WPA Health insurance review (2026)

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• WPA Complete Health policy documents, product guides and terms and conditions analysed by our experts
• 24 core benefits and 11 optional benefits assessed and compared
• We use real WPA customer service reviews to inform our analysis
• Independent and impartial – we have no commercial relationships with insurers
• Strict editorial guidelines to ensure accurate, fair and balanced content
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Our WPA health insurance review is created by a team of writers and editors with over a decade of experience researching and explaining private health insurance. Every article is written and reviewed by qualified insurance experts, ensuring accuracy and clarity.

Read our private health insurance rating methodology

About WPA

WPA, which stands for Western Provident Association, is a not-for-profit company; it doesn’t have shareholders, which allows it to reinvest profits back into the business to the benefit of its members and team. Founded in 1901, WPA is dedicated purely to providing private health insurance and covers over 460,000 members.

WPA has one health insurance plan for individuals and families, and two types of business health insurance. This review focuses on WPA’s Complete Health product, which is designed for individual and family health insurance needs.

WPA Complete Health core benefits explained

Every Complete Health policy includes the same core benefits as a starting point for your cover. WPA uses a modular system, so you can decide whether you want to enhance the core benefits by adding a range of optional extras to create truly personalised cover.

The core benefits that come with all plans are fairly straightforward to grasp. In terms of outpatient treatment, it is important to note that WPA’s core cover will contribute up to £250 per year towards specialist consultations which is a welcome start. If you want a higher limit you will need to enhance this benefit through its Outpatient Consultations optional extra. As with most other providers there is no core cover for outpatient tests such as blood tests, x-rays and ultrasounds.

However, WPA does include complex scans such as MRI/CT/PET scans as standard, as well as any outpatient procedures performed by your specialist and any pre-admission tests. Likewise, the core benefits cover hospital treatment as a day patient or inpatient.

Additional core cover worth pointing out includes an NHS Hospital Cash benefit of up to £4,500 per year if you choose to be treated in an NHS hospital rather than a private hospital, and a range of health and wellbeing benefits, including access to remote GP services and counselling.

WPA Optional Extras: Tailor your policy to your requirements

While you can opt for a policy with just the core benefits, you will more likely want to tailor your cover to match your circumstances and budget; after all, that is the true strength of WPA’s private health insurance. For instance, you may be thinking about additional features like cancer cover, more extensive mental health support or a higher outpatient limit. 

This flexibility is where Complete Health comes into its own. WPA Complete Health’s itemised system allows you to choose from a lengthy list of extras and set individual limits for many benefits, so you only pay for the cover you want and value.

In total there are 11 different extras that you can select from in the following areas:

Enhanced outpatient care

While the inclusion of some outpatient cover in the core product is a starting point, the £250 limit for consultations is unlikely to be enough for many people. To offer you as much flexibility as possible WPA splits the outpatient extras that you can add to boost your out-patient cover into three areas:

• Extra outpatient consultations
• Outpatient diagnostic tests (blood tests, x-rays and ultrasound scans)
• Therapy (physiotherapy, chiropractic, homeopathy and acupuncture)

You can add one, two or all three of these extras and then decide for each element what annual limit you'd like to apply, ranging from £500 to unlimited cover. So, for example, if you want extensive cover for outpatient consultations and tests you may opt for unlimited cover for both. But, if you're happy to pay for physio and acupuncture yourself if you need it, you may want to opt out of Therapy cover. It means you can tailor your outpatient cover to what’s important to you and avoid paying for things you don’t want.

Cancer care

WPA’s core key benefits do not include cancer treatment so this is another add-on to consider carefully. Its optional Cancer Care provides comprehensive treatment options with no financial limits and is designed to cover you from initial tests to diagnosis, treatment and palliative care. There's no time limit on follow-up scans and consultations, and you'll also receive personalised support from WPA’s specially trained teams. Cancer Care includes a higher NHS Hospital Cash Benefit for cancer treatment, up to £6,000 per year.

Mental health care

All WPA Complete Health policies include some mental health support, notably up to six structured counselling sessions for anyone over the age of 16. However, you'd need to select the Mental Health Treatment optional extras to access wider mental health services. These options include:

• Mental health inpatient cover for up to 28 days/nights per year
• Mental health outpatient treatment and therapy (£1,000 or £2,500)
• An extended course of structured counselling for up to 20 sessions

Cash extras

WPA also provides the option to add four types of cash benefit to your policy (general dental treatment, optical treatment, health screening and audiology) with the ability to select two levels of cover. Each cash extra has its own maximum benefit, with level two cover providing higher limits:

• Level 1: Optical treatment (£150), General dental treatment (£200), Health screening (£200), Audiology (£100)‍
• Level 2: Optical treatment (£250), General dental treatment (£400), Health screening (£400), Audiology (£200)

Unfortunately, there isn’t quite as much flexibility with these cash benefits as other areas of WPA Complete Health. You can’t cherry-pick certain cash benefits or mix and match different monetary levels from the two tiers for different benefits. It is a simple choice of all or nothing.

