Individual health insurance plans won’t usually cover your pre-existing and chronic conditions
Checking what coverage you’re entitled to within your policy is very important. Pre-existing medical conditions and chronic conditions are two of the most common exclusions in medical insurance and, unless your contract states otherwise, these are more than likely not covered. Pre-existing medical conditions refer to any illnesses you had or for which you have experienced symptoms, received treatment or medication before the start of your policy.
Chronic conditions refer to illnesses that require ongoing medical attention and usually have no known cure. Some examples of chronic conditions are heart diseases, diabetes or asthma. Cancer, however, is usually covered by most health insurance companies and we offer a cancer promise. For a full list of exclusions, you should always check your policy document.
Learn more about chronic and pre-existing conditions.
You can continue to use the NHS even if you have health insurance
Having a health insurance cover in place doesn’t affect your right to use the NHS so you can access the medical care and treatment you prefer. In some cases, you might prefer to get treated on the NHS instead of using your individual health insurance policy. In some instances, you might have no choice but to use the NHS for:
- Urgent and emergency care services
- Chronic illnesses and pre-existing conditions (or other health issues not covered by your health insurance plan)
- NHS GPs
You will generally choose a hospital from a pre-approved hospital list
Most health insurance companies will give you a list of hospitals that are covered by your plan and picking a hospital that is not on the list can result in a rejected claim or reduced cover. Hospital lists can cover a standard selection of private hospitals or can be more comprehensive, depending on your provider and what you choose when buying your policy.
You can add your partner and children to your individual health insurance plan
When you buy an individual health insurance cover, you will most likely be asked if you want to add your family (partner and children) to your cover. This could potentially save you money compared to having individual plans for each family member. Find out more about family health insurance.
Your individual health insurance premiums will most likely go up every year
An individual health insurance contract usually lasts one year after which you can choose to renew your cover for a further 12-month period. At renewal, your premium may be re-calculated and, depending on a few factors, it may increase.
Find out more about the factors that affect your health insurance premium and ways to control it.
Age limits for new individual health insurance policies may apply
Health insurance companies are taking a bigger risk the older you are because your chances of claiming on your health insurance are higher. Therefore, many providers have a maximum age of entry. Often, this limit is around 70 years old, but each company can have different age limits. If you are already covered when you turn the maximum age, your cover can usually continue beyond that.
