How much is private health insurance?
We’ve answered some common questions about the cost of health insurance, including what can affect the price of your policy.
Edited by Graham Lewis, health insurance expert at Bupa Last updated 03 July 2026
3 minute read
What is the average cost of private health insurance?
Prices depend on your age, lifestyle and where you live. The cost also depends on the insurer and what type of cover you choose.
To help you get started, we’ve looked at quotes for a few situations and come up with some example prices.
Here are some example prices for a single person with
- Comprehensive cover with a £500 outpatient allowance
- £500 policy excess
- Extended choice hospital access
- Full cancer cover
Example monthly Bupa health insurance prices across the UK in May 2026:
|
Cover for |
Approximate cost across UK |
|---|---|
|
Under 30 year olds |
Non-smoker: £25.18 Smoker: £29.73 |
|
Under 40 year olds |
Non-smoker: £31.15 Smoker: £36.34 |
|
Under 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £44.90 Smoker: £52.38 |
|
Over 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £66.97 Smoker: £78.13 |
|
Over 60 year olds |
Non-smoker: £102.40 Smoker: £119.47 |
|
Over 70 year olds |
Non-smoker: £172.57 Smoker: £201.33 |
These are rough costs that we’ve estimated to give you a general idea of prices. You may be able to find cheaper cover, and some policies will cost more.
The best way to find out exactly how much health insurance could cost for you, is to get a quote.
It’s a good idea to compare different policies and levels of cover. The lowest price option may not suit your needs. You'll need to consider both the cost and cover level to decide what's best for you.
If you have a budget in mind there are ways you can make health insurance more affordable.
Cost of private health insurance in England
To give you an idea of health insurance prices, we've looked at example prices for one person, in England, including:
- Comprehensive cover
- £500 outpatient allowance
- £500 policy excess
- Extended choice hospital access
- Full cancer cover
Example monthly Bupa health insurance prices in England in May 2026:
|
Cover for |
Approximate cost across England |
|---|---|
|
Under 30 year olds |
Non-smoker: £33.53 Smoker: £39.12 |
|
Under 40 year olds |
Non-smoker: £40.26 Smoker: £46.98 |
|
Under 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £58.77 Smoker: £68.55 |
|
Over 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £87.46 Smoker: £102.02 |
|
Over 60 year olds |
Non-smoker: £131.43 Smoker: £153.34 |
|
Over 70 year olds |
Non-smoker: £222.30 Smoker: £257.02 |
Cost of private health insurance in Northern Ireland
Here are some prices for some cities in Northern Ireland based on cover for one person, including full cancer cover, with extended choice hospital access, a £500 outpatient allowance and £500 excess.
Example monthly Bupa health insurance prices in some Northern Ireland cities, May 2026:
|
Cover for |
Approximate cost across Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
|
Under 30 year olds |
Non-smoker: £19.38 Smoker: £22.59 |
|
Under 40 year olds |
Non-smoker: £24.34 Smoker: £28.40 |
|
Under 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £34.62 Smoker: £40.39 |
|
Over 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £52.19 Smoker: £60.90 |
|
Over 60 year olds |
Non-smoker: £81.39 Smoker: £94.95 |
|
Over 70 year olds |
Non-smoker: £141.45 Smoker: £165.02 |
Cost of private health insurance in Scotland
Here are some prices for some cities in Scotland based on Comprehensive policy quotes generated in May 2026, using a single-person policy, with £500 excess, a £500 outpatient allowance, full cancer cover and an extended hospital choice.
Example monthly Bupa health insurance prices in Scotland in May 2026:
|
Cover for |
Approximate cost across Scotland |
|---|---|
|
Under 30 year olds |
Non-smoker: £22.07 Smoker: £25.76 |
|
Under 40 year olds |
Non-smoker: £27.10 Smoker: £31.62 |
|
Under 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £39.68 Smoker: £46.29 |
|
Over 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £59.23 Smoker: £69.11 |
|
Over 60 year olds |
Non-smoker: £91.11 Smoker: £106.29 |
|
Over 70 year olds |
Non-smoker: £156.23 Smoker: £182.27 |
Cost of private health insurance in Wales
Here are some prices for some cities in Wales based on a Comprehensive policy for a single person with full cancer cover, a £500 outpatient allowance, £500 excess and extended hospital access.
