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How much does private health insurance cost in the UK?

By
Chris Steele - Private health and protection insurance expert and editor
Chris Steele
Private health and protection insurance expert and editor
Chris Steele is myTribe’s resident expert in private health insurance and healthcare, with over a decade of experience in the field. As a Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) qualified professional, he has helped countless consumers navigate private medical insurance. Regularly quoted by national media, Chris is a trusted voice in the UK insurance industry, with his insights featured in leading consumer finance publications.
Chris Steele
Reviewed by
Reviewed by
Andrew Burton - Director of Sandbourne
Andrew Burton
Insurance Director
Sandbourne
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, having worked for household names such as the RAC and Lloyds TSB prior to starting his own brokerage in 2010. An FCA-authorised financial adviser who is a subject matter expert in protection insurance and private medical insurance, Andrew continues to provide clients with a level of service and knowledge that is close to unparalleled.
Andrew Burton
Updated on
Dec 3, 2024

Find out how much private health insurance costs in the UK in 2024, backed by our latest independent pricing research from leading providers.

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Quick read: How much is private health insurance in the UK per month?

The cost of private health insurance varies based on the type of policy, your cover level, the number of people covered, where you live and other factors.

While private health insurance can be relatively inexpensive while you're a young adult, the cost increases tend to accelerate after your 50th birthday. For example, our research found that a 50-year-old will pay around 66% more than a 30-year-old for the same policy. By comparison, a 70-year-old will pay around 132% more than a 50-year-old for a new health insurance policy.

Everything in our article is based on our research into the cost of a new private health insurance policy. If you get private medical insurance, your claims will, in most cases, affect the cost of renewals, and the prices could differ significantly from what we've covered.

  • Private health insurance is becoming increasingly popular, with NHS waiting lists close to record levels and people often struggling to see their GP or find a dentist.
  • The average monthly cost of private health insurance in the UK is £79.62 for individuals, £146.86 for couples and £165.67 for a family of four.
  • Bupa offers the cheapest pricing in four of the six age groups we reviewed, while WPA and Vitality each take the top spot in just one age group.
  • The average cost of private health insurance is around 23% higher in London compared to the rest of the UK.
  • Edinburgh is the cheapest place in the UK to buy health insurance, with the monthly premiums being approximately 15% less than elsewhere.
  • Couples and families often save when buying health insruance together, with several insurance providers offering discounts.
  • While the government has committed to more funding for the NHS, most experts agree that improvements will take time as it's not purely a funding issue facing the health service.

Our research, carried out in 2024, is based on over 1,000 real quotes from eight leading private medical insurance providers. Our team obtained pricing for people living in different towns and cities giving us meaningful averages based on the latest cost data.

Why is the UK public turning to private health insurance?

Waiting lists and times in the NHS have been growing for some time, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated things. The result is record-breaking backlogs and people unable to get prompt medical treatment. An independent government report in September 2024 highlighted the scale of the issues, with problems in most parts of the country's health system.

The latest figures from the NHS, up to August 2024, show that there were 7.64 million treatments pending, which is just under 20,000 more than in July. The number of people waiting more than one year is coming down, but at the current rate, it'd take around three years to clear it without considering new cases entering the system.

The waiting list figures most often mentioned in the press focus are for elective surgeries, such as hip or knee replacements. Alongside that, the NHS is struggling with cancer care, mental health, dentistry and GP services. So, there are plenty of reasons people are looking for other options to protect themselves and their families.

Image with the heading "How much is private health insurance in 2024" and someone on a calculator with a question mark over their head.

Average cost of private health insurance in the UK by age

Our latest research shows that the average monthly cost of private health insurance in the UK varies by age and cover level. A basic plan without out-patient cover costs £29 for a 20-year-old and £141 for a 70-year-old. A comprehensive plan with out-patient cover ranges from £41 to £203.

