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Arthritis is treated as a pre-existing condition, so it won't be covered itself, but health insurance still gives you faster access to specialists, diagnostics, and treatment for everything else.
Yes, you can get health insurance with arthritis. Every major UK health insurer will consider your application, though your arthritis and any related joint problems will usually be treated as a pre-existing condition and excluded from cover.
The exclusion applies to the specific joints and complications linked to your arthritis, not to your cover as a whole. Speak to an advisor to compare providers that assess arthritis on a case-by-case basis rather than applying a blanket refusal.
If you're wondering whether you can get health insurance with arthritis, the short answer is yes. Every major UK health insurer will consider your application, though your arthritis and any related joint problems are treated differently to the rest of your health.
According to Versus Arthritis, around 10 million people in the UK live with osteoarthritis, and joint pain is one of the most common reasons people see their GP. When you apply for health insurance, arthritis isn't treated as a single condition. Insurers look at the specific type you have, which joints are affected, how long you've had symptoms, and how it's currently managed.
This detail matters because it determines exactly which parts of your health, not just your arthritis, an insurer will exclude. If you've had symptoms, a diagnosis, or treatment for arthritis before you apply, it counts as a pre-existing condition under UK health insurance rules. This applies even if your symptoms are currently mild or well managed with medication.
Insurers usually exclude the specific joint or joints affected by your arthritis, not every joint in your body. If your arthritis is confined to your hands, for example, a knee injury unrelated to it would typically still be covered.
Types of arthritis
Health insurance is designed to cover acute conditions, health problems that respond to treatment and are likely to be resolved. Arthritis is a chronic condition that's managed rather than cured, so it falls outside what standard cover provides.
This doesn't mean your policy has no value. It means the exclusion applies specifically to your arthritis and directly related complications, while everything else remains covered in the usual way.
If you already have arthritis in a joint, insurers will typically exclude any future treatment or surgery on that joint, including a replacement, even years later, because it's considered a continuation of the pre-existing condition.
How broadly an insurer defines what's related to your arthritis varies from provider to provider. Some take a narrow view, excluding only the specific joint diagnosed. Others take a wider view and exclude related complications, such as a hip replacement years after a knee diagnosis, if they consider the conditions connected. Getting clarity on this before you buy prevents disappointment later.
For general, independent guidance on how insurers treat long-term health conditions, MoneyHelper publishes free information on health insurance and pre-existing conditions.
What's still covered
When you apply for health insurance, insurers use one of two approaches to decide what's covered.
Full medical underwriting asks you detailed health questions upfront. You disclose your arthritis diagnosis, when it started, and how it's managed. The insurer then confirms exactly what's excluded before your cover begins, so you know where you stand from day one.
Moratorium underwriting skips the health questionnaire. Instead, it automatically excludes any condition you've had symptoms, treatment, or advice for in the five years before you applied. If you go two continuous years without any arthritis-related symptoms or treatment, that exclusion may be lifted.
For an ongoing condition like arthritis, moratorium underwriting rarely helps, because symptoms tend to recur or persist, resetting the two-year window. Full medical underwriting is usually the better option, since it gives you certainty about your exclusions rather than ambiguity.
Moratorium underwriting sounds appealing because there's no paperwork upfront, but for a condition like arthritis it often creates more uncertainty, not less. Full medical underwriting takes a little longer to arrange, but you'll get a clear, written list of exclusions rather than finding out what's covered at claim time.
Health insurance premiums depend on far more than an arthritis diagnosis alone. Age, location, cover level, excess, and general health all play a part. That said, arthritis typically pushes premiums higher than for an applicant without one, particularly if you're already over 50.
Monthly premiums for comprehensive cover with arthritis commonly range from around £75 to £200+, depending on your circumstances. The table below gives a general sense of how age affects typical costs.
These are indicative ranges only. Your actual quote depends on your specific type of arthritis, how it's managed, your excess level, and the insurer you choose. A higher excess, typically £100-£500, can reduce your monthly premium if you're comfortable covering more of any claim yourself.
