Private health insurance UK — cover that fits your situation
Private health insurance UK sits alongside the NHS for faster access to acute, curable treatment. We compare every UK-authorised PMI provider so you do not have to.
- FCA-authorised broker
- FSCS-protected (90%)
- FOS dispute resolution
Last updated: May 2026
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Who is the cover for?
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Trusted sources
- NHS EnglandRTT data
- MoneyHelperGOV-backed
- MoneySavingExpertCited
- HMRCIPT 12%
- FCA RegisterFRN verifiable
FCA-authorised broker
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FRN is verifiable on the FCA Register.
FSCS-protected
FSCS covers 90% of valid PMI claims with no upper cap if your insurer fails.
FOS dispute resolution
Free, independent escalation through the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Independent broker
Member of AMII. We compare every authorised PMI provider rather than push a single carrier.
What is private health insurance, and how does it work with the NHS?
Private medical insurance (PMI), also called private health insurance, is an optional UK policy that pays for treatment of acute and curable conditions in private hospitals. It runs alongside the NHS, not as a replacement. The NHS still handles emergencies, chronic care and routine pregnancy.
Emergencies, chronic care, the safety net
- Emergencies & A&E
- Ambulance services
- Routine pregnancy
- Chronic conditions
- Long-term care
Faster, private route for acute, curable conditions
- Consultant in days
- Private hospital room
- Faster surgery for acute conditions
- Cancer treatment pathways
- Mental health (with cover)
PMI buys you speed and choice. In plain English, a typical claim looks like a consultant appointment within days rather than weeks, a private hospital room, and a faster route to surgery for an acute condition. NHS England's elective waiting list stood at about 7.11 million pathways in March 2026 (NHS England RTT data), roughly 1.6 times the pre-pandemic baseline. That backlog is the biggest reason UK adults now pay for PMI.
PMI does not replace the NHS. It excludes A&E, ambulance services, routine pregnancy and long-term chronic conditions. It is also not the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). If you arrived on a visa, the IHS gives you NHS access; PMI is what you add on top for specialist speed.
Is private health insurance worth it in the UK?
For 2026, PMI is worth it if speed of specialist treatment matters more to you than the £40-£200/month premium. That tends to be the self-employed, families with young children, and over-60s facing 18-week waits. It is less compelling for healthy 20-somethings using the NHS rarely. Insurance is risk pooling, not a savings account.
Worth it for
- Self-employed people whose income depends on speed of recovery
- Families with children needing routine outpatient referrals
- Over-60s with managed conditions and long NHS waits
- Anyone near a specific NHS bottleneck (orthopaedic, dermatology, gynaecology)
Less compelling if
- You are young and healthy with no recurring appointments
- You are happy waiting NHS times for non-urgent care
- A high-excess savings buffer suits your finances better
The cold version of the maths: a 30-year-old on £55/month comprehensive cover spends £660 a year. PMI pays out when one major outpatient pathway or surgery would otherwise cost £3,000-£15,000 privately, or wait 18+ weeks on the NHS.
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How much does private health insurance cost in the UK?
UK private health insurance costs from £17 per month for a 30-year-old entry-level policy and rises to roughly £200 a month at age 70 for cover at the comprehensive tier. Industry sampling across 2026 puts the typical age curve at £42 at 30, £132 at 60 and £207 at 70. All quoted UK PMI premiums include Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) at 12%, the rate set by HMRC.
Comprehensive cover — monthly premium curve
ComprehensiveIPT — All prices include Insurance Premium Tax at 12% (HMRC; rate unchanged since June 2017). On a £100 net premium, IPT adds £12.
Six levers that move the premium
Age
Each decade adds 30-50% to the premium.
Postcode
London and the South East priced higher than the North or Wales.
Excess
A £500 excess over £100 typically cuts the premium 10-20%.
Hospital list
A guided list is cheaper than nationwide.
Outpatient pot
A £500 capped pot is cheaper than unlimited.
Add-ons
Mental health, dental and optical riders each add cost.
What private health insurance covers (and what it excludes)
UK PMI is built around acute and curable conditions: issues with a clear start, treatment plan and end. Anything ongoing, emergency or routine sits with the NHS. Treatment usually needs a GP referral first.
Covered
Inpatient
Overnight stays, surgery, anaesthetist fees
Day-patient
Procedures with no overnight stay
Outpatient
Consultant appointments, scans, physiotherapy (capped or unlimited)
Cancer cover
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and oncology consultations
Mental health
Comprehensive tier or upgrade module; not standard on basic
Virtual GP
Increasingly bundled in modern policies
Excluded
Pre-existing conditions
Excluded under moratorium and FMU unless transferred via CPME
Chronic conditions
Once chronic (diabetes, asthma, arthritis, MS), the NHS continues care
Routine pregnancy
NHS handles routine maternity
A&E and ambulance
NHS only; PMI is for non-emergency care
Cosmetic surgery
Excluded across the UK market
Optical, dental, hearing
Available via a separate cash plan
Many carriers let you bolt on dental, optical, mental health or international travel cover. Defaqto stars rate cover breadth independently.
Pre-existing conditions and UK underwriting routes
UK private medical insurance uses one of four underwriting routes for pre-existing conditions. Moratorium underwriting looks back 3-5 years and lets a condition become eligible after 2 years symptom-free. Full medical underwriting (FMU) declares everything upfront. CPME transfers exclusions from a previous insurer. Medical history disregarded is rare and usually employer-only.
- MOR
Moratorium
Pre-existing handling
Excluded; covered after 2 years symptom-free (no treatment, symptoms or advice). Lookback 3-5 years.