The table below compares the average cost of private health insurance by cover level and age in the UK:

Average monthly cost of private health insurance in the UK by age
Basic private medical insurance plan vs. comprehensive
Age Basic health insurance (monthly cost) Comprehensive health insurance (monthly cost)
20-year-old £28.79 £41.24
30-year-old £36.47 £54.13
40-year-old £45.14 £67.32
50-year-old £60.04 £87.53
60-year-old £87.11 £126.62
70-year-old £141.29 £202.51

Key findings:

  • The average monthly cost of basic health insurance (without out-patient cover) for a 20-year-old is £28.79, while comprehensive cover (including out-patient cover) costs £41.24.
  • By age 70, the monthly cost of basic health insurance rises to £141.29, with comprehensive cover reaching £202.51, reflecting the significant impact of age on premiums.
  • Health insurance premiums increase steadily with age, with comprehensive plans typically costing 40-50% more than basic plans.

What our health insurance expert says:

"Our research can't show how much health insurance costs at renewal, as it's usually affected by your claims. Most new policies start with a 65-70% no-claims discount. If you need to claim, that will reduce, potentially pushing renewal premiums higher than our research shows.

Some insurers are fairer than others in terms of how claims affect your no-claims discount, and it's something to research and speak with your broker about before getting a policy."
Picture of Chris Steele, Founder and editor of myTribe insurance
Chris Steele - Private health and protection insurance expert and editor

Want to know more?

Read our guide that compare how claims affect renewal premiums

Compare private health insurance quotes

Find the best policy at the best price.

What impacts the cost of private medical insurance?

Several key factors, including the cover level of your plan, your age, the cost of medical treatment, and, in some cases, your health, influence the cost of private health insurance in the UK. Additionally, your claims history, overall claims made by members, and smoking habits can also affect premiums.

Watch: The main factors that affect the cost of health insurance

Find out the main factors that will play a role in setting your annual health insurance premiums.

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Prefer to read?

Here's a summary of the key factors what impact the cost of private medical insurance:

What your private health insurance covers

What your private healthcare policy does and doesn't cover significantly impacts your premiums. For example, by opting for a treatment-only health insurance plan, you'll reduce your premiums by only being able to claim once you have received a diagnosis from the NHS or by self-paying for private medical tests and consultations.

If, on the other hand, you opt for all the bells and whistles, unlimited out-patient cover, therapies, mental health cover, travel cover and more, then your premiums will be higher.

Your age

As can be seen by our research, the cost of private health insurance is tied closely to your age and for good reason. As we age, our bodies naturally become more susceptible to health issues, and the frequency and complexity of medical care also increase.

In later life, we're at a higher risk of developing critical illnesses, such as cancer, stroke and heart disease, and treating these conditions in a private hospital is often expensive. Older people can also have longer recovery times, which potentially means longer in hospital and larger overall claim sizes.

The cost of private medical treatment

The cost of private health insurance is closely tied to private medical treatment prices, and like most things, those costs tend only to go up! Medical inflation is the technical term for the rising cost of healthcare. As highlighted by Statista, the price of health related products and services was 34.7% higher in 2024, compared to 2015.

Advances in medical treatment and research and development are part of the reason for this increase, but day-to-day running costs for healthcare providers are also increasing. Like the rest of us, private hospitals will pay rent, utilities, insurance and more, and those costs have risen in recent years.

It all contributes to higher costs for insurers and, ultimately, more expensive insurance premiums for members like you.

Your current health

In the past couple of years, several insurers, including Bupa, Vitality and Aviva, have introduced discounts for people in good health when taking out their policy.

Vitality will give you a 15% discount using their Mori+ underwriting if you haven't experience symptoms, had advice or received any treatment in the past three years. Aviva will give you a 15% discount if you are a healthy weight, haven't recently smoked, and don't have diabetes.

Finally, Bupa will give you a 10% discount if you haven't been treated for diabetes or pre-diabetes in the past two years and have a body mass index (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9).