Comparing multiple providers matters more with arthritis than it might otherwise, because insurers vary significantly in how they price the same condition. Speak to an advisor who can compare a wide range of providers rather than applying to insurers one at a time.
How it works
Gather your medical information
Have details ready on your arthritis type, diagnosis date, current medication, and any recent flare-ups or treatment, including physiotherapy or joint injections.
Choose your underwriting method
Decide between full medical underwriting, which gives clear exclusions from day one, and moratorium underwriting, which relies on your recent health history instead.
Complete your application honestly
Disclose your arthritis and any related symptoms in full. Non-disclosure can void your entire policy, not just the parts related to your arthritis.
Review your exclusions
Once the insurer assesses your application, you'll receive a clear list of what's excluded. Ask questions about anything unclear before you commit.
Confirm your cover
Accept your policy and check the start date. Most providers include a cooling-off period if you change your mind shortly after taking out cover.
Compare your options
An advisor can compare a wide range of providers and explain how each one assesses arthritis before you apply.
If you already have arthritis symptoms, comprehensive health insurance won't cover treatment for the affected joints, no matter which provider you choose or how you apply. It's worth weighing up other options alongside, or instead of, private medical insurance.
These pay a fixed cash amount towards routine healthcare costs, including physiotherapy, which is often relevant for arthritis management. There are no health questions or exclusions, and they're generally inexpensive, though they don't cover surgery or major treatment.
The NHS continues to provide arthritis diagnosis, management, and surgery such as joint replacements when needed. Speak to your GP about referral options, including the NHS right to choose, which lets you request treatment at a different hospital if local waiting times are long.
Some people choose to pay privately for a specific consultation or course of physiotherapy without taking out an ongoing policy. This can make sense if you need one-off advice or treatment rather than continuous cover.
The Association of British Insurers publishes independent guidance on how health insurance treats pre-existing conditions, which is worth reading alongside advice from an advisor.
Independent guidance on health insurance and living with arthritis.
Free, impartial money guidance backed by government, including information on health insurance.
Independent industry guidance on how insurers assess pre-existing conditions like arthritis.
Support and information for people living with arthritis in the UK.
Common questions
Yes. Every major UK health insurer will consider an application from someone with arthritis. Your arthritis itself will be excluded as a pre-existing condition, but cover for everything else remains available.
No, not directly. Health insurance covers acute conditions that respond to treatment, and arthritis is a chronic condition that's managed rather than cured. The joints affected by your arthritis, and directly related complications, will be excluded from your policy.
If the joint replacement is linked to arthritis you already had before taking out your policy, it won't be covered. This applies even if you didn't have insurance in place at the time of diagnosis. Insurance works best when it's arranged before symptoms develop.
Insurers assess each type individually rather than treating arthritis as one category. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition and may attract different questions or premiums to osteoarthritis, but both are treated as pre-existing conditions once diagnosed.
Full medical underwriting is usually more suitable for an ongoing condition like arthritis. It gives you a clear list of exclusions from day one, rather than relying on a rolling five-year look-back that rarely benefits people with persistent symptoms.
Premiums vary by provider, age, and cover level, but comprehensive cover with an arthritis diagnosis commonly ranges from around £75 to £200+ per month. Comparing several insurers can reveal significant differences for the same circumstances.
Yes, though insurers will typically exclude each affected joint individually. The more joints involved, the more exclusions your policy is likely to carry, but unrelated cover remains available.
Non-disclosure can void your entire policy, not just the parts related to your arthritis. Insurers check medical records at claim time, so it's important to disclose your full history when you apply.
Health cash plans, which don't ask health questions, can help with routine costs like physiotherapy. NHS care remains available for diagnosis and treatment, including joint replacement surgery, and some people choose to self-pay for one-off consultations.
Yes. A new insurer will assess your arthritis in the same way as any pre-existing condition and apply their own exclusions. It's worth comparing providers at renewal, since some assess arthritis more favourably than others.
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