But to get you started, we’ve looked at quotes for a few scenarios and come up with some example prices.
Example monthly Bupa health insurance prices across Wales in May 2026:
|
Cover for |
Approximate cost across Wales |
|---|---|
|
Under 30 year olds |
Non-smoker: £25.74 Smoker: £30.02 |
|
Under 40 year olds |
Non-smoker: £32.91 Smoker: £38.39 |
|
Under 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £46.54 Smoker: £54.31 |
|
Over 50 year olds |
Non-smoker: £68.98 Smoker: £80.49 |
|
Over 60 year olds |
Non-smoker: £105.68 Smoker: £123.29 |
|
Over 70 year olds |
Non-smoker: £105.68 Smoker: £172.30 |
How is the cost of health insurance calculated?
There are two major things that affect the price of health insurance – your personal circumstances, and the level of cover you choose.
You and your circumstances
Things that affect price
- Age - Prices are higher for older customers.
- Where you live - Healthcare costs are different around the UK. Your price reflects the cost of care where you live.
- Whether you smoke – Cover will cost more if you smoke.
- Your BMI - Some insurers offer discounts if you have a BMI within a certain range.
- Who you cover – Some insurers offer discounts on your policy if you include more than one person. Cover for couples and families may be lower compared to the price of separate cover for each person.
The cover you choose
Things that affect price
- The health insurance provider you choose - some insurers will offer cheaper or more expensive policies than others.
- The level of cover you choose - Some insurers offer different levels of cover from basic to more comprehensive.
- The amount of excess you choose - Adding a higher excess will lower the cost of the policy. But you will need to pay the excess if you claim.
- Whether allowances apply - Some policies have specific allowances for the amount you can claim each year for some types of treatment. Policies with higher allowances cost more.
- The private hospitals you choose - You may be able to choose to be treated in more or fewer private hospitals. The more hospitals you choose, the higher the cost of cover.
- Claims history - The number of claims you’ve made in the past and the cost of these could affect your policy’s renewal price. When you take out a new policy, you might have to answer some questions about your medical history. This could affect what you’re covered and affect the price of your policy.
- How your policy is arranged - Some insurers will ask you for your medical history before you take out your policy. Other insurers won’t ask for this information. Conditions you have before you join are not usually covered and are classed as a special condition or an exclusion. The price isn't usually effected by your medical history but if an insurer can include ongoing conditions this may increase the price.
What other things affect the cost of health insurance?
The rising cost of healthcare
Advances in medical technology, drugs and treatments have led to improved quality of life and better recovery for many people.
Paying for these new treatments increases costs each year. This, in turn, increases the cost of health cover.
Health insurers work closely with doctors and hospitals to make sure these costs are fair.
Your past claims
When you come to renew your policy, if you’ve made claims, your price may be higher than if you haven’t claimed.
Some policies have a no-claims discount. If you have a no- claims discount on your policy and you don’t make any claims, your renewal price may not increase as much if you had claimed.
How to make health insurance more affordable
If you have a budget in mind, there are ways you can adapt your cover
Learn more about ways to reduce your price in our guide to making health insurance more affordable.
Should I get private health insurance?
Taking out a health insurance policy in the UK is your choice.
For some people, private health insurance offers the option to see a health professional quickly. Generally, private health insurance gives you a wider choice of hospitals and specialists, too.
If you’re unsure, you can use our guides to help you decide, is private health insurance for me?
How do Bupa compare on affordability?
Our health insurance is flexible and can be designed around you.
There’s no single fixed price because plans vary to suit different needs.
Our health insurance plans offer value for individuals, families, and businesses, with tailored cover choices that fit a wide range budgets.Â
At Bupa, we don’t have shareholders
We continue to invest in improving the healthcare you get from us, and we aim to set your price as fairly as we can.
Find out more about our health insurance.
Compare Bupa health insurance
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Health insurance guides
How to make health insurance more affordable
See example costs and how price is calculated.
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Bupa health insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales with registration number 3956433. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Arranged and administered by Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales with registration number 3829851. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.
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