Your claims history

When you take out a new private healthcare policy, you usually benefit from a no-claims discount (NCD) of approximately 65-70%. Over the years, and as you make claims or don't, your discount level will reduce or increase, affecting your premiums accordingly.

People often overlook that their health insurance is heavily discounted on day one, assuming the no-claims discount is similar to car insurance, where you start with nothing and build up the discount over the years. In truth, with health insurance, you start with close to the maximum discount and claiming can see you erode that, with premiums rising accordingly.

An alternative to no-claims discounts is called "Community Ratings". With community ratings, it's the claims of all of the members that affect premium changes, not yours individually. In the past few years, two leading insurance providers offering community ratings, The Exeter and WPA, have retired their products, focusing on NCD-based policies for new customers. As far as we know, only Freedom Health Insurance still offers a community rating.

Overall claims volumes

The more insurers have to pay out in claims each year impacts all of their members, and with NHS services currently stretched, there's a higher probability people will use their private medical insurance instead of waiting.

Whether you use Nicotine products

If you smoke, vape or use Nicotine products of any sort, your premiums may be higher, although this isn't always the case. While Nicotine replacement treatments are generally accepted to be safer than smoking, there isn't enough long-term evidence of that, so unless you quit altogether, you can expect to pay a bit more for your private healthcare.

Other factors will affect your health insurance cost

There are many other factors that will affect your private health insurance cost and there are also plenty of ways to bring premiums down too. If you buy health insurance through a broker, they'll help you find the best policy for your circumstances, factoring in your medical history.

Why You Can Trust myTribe for Health Insurance Insights

At myTribe, we are dedicated to helping our readers make informed decisions about their health and finances. Our publishing team conducts original, independent research into the providers and policies we write about, ensuring that our statistics are unbiased and not influenced by financial incentives.

We conduct a consumer-led research process to evaluate the average cost of private health insurance in the UK, and we update our findings at least twice a year to keep them as accurate as possible. While we do have commercial partnerships with some brokers, we maintain editorial independence by not partnering with insurers, allowing us to provide you with impartial insights.

Average cost of health insurance in the UK by location

Most private health insurance companies change their prices based on where you live in the UK. The primary reason for that is that the cost of private medical treatment varies around the country, with claims costing different amounts depending on the location of the hospital you use. Insurers also factor things into the price like the frequency of claims in a specific postcode and how many people have medical insurance in an area.

Overall price difference by town and city of the UK

The bar chart below compares the towns and cities we sampled against the national average cost for private medical insurance. It includes data from all age groups, providers, and policy types, to give you an overall view of which towns and cities are the least and most expensive.

Bar chart with the title "How much does your location affect the cost of private medical insurance in the UK. The chart compares the average cost of private health insurance in ten towns and cities against the national average.

How price varies based on location for different age groups in the UK

The table below is a detailed comparison of health insurance premiums across major UK cities broken down by age.

Average monthly cost of private health insurance in the UK by age and city
Private medical insurance cost comparison across major UK cities
Age Birmingham Bournemouth Bristol Cambridge Cardiff Edinburgh Leeds London Manchester Oxford
20-year-old £35.26 £35.26 £33.50 £33.66 £33.49 £31.35 £33.41 £42.54 £37.72 £34.02
30-year-old £45.81 £46.08 £43.08 £43.37 £42.87 £39.61 £42.92 £56.19 £49.31 £43.87
40-year-old £56.92 £57.18 £53.20 £53.91 £53.29 £48.48 £53.30 £70.30 £61.35 £54.45
50-year-old £74.70 £75.57 £69.22 £70.80 £69.72 £62.35 £69.88 £93.40 £81.06 £71.26
60-year-old £108.34 £110.26 £99.93 £102.35 £101.23 £88.10 £100.99 £135.92 £118.35 £103.37
70-year-old £172.85 £179.89 £164.85 £167.25 £164.77 £144.64 £164.24 £206.14 £189.67 £164.98

Note: The average costs provided in the above table cover all ages, from 20 to 70 years old, and are meant to illustrate how prices vary based on location, not give an indicative price for your policy.

