Health insurance with asthma

If you're looking into health insurance with asthma, the good news is that having the condition will not stop you getting cover. Every major UK health insurer accepts applications from people with asthma. What changes is how your asthma itself is treated once your policy starts.

Asthma is classed as both a chronic condition and a pre-existing condition. A pre-existing condition is any illness you've had symptoms of, received treatment for, or sought medical advice about before your policy begins, even if it feels well controlled. A chronic condition is one that can be managed but not cured. Asthma falls into both categories, which is why insurers treat it differently to a one-off injury or illness.

In practice, this means the ongoing management of your asthma, such as your inhalers, routine check-ups, and repeat prescriptions, will not be covered by a standard policy. Everything unrelated to your asthma, including cancer cover, mental health support, physiotherapy, and diagnostic tests, is covered in the same way as for anyone without the condition.

Understanding exactly where the line falls between what's covered and what's excluded helps you avoid disappointment if you ever need to claim.

What's usually excluded

• Routine asthma management, including inhalers and other prescribed medication
• Asthma check-ups and reviews with your GP or respiratory specialist
• Ongoing monitoring, such as peak flow tests, connected to your asthma
• Any complication an insurer considers directly related to your asthma

What may be covered

• Emergency hospital admission during a severe asthma attack, depending on the insurer and policy wording
• New respiratory symptoms that aren't linked to your existing asthma diagnosis
• Investigations into symptoms that turn out to be unconnected to your asthma

Whether an acute flare-up is covered varies significantly between insurers and policies. Before you buy, ask the insurer directly whether a hospital admission during an asthma attack would be covered, and get the answer in writing so there's no ambiguity later.

When you apply for health insurance, you'll choose between two ways of assessing your medical history. This choice matters more if you have asthma, because it determines when, or if, your exclusion could ever lift.

Moratorium underwriting

You don't declare your full medical history upfront. Instead, any condition you've had symptoms of, treatment for, or advice about in the five years before your policy starts, including asthma, is excluded automatically. If you go two continuous years on the policy without symptoms, medication, or treatment for your asthma, the exclusion may lift.

Example: if you've used an inhaler in the past five years, your asthma is excluded from day one under moratorium underwriting. If you then go two years without needing any asthma treatment, it could become covered, though this varies by insurer.

Full medical underwriting

You complete a detailed health questionnaire when you apply, and the insurer confirms in writing exactly what's excluded before your policy starts. For most people with ongoing asthma, this exclusion is permanent, but you know precisely where you stand from day one.

Full medical underwriting tends to suit people with well-controlled asthma who want certainty rather than the possibility of a lifted exclusion. Moratorium underwriting can suit people who've had only mild, infrequent symptoms and expect to remain symptom-free.

Not all asthma is treated the same way by insurers. How your condition is managed can affect both the underwriting decision and, occasionally, your premium.

• Mild, well-controlled asthma: if you use a reliever inhaler occasionally and have had no recent hospital admissions, most insurers will simply exclude the condition and move on
• Moderate asthma with regular preventer use: insurers may ask more detailed questions about your medication and control before confirming exclusions
• Severe asthma with hospital admissions or steroid courses: some insurers may apply a loading to your premium, request a GP report, or apply a broader exclusion covering related respiratory conditions

Childhood asthma that you've fully grown out of is treated differently again. If you haven't had symptoms, medication, or treatment for years, some insurers may not exclude it at all, particularly under full medical underwriting, where each condition is assessed individually rather than automatically excluded.

Whatever your history, disclose it fully and honestly. Non-disclosure, even of something that feels minor, can lead to a claim being rejected or your policy being cancelled.

Having asthma does not usually increase your health insurance premium. Pricing is based mainly on your age, where you live, your smoking status, and the level of cover you choose, not your medical history. Asthma affects what's covered, not what you pay.

Typical monthly premiums for an adult in the UK generally fall somewhere in this range, depending on age and cover level:

These figures are indicative only. Your actual quote depends on your postcode, excess, and whether you choose inpatient-only or comprehensive cover with outpatient benefits. A higher excess, typically £250-£1,000, can reduce your premium noticeably.

If your asthma is severe or poorly controlled, a small number of insurers may apply a modest loading rather than a standard exclusion. Comparing a wide range of providers helps you find one that assesses your specific circumstances fairly.

If comprehensive health insurance doesn't feel like the right fit while your asthma is a significant part of your health picture, a few alternatives are worth considering.

Health cash plans

A health cash plan reimburses fixed amounts towards routine costs like dental check-ups, optical tests, and physiotherapy. There are usually no health questions or exclusions, making it a straightforward, lower-cost option, though it won't cover hospital treatment or major illness.

NHS care

Your asthma will continue to be managed through the NHS regardless of whether you take out private health insurance. The NHS provides ongoing respiratory care, including specialist review and emergency treatment, at no direct cost.

Critical illness cover

Critical illness insurance pays a lump sum if you're diagnosed with a serious condition on the policy's list. Asthma itself is not something this type of cover is designed for, but it can provide financial protection against other serious diagnoses alongside your existing health cover.

For general, impartial guidance on health insurance and other financial products, MoneyHelper offers free information backed by government. You can also find general information about how insurance products work via the Association of British Insurers.