Find the right health insurance for your needs

How do I compare health insurance in the UK?

A fair health insurance comparison looks at what each policy covers and excludes, not just the monthly price. Comparing health insurance doesn't have to be complicated. Follow these five steps to choose cover that matches what you need and can afford, without paying for extras you'll never use.

1. Step 1: Assess your health needs. Think about what matters most to you. Do you want fast access to a GP, cover for specialist consultations, or full inpatient surgery cover? Consider your family history and any ongoing health concerns. If quick access to tests and specialist appointments matters most, a diagnostics-only plan usually costs less than full cover. Aviva says over half of its diagnostics customers pay under £20 a month (data as at January 2026).
2. Step 2: Set your budget and choose your excess. Decide how much you can afford to pay each month. A higher excess lowers the premium: in one MoneySavingExpert example, a policy fell from £670 to £420 a year with a £500 excess instead of none (updated September 2026). You'd pay more yourself when you claim, so weigh the monthly cost against the amount you could afford if you needed treatment. Find out how health insurance excesses work.
3. Step 3: Compare policies from multiple providers. Don't just look at the headline price. Check what each policy includes and excludes, paying close attention to hospital lists, outpatient limits, cancer cover and mental health provisions. You should get an insurance product information document (IPID) for each policy you're offered, which sets out the main features in a standard format and makes this easier. A cheaper policy may leave significant gaps in your cover. See how the UK's best health insurance providers compare.
4. Step 4: Check the underwriting method. Providers use different approaches. Full medical underwriting asks detailed health questions upfront, so you know what's covered from day one. Moratorium underwriting is quicker to set up, but it won't cover conditions from the past five years (three with some insurers) if you had symptoms, treatment or advice for them in that time. An excluded condition can become eligible after two continuous years on the policy with no symptoms, treatment or advice for it.
5. Step 5: Speak to a qualified advisor. A health insurance advisor can compare policies across the whole market and identify cover you might have missed or paid too much for. At Money Saving Advisors, our advice is free and comes with no obligation to buy.

What kind of health insurance do I need?

The right health insurance depends on your personal circumstances, your health history and who you want to cover. Below are the most common situations and the type of cover that typically works best for each.

Individual health insurance

If you're looking for cover just for yourself, an individual policy gives you the flexibility to choose your own level of cover, excess and hospital list. That way you pay only for the cover you want, not for features that matter in a family or group policy. If you're in your 20s or 30s, read about health insurance for young adults.

Couples health insurance

If you and your partner both want private medical insurance, a joint policy can cost less than two separate plans, as some insurers offer a discount for covering a couple. You'll also have only one renewal date to manage. Compare joint and individual options in this guide to couples health insurance.

Family health insurance

One policy can cover your whole household, including your partner and children, or each person can have their own. Some insurers offer a discount when you insure your family, so it's worth comparing both. If your employer's scheme covers you, you may be able to add your partner or children to it.

Health insurance for over 50s

Premiums go up as you get older, because you're more likely to claim. Private cover can mean quicker treatment for planned operations such as hip and knee replacements. See which insurers offer over 50s health insurance, and whether private health insurance is worth it over 50. There are separate guides to over 60s health insurance, health insurance over 65 and health insurance for over 70s.

Cover for pre-existing conditions

If you have a health condition such as diabetes, asthma or a heart condition, you can usually still get cover for new, eligible conditions, but the one you already have is normally excluded. How it's excluded depends on the underwriting you choose. Find out more about health insurance for pre-existing conditions.

Business health insurance

If you run a company and want to provide health cover for your employees, a group policy covers your staff under one scheme. Read about small business health insurance and how private medical insurance is taxed for employers and employees.

Mental health cover

Mental health support has become a priority for many people choosing private cover. Not all policies include it, and those that do vary widely in what they offer, from a set number of therapy sessions to full psychiatric inpatient care. Read more about mental health cover on health insurance and what to look for in a policy.

What types of health insurance are there?

Private health insurance comes in several forms, each designed to cover different levels of medical treatment. Understanding the differences helps you avoid paying for cover you won't use or, worse, finding out you're not covered when you need treatment most.

What costs should I expect with health insurance?

Understanding all the costs involved in health insurance helps you budget accurately and avoid surprises when you make a claim. Here are the main costs you should be aware of.

What affects the price of private health insurance?

The price of private medical insurance depends on your circumstances and the cover you choose. These are the main factors. For average monthly figures by age, see how much private health insurance costs.

