What is health insurance?
Health insurance is an insurance policy that covers the costs of private healthcare, from diagnosis to medical treatment. You will pay a monthly subscription that covers all or some of the cost of treatment for acute conditions that develop after your health insurance policy has begun.
You may take out private health insurance because it gives you quick access to medical treatment. The level of cover you get will depend on the policy you take out. We have two different levels of private health insurance cover: Comprehensive, and Treatment and Care.
Get a quote
or call us on 0808 256 9436^
We cover more mental health conditions than any other leading UK Insurer ††
Fast access to the help you need
Access to breakthrough cancer drugs and treatment
24/7 health advice. Anytime
What type of health insurance are you looking for?
Our range of cover options allows you to adapt aspects of your health insurance to suit your needs.
Individual health insurance
Couples health insurance
Family health insurance
Business health insurance
Our health insurance benefits
Whether it’s getting the help you need faster, or for cancer care that helps get you there, we’re proud to give you nothing less than health expertise.
We cover more mental health conditions than any other leading UK Insurer††
We’re committed to helping people improve their mental health, which is why we cover more mental health issues than any other leading UK insurer††. We’ve also created a new mental health hub which has lots of useful information about mental health and wellbeing. Anyone can use it, even if you don't have health insurance with us.
Get the help you need faster.
We’re here to help you deal with health issues big and small, sooner rather than later. That’s why you can call us directly for advice and treatment for muscle, bone or joint problems, mental health or cancer from the moment you need it - usually without the need to see a GP first. And rest assured we have specialists who can provide advice and support whenever you need it.†
Access to breakthrough cancer drugs.
Support every step of the way.
If you’re diagnosed with cancer, we'll support you at every stage of your journey for as long as you have Bupa health insurance. You’ll also have access to eligible breakthrough cancer drugs and treatments, often before they are available on the NHS or approved by NICE (as long as they’re evidence-based).
See a GP usually within two hours from the comfort of your own home.
Imagine if seeing a GP was as easy as checking your bank balance. Or buying a coffee. With our new Digital GP in partnership with Babylon, it is. The app gives you 24/7 access to GPs with a simple tap of your phone. Just download the app and book a live video consultation at a time to suit you – wherever you are, whatever you want to talk about.
Want to keep your cover with us after you leave your current employer?
If you’re leaving or have left your current employer and are worried about your health insurance cover ending, then call us today. We can talk through the options available for you and your family.
Here’s a selection of questions and answers that we’ve already helped our customers with
Health insurance covers eligible treatment for acute conditions that develop after your policy has started. An acute condition is a disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment which aims to return you to the state of health you were in before suffering the condition, or which leads to your full recovery.
It can be tricky to know what to look out for when you’re choosing health insurance. The level of care you need will depend on your lifestyle and the areas of your health you’re most concerned about. You’ll also need to consider your budget.
This is why comparing different health insurance policies can be useful; by getting quotes for different levels of cover you’ll be able to compare the costs against the benefits so you can make an informed decision.
When contemplating your options, you might want to look for a package with the following:
- Hospital treatment paid in full
- Outpatient therapies paid in full
- Aftercare paid in full
- Post treatment tests and scans paid in full
It’s important you fully understand the health insurance policy you’re considering before joining. You’ll need to know what it includes and excludes to be absolutely certain that it meets your needs. Most health insurers also offer the option to set up couple and family policies too.
Our health insurance cover options
Our private health insurance puts you in control with the choice of two products that you can adapt to suit your needs.
Comprehensive health insurance
Covers private diagnosis and treatment
This is our highest level of health insurance cover that offers private diagnosis, treatment and aftercare for all your eligible medical needs.
Treatment and care health insurance
Covers private treatment only
This cover option is for people who are happy to be diagnosed by the NHS but would like to receive treatment privately.
Call to find out more on
0113 495 0976^
Learn more about private health insurance
Our useful guides are here to help you understand the fundamentals of health insurance. We also cover a number of key health topics – such as looking after yourself as a parent and taking care of your children’s health.
Getting health insurance when you’re self-employed
If you’re self-employed you may be considering health insurance to give you peace of mind for your business.
Will I need an excess on my health insurance policy?
Health insurance policies often include an excess. This is fairly standard with most insurance policies, but it’s worth understanding the impact excess can have on your cover.
In-patient vs. out-patient cover
When you’re looking at health insurance policies you may come across terms like in-patient and out-patient cover and not fully understand what these include.
Private health insurance exclusions
Before you take out health insurance, it’s important that you have a thorough understanding of what is and isn’t covered.
Do I need private health insurance?
If you’re considering private health insurance, you may be weighing up if you need it or not. We’ve broken down the benefits so you can see if suits your personal needs.
We don’t just provide health insurance.
We have a range of products and services designed with your health in mind.
Health cash plans. Spread the cost.
Pay as you go healthcare.
Health assessments
Call us
01134950976^
^ Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 12:30pm. We may record or monitor our calls.
You can find independent information about the quality and cost of private treatment available from doctors and hospitals from the Private Healthcare Information Network: www.phin.org.uk
^We may record or monitor our calls. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 12.30pm.
†Direct Access telephone services are available as long as the symptoms are covered under the policy. If your cover excludes conditions you had before your policy started, we’ll ask you to provide evidence from your GP that your symptoms are not pre-existing for a period of up to two years from policy start date (or five years in the case of mental health) before we can refer you to a consultant or therapist through the Direct Access service. For rolling moratorium underwritten members we will ask for evidence each time you claim for a condition not claimed for before. Always call us first to check your eligibility.
††As of November 2019 this analysis is based on internally conducted review of the consumer health insurance market using publicly available information from the major insurers in the UK consumer health insurance market. Combined, Bupa, AXA PPP, Aviva and Vitality hold approximately 90% of the Gross Written Premium income of UK PMI providers. Refers to standard mental health cover when this is included in the selected consumer health insurance product.
Babylon Healthcare Services Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales No 9229684. Registered office: 60 Sloane Avenue, London SW3 3DD.
Bupa Anytime HealthLine and Digital GP are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority or the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Bupa health insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 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 No. 3829851. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.