What is a cash benefit?

Cash benefits are a set monetary amount you can claim towards specific treatments or consultations each year. They often cover some or all of the cost of routine appointments with your dentist or optician.

Other optional extras

In addition to the above, you can go further and tailor your private health insurance policy with the following options:

• Overseas emergency treatment (35 days or 70 days)
• Winter sports - UK treatment
• UK dental care
• Overseas dental emergency benefit
• Premium hospitals (located mainly in London, includes specialist cancer centres)

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You’ll need to actively engage when creating your WPA health policy

While we appreciate the vast freedom to customise your plan it does have a downside: WPA Complete Health is arguably more complex than other health insurance policies. Although you don’t have to choose any extras, if you treat the core plan as a straight off-the-peg healthcare solution you won’t make the most of what it can offer.

WPA’s tailored approach places a degree of personal responsibility on you to actively engage in the decision making process and think carefully about the cover you want. Those new to private health insurance could easily feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options and may benefit from an insurance broker helping them set up their policy. 

To be fair to WPA, it does make this process less daunting when you generate a quote on its website by showing the cost of three levels of cover side-by-side: core cover, mid-range and comprehensive, with different limits and cover automatically selected for each example. It’s a useful starting point, allowing you to adjust your cover on-screen and see how it affects your premium.

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WPA held its second-place ranking and five-star rating for the second consecutive year in our 2026 review of private health insurance providers. Overall, WPA Complete Health scored 89.7% in our impartial assessment, based on how it performed across six key categories.

Its unrivalled control over what you're covered for alongside outstanding customer service, explains why we ranked WPA so highly. 

WPA Complete Health is built around a core inpatient policy with six independently configurable Optional Extras: Therapy, Diagnostic Tests, Mental Health, Cancer Care, Cash Extras, and Extended Therapy, each available at multiple levels. It means you choose what you need and pay accordingly.

WPA scored the highest of the ten providers we reviewed in our Customer Reviews & Clarity assessment. It has topped the customer satisfaction charts for more than four years and our tracking data shows that WPA’s Trustpilot rating hasn't dipped below 4.5 out of 5 since 2021. That's mighty impressive, especially given that WPA has attracted a huge number of new members and made some significant structural changes to its products during that period. 

The table below shows how WPA fared in each of the six private health insurance categories that determined our star ratings:

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WPA performed consistently well, finishing first in two of the six categories we assessed: Hospital & Cancer Treatment and Customer Reviews & Clarity, and joint first in Outpatient & Extra Benefits and Treatment Pathways. In our other two categories, it finished no lower than fifth, making it a strong all round health insurance policy with the service to match.

What’s changed about WPA health insurance for 2026?

WPA has made a number of recent changes to Complete Health which should make its health insurance even more appealing for the right customers. The headline improvement is the expansion of its Fast Track pathways, which now cover physiotherapy, skin lesions (via Skin Analytics), and cancer, all accessible without a GP referral. It’s a major step forward for treatment access and closes what was previously a gap with Bupa. 

WPA also added an extra level at the top of its NCD ladder, benefiting long-standing members who haven't claimed and lessening the impact of premium increases.

Now that you know how WPA healthcare works, it’s important to understand how it compares with other health insurance providers. In particular, where does it stand out, and where does it fall short? Here are some of the key differences to consider:

1. WPA delivers outstanding customer service

We’d suggest that when comparing health insurance policies, you should look beyond the benefits, cost and terms and also factor customer service into your decision-making process. This is where WPA excels. It has the best Trustpilot rating of all the health insurers we have reviewed, and its customer satisfaction levels remain consistently high year-on-year.

Because it only offers health insurance you can also be reassured that all the WPA reviews on Trustpilot are relevant.

Long waiting times for calls to be answered are a common frustration among health insurance customers and brokers. However, data published on its website for October 2025, shows that on average, WPA answers customer calls within just two minutes.