Healthy buyers who want simple onboarding
- FMU
Full Medical Underwriting (FMU)
Pre-existing handling
Each condition rated, excluded or covered up front.
Buyers who want certainty about specific conditions
- CPM
Continued Personal Medical Exclusions (CPME)
Pre-existing handling
Your existing insurer's exclusions carry across.
Switchers with an existing UK PMI policy
- MHD
Medical History Disregarded (MHD)
Pre-existing handling
Most pre-existing conditions covered from day one.
Rare; usually employer schemes
The honest answer on moratorium: a symptom-free reset means no consultations, treatment, prescriptions or advice for that condition during the moratorium window. Providers differ on the 3-vs-5 year lookback, so always check the wording.
How to lower your private health insurance premium
Five practical levers cut a UK private health insurance premium: increase the excess, switch to a guided hospital list, choose a 6-week NHS wait option, drop optional add-ons, and consolidate household policies into one family policy. Each lever typically saves 10-20%, provider-dependent.
- 10-20% saving
Increase the excess
£100 to £500 usually cuts the premium 10-20%. You pay more per claim, but only when you claim.
- 10-15% saving
Switch to a guided hospital list
Vetted hospitals only. For most buyers outside central London, that is plenty.
- 15-20% saving
Choose a 6-week NHS wait option
You only claim if the NHS would make you wait more than 6 weeks.
- Provider-dependent
Drop optional add-ons
Dental, optical and international travel riders each add cost.
- 10-25% saving
Consolidate to a family policy
Usually cheaper than two individual ones; children added at a discount.
We will model these trade-offs against your medical history.
Who is private health insurance right for?
Five cards covering the audiences we see most often. Pick the one closest to you.
Families
Paediatric speed of access, plus a mental health add-on for teens. Family policies usually undercut two individual ones.
Price rangeCompare family cover →£150-£250/month
Self-employed
Speed (every NHS wait day is a lost billable day). Sole traders cannot deduct PMI; Ltd directors face a taxable benefit in kind (reported via payroll from April 2026).
Price rangeCompare self-employed cover →£60-£120/month
Over-60s
Honest handling of managed conditions. Moratorium-friendly carriers versus mutual flat-fee options.
Price rangeCompare cover for over-60s →£132-£207/month
Young professionals
Mental health, early access, wellness perks. A high-excess savings buffer can rival entry PMI.
Price rangeCompare young-professional cover →£17-£44/month
Expats arriving in the UK
Your IHS covers NHS access; PMI adds specialist speed. CPME may transfer prior cover.
Price rangeCompare cover for newcomers →£40-£90/month
How to buy, claim and switch private health insurance
Buying UK PMI is a four-step regulator-driven process: compare via an FCA-authorised broker, read the IPID, underwrite, and use your FCA 14-day cooling-off period to review. Claiming starts with a GP referral and pre-authorisation. Switching uses CPME to carry exclusions across.
Buying
Compare via an FCA-authorised broker
Broker fees are paid by the insurer.
Read the IPID
Insurance Product Information Document. Mandatory under FCA / IDD rules.
Underwrite and pay
Complete moratorium or FMU questionnaire; pay the first premium.
Review during cooling-off
FCA gives you 14 days to cancel with a pro-rata refund.
Claiming
Get a GP referral
Required for most PMI claims.
Pre-authorisation
Call your insurer before booking treatment.
Book from the approved list
The insurer usually pays the hospital directly.
Pay any excess
Excess due at point of claim.
Switching
Get fresh quotes
Via the broker. Never auto-renew.
Ask for CPME
Transfers existing exclusions to the new insurer.
Time the cancellation
Overlap a few days to avoid a coverage gap.
Verify the FRN
Confirm on the FCA Register before paying.
Our advisers are FCA-authorised and AMII members, and we are paid by the insurer at no cost to you.
Private health insurance UK — FAQ
Is private health insurance worth it in 2026?
For UK adults whose income depends on speed of recovery (the self-employed, families with young children, and over-60s) PMI usually earns its £40-£200/month premium. Healthy 20-somethings often do better with savings. An FCA-regulated broker can show you both sides honestly.
Can I get PMI with a pre-existing condition?
Yes; the route matters. Moratorium excludes it until you are 2 years symptom-free. FMU rates or excludes it up front. CPME transfers prior exclusions.
Does PMI cover MRI scans?
Yes, when the scan treats an acute condition with a GP referral and pre-authorisation. Not for chronic or speculative scans.
What does PMI not cover?
Routine pregnancy, chronic conditions, A&E, ambulance services, cosmetic procedures, and most optical, dental and hearing care.
Is PMI a P11D benefit?
If your limited company pays your PMI, HMRC treats it as a benefit-in-kind. From April 2026, this must be reported via payroll (RTI), not the P11D form — the P11D is no longer available for PMI benefits in kind. The employer deducts the cost; the employee pays income tax on the benefit. Sole traders cannot deduct PMI premiums as a trading expense.
What is Insurance Premium Tax on PMI?
IPT is the UK tax on insurance premiums, at a standard rate of 12% (HMRC), applied to every PMI policy. On a £100 net premium, IPT adds £12.
What if my insurer fails?
FSCS covers 90% of valid PMI claims with no upper cap, if your insurer was PRA-regulated. For complaints, escalate free to FOS after the final response or 8 weeks.
Compare every UK-authorised PMI provider in under 2 minutes.
Independent. Regulated. Paid by the insurer at no cost to you.
- FCA-authorised broker
- AMII member
- FSCS-protected (90%)
- FOS dispute resolution