• Your age: Premiums go up as you get older. In sample quotes from June 2026, comprehensive cover averaged £55.92 per month at 30 and £138.52 at 60 (LifeSearch, reported by Which? in July 2026).
• Where you live: Prices reflect what treatment costs where you live, and consultants in London typically charge more.
• Level of cover: Basic cover, built around inpatient and day-patient treatment, is the cheapest option: core cover averaged £32.81 a month at age 30 in June 2026 sample quotes (LifeSearch, reported by Which?). Adding outpatient cover, therapies and mental health support increases the premium.
• Hospital list: Choosing a guided or restricted hospital list rather than an open list usually lowers the premium, but limits your choice of hospitals and consultants.
• Excess amount: Opting for a higher voluntary excess lowers your premium, but it means paying more yourself if you claim.
• Underwriting type: This mainly decides how conditions you already have are treated. Insurers differ on price: Bupa says full medical underwriting doesn't usually affect it, while Vitality says moratorium cover often costs less.
• Claims history: Most insurers now use a no-claims discount, so a claim will probably raise your premium at renewal.
• Smoker status: Smokers generally pay 15-30% more than non-smokers for the same level of cover.

What are the best tips for finding better health insurance?

A little research before you buy private health insurance can save you money. Which? says cutting back outpatient cover alone can take hundreds of pounds off the yearly premium (July 2026). These five tips can help you keep the cost down.

1. Tip: Choose a six-week NHS wait option. Many insurers offer a reduced premium if you agree to wait six weeks on the NHS before claiming on your private policy. If the NHS isn't able to treat you within that window, your private cover kicks in. Which? says this can be a good compromise if quick treatment is the main reason you want cover.
2. Tip: Review your hospital list carefully. Open hospital lists give you the widest choice but cost the most. If your preferred hospital or consultant is on a guided or restricted list, switching to that list should lower your premium without affecting where you're treated. Check the list before you buy, not after.
3. Tip: Understand your no-claims discount. With most insurers, making a claim will probably push your premium up at renewal, so check how the discount works before you buy. Taking out cover younger won't usually lock in your price, because policies renew every year and premiums can still rise.
4. Tip: Don't renew automatically without comparing. Your premium can rise at renewal whether or not you've claimed, so get a fresh comparison each year, and consider calling your insurer to haggle before you renew, as MoneySavingExpert suggests (September 2026). If you've made claims, ask whether a new insurer will keep your current underwriting terms, or you could lose cover for some conditions.
5. Tip: Consider a cash plan alongside basic cover. If you want help with everyday costs like dental, optical and physiotherapy but can't afford comprehensive cover, you could pair an inpatient-only policy with a cash plan. Cash plans are generally much cheaper than health insurance, with the most basic individual plans from about £5 a month (HSF, checked October 2026), and they pay fixed amounts towards routine treatments. Read more about health insurance vs a cash plan.

How does private health insurance work?

Private health insurance is a contract between you and an insurer. In exchange for your monthly premium, the insurer pays for eligible private medical treatment if you develop a new health condition during the policy term. Here's how the process works from start to finish.

Choosing and applying for a policy. You select a level of cover, choose your excess, and decide on features like hospital list, outpatient cover and therapies. During the application, you'll go through either full medical underwriting, where you answer detailed questions about your health history, or moratorium underwriting, where no health questions are asked upfront. With a moratorium, anything from the five years before you joined (three with some insurers) is excluded. It may become covered once you've had two continuous years on the policy with no symptoms, treatment or advice for it. Read about applying for private health insurance.

When you need treatment. If you develop symptoms or your GP refers you for investigation, you contact your insurer to pre-authorise the treatment. The insurer checks that the condition is covered under your policy and confirms which hospitals and consultants you can use. Pre-authorisation is essential. If you go ahead with treatment without it, the insurer may refuse to pay.

Receiving treatment. Once authorised, you book your appointment or procedure at an approved hospital or clinic. Private treatment is usually quicker to arrange than NHS treatment. NHS England figures for August 2026 put the median wait at 12.2 weeks for patients still waiting to start consultant-led treatment in England at the end of that month. For inpatient treatment, the insurer usually pays the hospital directly. For outpatient claims, you may need to pay upfront and claim back.

Insurance pays for most privately funded hospital treatment in the UK. In the first quarter of 2026 (January to March), 69% of privately funded admissions to hospitals and clinics were paid for by insurance and 31% were self-pay, according to the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).

Paying your excess. When you make a claim, you pay your excess first. Some policies apply the excess once per condition, while others apply it once per policy year regardless of how many claims you make. Check which model your policy uses, as it makes a significant difference if you have multiple claims in one year.

Renewal and ongoing cover. Health insurance renews annually. At renewal, your insurer will update your premium, usually based on your age and claims history. If a condition started after you joined and isn't excluded, your insurer won't add an exclusion for it at renewal because you've claimed. You can switch providers, but unless the new insurer agrees to keep your current underwriting terms, conditions that developed under your old policy may be treated as pre-existing. Read about switching health insurance providers.