Couple’s Health Insurance > Compare Joint Medical Insurance

Is it cheaper to get a joint private medical insurance policy?

A question we’re often asked is whether it is cheaper to get a joint policy versus two individual health insurance policies and in most cases, the answer is no, the cost will be likely the same. The main reason people opt for joint health insurance is to have you both on the same policy. This reduces admin at renewal time and also makes it easier to switch to a family health insurance policy should children need to be added at some point in the future.

Joint policies can sometimes cost more

In certain circumstances, you may find that a joint policy ends up costing more than two individuals ones. That’s because if you and the other person on the policy are quite different in terms of medical history, and age, it may be cheaper to have you with different insurers, rather than the same one.

Benefits of joint private medical insurance

The benefits of joint private medical insurance are pretty much identical to two individual health insurance policies, with the added advantage of less combined admin.

Both you and your partner can avoid potential delays on NHS waiting lists
You’ll both have access to the latest drugs and treatments, some of which aren’t available on the NHS
You can choose where you and your partner are treated and when
You’ll receive more choice over the consultant that treats you
You’ll have less admin and be able too easily switch to a family policy

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Who can get joint private medical insurance?

In the UK, as long as you are cohabiting with another person then you can get Joint Private Medical Insurance, rather than two separate private health insurance policies. So you don’t need to be married, just officially living together.

What does couples health insurance cover?

Couple’s health insurance will cover at a minimum the cost of inpatient treatment where an overnight stay in hospital is required to treat acute conditions. Chronic conditions, such as diabetes and asthma won’t be covered on your policy.

Inpatient treatment

All joint health insurance policies will cover the cost of treatment in a private hospital where an overnight stay is required (inpatient). This could be to recover from a major operation or a treatment which is provided over the course of several days.

Day patient treatment

Most, but not all, joint health insurance policies will cover the costs of you occupying a hospital bed for just a day, with no overnight stay required. It could be that you’ve undergone minor surgery for instance and need a bed just for a few hours of observations.

Outpatient treatment

Outpatient treatment is any test, procedures or consultations which don’t require a hospital bed. When configuring your policy you can opt to have no outpatient treatment, cover up to a certain annual cash value or full outpatient insurance.

Diagnosis and treatment routes

Depending on the amount of cover you have and how comprehensive your policy is, your route to treatment will be slightly different. To illustrate this, we’ve outlined the two most common routes to treatment.

Inpatient only treatment route

If you only have cover for inpatient treatment, you will need to be diagnosed through the NHS first. That could mean your treatment is delayed if you find yourself on a waiting list for a certain test or consultation.
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It’s important to point out, that if you do find things are going too slowly on the NHS (and you have some savings), you could choose to pay yourself for the private tests and consultations.
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Step 1. See your NHS GP
Step 2. Be referred to an NHS specialist
Step 3. Get tested on the NHS
Step 4. Receive a diagnosis by the NHS
Step 5. Referral to private healthcare for treatment

Full outpatient cover treatment route

If you have full outpatient cover it will mean that everything aside from the initial GP visit will be done privately.
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Step 1. See your NHS GP
Step 2. Be referred to a private specialist
Step 3. Get tested privately
Step 4. Receive a diagnosis privately
Step 5. Receive treatment privately

How much does joint health insurance cost?

Joint health insurance policies typically cost around the same per person as if you had set up two individual health insurance policies with the same provider. In some cases, it can actually be cheaper and more beneficial to set up two separate policies with different providers, rather than starting a joint policy. During your call with one of our advisors, we’ll look at yours and your partner’s circumstances and medical history and we can advise on which route will be best for you both.

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Benefits of our service:

You get the best prices available from the UK’s leading providers
Our service is free, we don’t charge you for the quotes or advice
Our advisors are experts in joint health insurance and can ensure you get the right policy
We are impartial and independent
You’ll have a single point of contact from start to finish
We’ll help you decide if a joint policy is better than two individual ones

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Couple’s Health Insurance FAQ

How much is health insurance for a couple?

The cost of health insurance for a couple will largely be the same as it would be if those two people took out single health insurance policies from the same insurer.

Can you get health insurance with a pre-existing condition?

Yes, you can get health insurance with a pre-existing condition, although it is likely that condition will be excluded from the policy. If you don’t experience any symptoms from that condition for a two year period, most insurers will allow it to be covered in the future.

Can my wife/husband and I have separate health insurance policies?

Yes, you can. In certain circumstances, it is actually cheaper to have separate policies, with you both being with different insurers to get the best prices for you individually.

Is health insurance cheaper if you’re married?

No. Whether you are married or cohabiting with your partner makes no difference to the cost of health insurance.

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