Do I need private health insurance?

Do I need health insurance?

UK residents have access to free healthcare from the NHS. If you’re happy to use this, you may feel you don’t need private health insurance. But, if you’d like to get fast treatment for conditions you might get in the future, private health insurance could help. You’ll also usually have more choice over the hospitals where you can get treatment.

Private health insurance gives you access to private healthcare. This means you can often get treatment faster and you can be treated in private hospitals or clinics.

You may also have more choice about which specialists you see, and when you have your appointments.

Benefits of private health insurance

If you want fast access to private care, private health insurance could be right for you. It can help give you peace of mind, that if you need help with your health, you can get diagnosed and treated faster. Health insurance is designed for conditions that arise after you join, so if you have any ongoing conditions this may not be covered.

Tip

It’s important to research your options and think about how much you want to spend. To help you make a decision, it’s a good idea to get a range of quotes and compare cover. You should look at the benefits and costs of different policies so you can find the right cover for you.

Compare Bupa cover

What isn’t covered by health insurance?

Private health insurance usually won’t cover conditions you already have. It also doesn't usually cover ongoing or long-term conditions. These are sometimes known as chronic conditions . This includes conditions that don’t have a cure, like asthma, arthritis, or diabetes.

If you need help with existing health issues, you could try Bupa pay as you go healthcare. This is a way to access private healthcare without insurance.

Health insurance exclusions