Key findings:

  • London is the most expensive place to get health insurance in the UK, with premiums costing on average 23.6% more than the national average.
  • Edinburgh is the cheapest location, with premiums 15% lower than the national average.
  • For example, the average cost of health insurance for a 50-year-old in Edinburgh is £62.35 per month, compared to £93.40 for someone in London.

Average monthly cost of private health insurance by UK insurer

The cost of private medical insurance will also be affected by the insurer you choose. Our research found that there isn't a consistent "cheapest" insurance company, as it also depends on your age and where you live.

It may also be that an insurance provider that charges a bit more is a better fit for you, so while we're here to share what we've found in our research, we need to point out that it's tough to compare the insurers here as what they each offer differs.

The table below shows how prices from Aviva, Axa Health, Bupa, Freedom, The Exeter, Vitality and WPA compare for a comprehensive policy which includes some out-patient cover.

Important notes:

  • Several of the providers we sampled (Freedom, National Friendly and WPA) do not offer a "guided consultant" list, and therefore, the pricing we've received from those will give you access to a wider pool of medical specialists. All providers will allow you to pay more to have non-guided consultants, but the pricing from these four include it by default.
  • Please see our full methodology for more information on policy configuration.
Average cost of private health insurance by insurer
Typical comprehensive health insurance plan, including out-patient cover
Age Aviva Axa Health Bupa Freedom National Friendly The Exeter Vitality WPA
20-years-old £42.59 £35.38 £29.14 £48.76 £71.12 £37.83 £44.00 £21.14
30-years-old £59.20 £50.99 £39.95 £57.33 £86.86 £51.19 £49.01 £38.55
40-years-old £81.09 £63.22 £51.97 £72.21 £94.94 £61.14 £58.65 £52.32
50-years-old £103.59 £83.04 £75.17 £101.04 £106.02 £82.03 £74.15 £75.20
60-years-old £146.87 £130.58 £100.26 £145.56 £151.09 £122.08 £106.53 £110.01
70-years-old £219.29 £206.86 £155.60 £242.35 £233.69 £190.30 £169.50
SOURCE: myTribe 2024 Pricing Research

What our health insurance expert says:

"Comparing health insurance providers' pricing without seeing what's included isn't perfect as, in some cases, the plans vary significantly. For example, WPA doesn't offer a guided consultant option; instead, you have a traditional hospital list, which will, in most cases, give you more freedom to choose where and who provides your treatment. All the insurers give you the option to have a hospital list, but it usually costs more.

As there are many differences between the insurance providers, we'd always recommend you request a health insurance comparison quote, speak with an experienced broker, and find out the differences between the insurance providers and plans beyond the price."
Picture of Chris Steele, Founder and editor of myTribe insurance
Chris Steele - Private health and protection insurance expert and editor

One insurer we sampled doesn't change their premiums based on where you live

Freedom Health Insurance is the only insurer we looked at that didn't adjust its pricing based on where you live. So whether you live in London or Edinburgh, your price will be the same.

Some time ago, we asked Freedom Health Insurance why they take a different approach than most health insurance providers, they told us:

"We believe that we should be able to explain the premiums we charge to our customers, and establishing a link between a postcode and how much or how often a customer might claim under a medical insurance policy is unclear and difficult to understand. At Freedom, we believe in choice and that rating factors should reflect risk. As yet, we have not been convinced that the use of detailed postcode data in PMI pricing reflects risk in a way we are comfortable with or able to explain."

Alistair Sclare - Managing Director

The other exception to the postcode rule

While Freedom is the only health insurance provider we looked at that will keep your pricing the same based on your address, National Friendly also stands out in this respect, with less pricing variation than others. Of the ten towns and cities we looked at, they only adjusted pricing for customers in London and Manchester.

