, comparing insurers allows you to find the option that offers the right benefits for you (allowing you to make the most of your cover).
Only choose cover that actually meets your needs – it’s tempting to add all the additional options and extras to your policy but this could lead to you paying more for your cover (which could become costly over the lifetime of the policy). Before taking out a policy, consider exactly the type of cover you need.
Check your employee benefits – many employers provide private medical insurance as an employee benefit. If this is something you receive, check the policy documents to find out what’s included. This could reduce the amount of personal cover you need, or you might not even need a personal policy at all if the cover is sufficient for your needs.
Lead a healthy lifestyle - not smoking, cutting back on alcohol and maintaining a healthy weight could help you to achieve more affordable premiums.
Be open and honest during the application – it’s essential to give accurate and correct information when you’re asked about your medical history. Giving false information could invalidate your policy.
Consider paying annually – some insurers offer a discount if you pay your premium annually, rather than monthly. If it’s within your budget, making the payment upfront each year could help you to save some pennies.
Shop around to find a great price – as with any other insurance, it’s important to compare as many quotes as you can to make sure you’re getting the best price on a policy that meets your needs.

Private medical insurance FAQs

What does private medical insurance not cover?

Private medical insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions and long-term conditions that require ongoing care or do not have a cure.

It also doesn’t cover pregnancy and childbirth, plastic surgery or chronic conditions.

What are the disadvantages of private medical insurance?

There are many benefits to private medical insurance, but there are also some drawbacks to consider:

You may need to pay an excess – when making a claim you’ll need to pay an excess towards the cost of your treatment. For example, if your treatment was £400 and your chosen excess is £200, you would pay £200 and your insurer will pay the remaining £200. It could be possible to choose no excess but this would increase the price you pay for your policy.
You won’t be covered for long-term or chronic conditions – private medical insurance only covers acute conditions. These are conditions that mean you can return to normal health and are cured/treated easily. Long-term or chronic conditions that require ongoing treatment won’t be covered.
You won’t be covered for pre-existing conditions – private medical insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing medical conditions. These are conditions that you have or have had prior to taking out a policy. however, some insurers may allow you to pay an increased premium in order to cover pre-existing conditions.
Costs could increase once a claim has been made – some insurers use ‘claims related pricing’ which means the price of your cover could go up if you make a claim.

Is private medical insurance a taxable benefit?

Yes, if you receive private medical insurance through your employer, it will be classed as a benefit in kind (making it a taxable benefit).

How much tax you pay for the benefit will depend on how much your employer is paying in premiums.

The cost of the premium will be added to your taxable income, meaning you will pay income tax on this amount.

However, if you contribute to the cost of the policy, your contribution isn’t subject to tax.

Does private medical insurance cover dental?

Yes, many private medical insurance policies allow you to add dental cover to your plan for an additional cost.

This could help to cover the cost of check-ups and treatments (such as fillings).