How much do you save by adding extra people to your policy?

Health insurance providers often give discounts for multiple people on the same policy, be that another adult or if you add your children. A joint or family health insurance policy will cost more than a plan for an individual as you're covering more people, but they can be cheaper than taking out separate policies.

Currently the insurers that offer discounts for joint policies and family cover are:

  • Aviva - only pay for your eldest child, up to the age of 20 years old
  • Bupa - 5% off for a joint policy, only pay for your eldest child, up to the age of 20 years old.
  • Vitality - Only pay for your eldest child up to a maximum of three children
  • The Exeter - 5% discount for joint policy, 8% for families*

*This isn't advertised by The Exeter but is visible when requesting a quote.

What is the average cost of health insurance for couples?

While some insurance providers will give you a discount for getting a health insurance plan for two adults, it's not always the case. Depending on what you and the other person are looking for from a health insurance plan, buying separately from different insurance providers is something to consider.

Aside from the potential of a slight discount, having two people on the same health insurance policy will reduce the admin needed and avoid needing to shop around for two plans each year.

The table below shows the findings of our most recent research into the average cost of private medical insurance for couples:

Average monthly cost of private health insurance in the UK for couples by age
Basic private medical insurance plan vs. comprehensive
Couples' Age Basic Health Insurance (monthly cost) Comprehensive Health Insurance (monthly cost)
20-Years-Old £52.97 £75.89
30-Years-Old £67.11 £99.60
40-Years-Old £83.06 £123.87
50-Years-Old £110.48 £161.05
60-Years-Old £160.27 £232.99
70-Years-Old £259.97 £372.62

What is the average cost of family health insurance?

Our most recent research shows the average monthly cost of private health insurance for a family of four is £166.75.

As with an individual health insurance policy, the cost of family health insurance will vary depending on the ages of the family memebrs, your cover level, where you live and whether everyone is in good health.

The graph below shows the average cost of family health insurance based on the ages of the adults in the family:

Column chart showing the average cost of private health insurance in the UK for a family of four in 2024

To find out how much family health insurance would cost for you and your tribe, please request a quote, and an experienced and highly-rated broker will compare the leading health insurance companies for you.

Is health insurance more expensive for smokers?

People who smoke or have used nicotine replacement products such as vapes, patches or gum in the past couple of years will usually pay a bit more for medical insurance. However, it's often not a substantial increase, unlike what you might see with life insurance.

You will be aware that if you smoke, you'll be at a higher risk of many serious medical conditions. While the initial cost of your health insurance won't be affected too significantly, if you develop health issues as a result of smoking, you'll likely need to claim on your policy, which could push up renewal premiums.

For information about stopping smoking please visit the NHS website.

Is health insurance more expensive if you have pre-existing medical conditions?

Private health insurance can be more expensive if you have pre-existing medical conditions, as some companies offer discounts of between 10-15% if you have a clean bill of health.

If you have pre-existing medical conditions or a complex medical history, you should speak with a broker before getting health insurance. An expert broker will help you choose the right type of medical underwriting and also advise you on which private health insurance companies are worth considering based on your pre-existing conditions.

What is the cheapest type of private health insurance?

The cheapest type of private medical insurance is a policy that gives you core cover, without any additional options applied. Sometimes called "Treatment only" or "Basic plans", they offer excellent benefits but won't include everything a comprehensive policy would. Most entry-level health insurance policies will cover:

  • In-patient and day-patient in a private hospital
  • Out-patient surgery
  • Cancer treatment and care
  • Some complex scans, such as MRI, CT and PET Scans
  • Virtual GP services
  • In some cases, physiotherapy

Cheap vs. more expensive private health insurance

With a cheap health insurance policy, you'll usually need to be diagnosed before claiming private treatment. So you'd either need to seek a diagnosis via the NHS or self-pay to go private. As people get older, they often consider reducing their cover level, eliminating some of the "nice to haves" but retaining the core cover to keep control of premiums.

The table below shows who our researchers found to be the cheapest insurers, for the age groups we looked at:

Cheapest health insurance policies by age in the UK (Basic Plan)
Lowest average monthly premiums for different age groups highlighting the cheapest provider
Age Monthly Premium Provider
20-Year-Old £15.08 WPA
30-Year-Old £27.50 WPA
40-Year-Old £36.78 Bupa
50-Year-Old £51.31 Vitality
60-Year-Old £71.69 Bupa
70-Year-Old £104.87 Vitality

9 ways to reduce the cost of your health insurance

So far in this article, we've outlined the factors which affect the price of private health insurance policies, along with some example pricing, but what if you want to reduce the cost? This section covers most of the ways we can help you to reduce the cost of private medical insurance:

1. Limiting your out-patient cover or removing it entirely

If you want to significantly reduce the cost of your health insurance and have out-patient cover, you could review how much you need moving forward. This option isn't appealing to many people, as they want continued out-patient cover. However, you could add benefit limits to your policy to reduce costs. For example, you could limit your annual out-patient allowance to £1,000, which will reduce your premiums without completely sacrificing the benefit.

2. Opt for a higher policy excess

Probably the most straightforward solution to reduce the price of your health insurance is to increase your policy excess. While this is simple and easy to do, we do always suggest caution in this respect, as no one likes to be faced with a hefty bill when they are unwell. You should also be careful, as if invoices for treatment fall across two plan years, you may have to pay your excess twice!

3. Choose a guided consultant option

While all the insurers will allow you to choose a hospital list, i.e., the hospitals you can use, another option is "guided consultants". With a guided option, you agree (for a reduction in your premiums of around 20%) to have your insurer suggest 2-3 specialists and the hospital you should use should you require medical treatment.

How it works and what it's called varies between providers. Bupa gives you more flexibility than others, but be aware that choosing a guided option reduces the pool of medical specialists and facilities you can use

4. Always compare providers, especially at renewal time

Shopping around is hugely important. You'll often find that you can save considerable money by switching providers at renewal time. The quickest and easiest way to do this? With a broker. They do the leg work for you and will be able to save you considerable time and likely money, too!

5. Quit smoking

If you're a smoker, your health and other insurance premiums, such as life insurance, may be higher. By quitting smoking, you will enjoy better health and may be able to reduce your insurance premiums for these products.

6. Remove supplementary cover

There can sometimes be supplementary or optional cover added to a policy that isn't needed. We recommend looking at your policy in detail to see whether you actually need everything that has been included; perhaps you have something like mental health cover that you've never used and don't feel you need any longer or another add-on.

7. Review your underwriting method

The main types of underwriting used for private medical insurance are Moratorium and Full Medical Underwriting, and changing the method used can sometimes yield savings. A word of caution, though: changing your underwriting method must be done carefully not negatively to affect what's covered by your policy.

8. Add a 6-week wait

You can add a 6-week NHS wait clause into the policy, which effectively says if the waiting list for the treatment you require is less than six weeks on the NHS, you will go down that route rather than opting for private medical care. It's an effective way of reducing the cost of policies, but it does sacrifice your level of cover.

9. Speak to an expert

Finally, you should speak to a qualified expert to ensure you have the best policy for the best price, which covers you for what you need but no more. Request a comparison quote below, and we'll put you in touch with one of our highly rated brokers.

What are the alternatives if I can't afford health insurance?

If health insurance isn't an option for you due to the cost, you can access private healthcare in other ways.

Cash plans

A cash plan is a bit like a savings account in that you pay a monthly fee, typically between £ 20 and £60. When you incur private healthcare costs such as visits to your dentist or opticians, your plan will give you cashback towards some or all of the cost. Cash plan prices don't change based on your age, and they also don't exclude pre-existing conditions.

Cash plans won't usually cover you for major treatments, like surgery or cancer care; they're for routine, day-to-day healthcare costs.

Self-pay for private medical care

Health insurance is just one way to pay for private healthcare, and you can pay out of your own pocket if you'd like to. The benefit of this is that you're only paying for what you need when you need it. The downside is that if you need major surgery or cancer treatment, the cost can run into tens, sometimes hundreds of thousands.

If you decide against private medical insurance, "self-insuring" might be a good idea. If you self-insure, you put money aside each month that otherwise would have been paid to a health insurance company so that should you need private medical care, you have a pot of money that can be used towards it.

NHS Right to Choose

Many people consider health insurance if they have a health concern they want help with. Unfortunately, as all health insurance policies will exclude pre-existing conditions from at least the past five years, private health insurance won't help much.

Under NHS Right To Choose, you as a patient have the right to say to your GP that you'd like to use a different hospital, whether that's NHS or private. The only stipulations are that the hospital has to be providing services to the NHS already, and the cost of treatment mustn't be more than it'd cost in the NHS.

Closing thoughts

Private health insurance is a complex financial product that can be configured in many ways. Because of this flexibility, obtaining a meaningful average can be challenging. While all private health insurers offer slightly different products, we've done our best to minimize the variables and provide guide prices.

Our data sample

For this research, we focused on the cost for individuals, couples, and families, with the adult applicant being aged 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 years old.

For each of these ages, we obtained quotations from 10 towns and cities across the UK: Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Manchester, and Oxford.

Additionally, we gathered quotes from eight of the best private health insurance providers—WPA, The Exeter, AXA Health, Freedom, Bupa, National Friendly, Vitality, and Aviva—for policies both with and without out-patient cover.

Private medical insurance quote configuration

To ensure consistency, we had to determine what level of cover our fictional applicants would need to get quotes from each of the eight insurers. Working with external health insurance brokers, we created a list of policy requirements to reflect what a typical basic and comprehensive policy might include. In short, these were:

  • Basic Policy: Configured with no additional out-patient or therapies cover.
  • Comprehensive Policy: Included out-patient cover limited to £1,500 per year, along with Therapies Cover.
  • Policy Excess: Set at £250 (or as close as possible).
  • Mental Health Cover: Excluded, except for Bupa, which includes it as standard.
  • Hospital List: Defaulted to the insurer’s standard hospital list.
  • Additional Cover: Excluded Dental, Optical, and Travel Cover.
  • Underwriting: Policies were underwritten on a moratorium basis.
  • Consultant List: Opted for a guided consultant list, although several insurers (WPA, Freedom, and National Friendly) do not offer this.

Data sources:

Aviva Website (June 2024)

Axa Health Website (June 2024)

Bupa Website (June 2024)

Freedom Website (June 2024)

The Exeter Website (June 2024)

Vitality Website (June 2024)

WPA Website (June 2024)

Disclaimer: This information is general and what is best for you will depend on your personal circumstances. Please speak with a financial adviser or do your own research before making a decision.

This article was written by:
Chris Steele
Private health and protection insurance expert and editor

Chris Steele is myTribe’s resident expert in private health insurance and healthcare, with over a decade of experience in the field. As a Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) qualified professional, he has helped countless consumers navigate private medical insurance. Regularly quoted by national media, Chris is a trusted voice in the UK insurance industry, with his insights featured in leading consumer finance publications.

Article reviewed by
Andrew Burton
on
23rd October 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the cheapest place to buy private health insurance?

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Our latest independent research found that private health insurance is the cheapest in Edinburgh, Scotland, with the average cost of private health insurance being £81.50 for an individual, around 15.5% more affordable than the rest of the UK.

Our research showed that people between the ages of 50-60 see the largest percentage discount on their health insurance premiums for living in Edinburgh, with it being around 17% cheaper for those age groups.

Compared to London, health insurance prices are significantly cheaper in Edinburgh. For example, a 70-year-old will pay around £69 less in Edinburgh for the same policy, which is close to 29% cheaper.

Looking at cities in England, Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds and Oxford were all below the national average, albeit not significantly.

Will I pay more for private health insurance through a broker?

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No, health insurance brokers will offer you the best pricing currently available and, in some cases, can beat the price of going direct by offering cashback on your policy. There are occasions, albeit few, that insurers will offer a discount for direct business only, but, in most cases, the prices you get from a broker will be the same as going direct.

The added benefit of working with a broker is that they will help you compare all of the best private health insurance providers and give you tailored advice on the pros and cons of each plan. In our opinion, it's the best way to buy health insurance to ensure that you get the right plan at the best price.

What is the most affordable health insurance?

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The most affordable type of health insurance would be a treatment-only plan, which offers core cover, including in-patient and day-patient hospital treatment. Health insurance premiums tend to rise as you add additional cover options to your plan, such as out-patient cover, mental health cover and more.

In the last few years, health insurance companies have introduced several ways to minimise the cost of their policy, in addition to setting a higher excess. Arguably, the most effective is opting for guided consultants, which means your insurer will help you choose who provides your treatment and where it takes place. Our research has found that a guided option reduces premiums by around 20%. Just bear in mind that this will reduce your options in terms of who, when and where you can receive treatment.

Why do health insurance premiums usually rise at renewal?

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The cost of private medical insurance usually rises at renewal due to several factors, primarily:

  • You're a year older, and the risk of ill health grows as we age
  • The cost of private medical treatment tends to rise, making claims more expensive
  • Your claims history can reduce your no-claims discount

There's no single factor that pushes prices up; it's a combination. If your premiums rise quickly, it's probably time to speak to a broker and compare plans and see if you can switch or move to a new insurer to get better prices without sacrificing cover levels.

Can I compare health insurance online?

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There are a couple of websites that offer the ability to compare health insurance online, but they typically require you to speak with a broker before buying to make sure you understand what's been shown. Due to the complexity of health insurance, it's not that simple to do a fair comparison, and it's easy to focus on price rather than what you're getting for your money.

By speaking with a broker, you not only get a comparison quote, but they'll also make sure you understand what you're buying and that it meets your requirements and needs.

Why should I get quotes through myTribe?

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We're proud to work with a handful of outstanding health insurance brokers. Over the past four years, we've worked with many brokers and have learnt by surveying people we refer who are the best.

When you request a quote from us, we will introduce you to a single myTribe vetted partner we regularly monitor. We know that the service you get will be excellent, as we have countless people tell us how good our partners are. We take all feedback seriously, and if you have an issue, you can tell us, and we'll act on it to avoid it happening again.

We don't sell your information to our partners, but if you speak with them and end up buying a policy through them, we may earn a commission for the initial introduction.

Will a larger excess reduce my health insurance premiums?

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Increasing your private health insurance excess will usually reduce your monthly premium, but it's worth looking at how much of a reduction you'll get, as in some cases, the saving vs. excess increase isn't worth it.

When you get quotes, ask your broker to show you the prices for different excess levels, so you can see how much of a saving you'll get by increasing it.

What is a health insurance no claims discount (NCD)?

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A health insurance NCD has similarities to what you'd get with your car insurance, but the significant difference is that when you get a new medical insurance policy, you usually start with a discount of around 65-70%. By comparison, you typically start with 0% with car insurance and build it up over several years.

Going back to health insurance, what this means is it is usually further for you to fall down the discount levels rather than climb, so if you claim, premiums can rise quite quickly.

Is cost the most important factor when buying health insurance?

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The cost of private health insurance is an important consideration, you need to keep it affordable after all. However, it's also important that your policy provides you with the benefits you need and value.

In many cases, the cheapest isn't the best, and by paying a bit more, you may find that you get a private medical insurance plan that's much better suited to your requirements.

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