2. It’s highly customisable to match your health cover needs

Flexibility can be an overused term when describing financial products, but it's a well-earned accolade in the case of WPA Complete Health. You can add the cover you need and set individual limits for many benefits, unlike other providers where limits are typically fixed or combined with other benefits. Consultations, diagnostic tests, and therapy each draw from their own pot, so using one type of benefit doesn't reduce what's available for another.

Overall, there are around 11 different choices you can make, which is an unprecedented level of control when it comes to creating your health cover. The only negative that we have already highlighted is that such a flexible health policy does make setting up your policy more complicated, but we believe this trade-off is worth it. 

A qualified adviser can help you decide which combination of Optional Extras fits your circumstances.

3. It offers a fair approach to claims

WPA’s no claims discount (NCD) may not be market-leading, but it is still very fair. There are 14 levels and you start at level 12 with a 64% discount on your premiums. You will move up one level for each year that you don’t make a claim, up to a maximum discount of 70%. Small claims of between £0.01 and £250 will move you down one level, claims of between £250.01 and £750 will drop you two levels, and claims over £750 will see you fall three levels.

If you are taking out WPA health insurance as a couple or a family, the good news is that each person named on the policy has their own separate no claims discount.

Some benefits, including NHS Hospital Cash Benefit, physio pathway and cash extras, won’t affect your WPA no claims discount, and the same applies to any excess amount you pay.

4. You’ll get broad private consultant and hospital access

WPA also stands out for its hospital list and specialist access. With WPA healthcare, you get unrestricted access to any private medical consultant or specialist in the UK up to its Fee Agreed limits.

It also has one of the best standard hospital lists in the market, with a choice of over 1,000 hospitals, clinics and scanning centres. Only high-end hospitals, often found in central London, are excluded unless you opt for the Premium Hospitals extra.

One notable difference between WPA and eight of the other insurers we reviewed is that it doesn't offer a guided consultant option, whereby your insurer provides a shortlist of private hospitals and consultants to pick from in return for a lower premium. It means that when you need a specialist, you'll do more of the legwork yourself, though WPA's new Healthcare Finder, powered by Doctify, is designed to make your choice easier.

5. You can self-refer for counselling and complementary therapies

WPA is one of the few health insurers that allows you to self-refer for structured counselling sessions, up to a maximum of six per year. It can be accessed through WPA’s Health and Wellbeing helpline, where you will be assessed.

If you add WPA’s Therapy optional extra to your cover, you can also self-refer for up to four sessions with a physio, chiropractor or osteopath, up to your chosen limit.

6. Older customers will find it more difficult to join

Although there is no upper age limit on your Complete Health once you have a policy, WPA makes joining harder after you turn 66. These older customers must have a minimum policy excess of £500 and go through full medical underwriting when they apply, stringent requirements that may dissuade some people from taking out a policy. 

WPA also has broader disclosure requirements than others, including “ever had” questions covering cancer, heart conditions and family history, potentially leading to more exclusions.

Whether WPA will include any of your pre-existing medical conditions depends on the underwriting method you choose and your medical history. It will want to focus on how long ago the symptoms were or when you had treatment.

Moratorium underwriting typically excludes conditions you've had in the five years before the policy starts, so much older conditions could still be covered. Furthermore, with moratorium underwriting if a pre-existing condition doesn’t show symptoms or require treatment, advice, or medication for two continuous years after your policy begins, WPA should cover it.

If you opt for full medical underwriting, WPA will review your medical history upfront so it could possibly include some pre-existing conditions if it deems them to be of little or no risk. 

What's not covered by WPA health insurance?

In common with other health insurers, WPA health insurance has some standard exclusions that apply to all its policyholders. These will be in addition to any personal exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions you may have. WPA’s general exclusions include:

For a complete list of exclusions, check out WPA's policy guide.

How much does WPA health insurance cost?

The cost of WPA private health insurance will be based on several factors, including your age, where you live, the level of cover and optional extras you choose, and your policy excess, which means it will vary from person to person. 

According to our pricing research, the average cost of a WPA health plan is £43.97 per month for a 30-year-old and £59.68 for a 40-year-old. Our research shows that WPA consistently ranks among the most competitively priced health insurers across the different age ranges we monitor.

Read our guide to the average cost of private health insurance in the UK.

How do the WPA optional extras impact your premium?

Having talked so much about WPA’s optional extras, you will probably be keen to learn how these might impact your premium.

As you'd expect, the cost of WPA health insurance increases with the optional extras you add and the level of monetary benefits you select. For instance, a WPA Complete Health policy with mid-range benefits (such as Comprehensive Cancer Care, £1K Outpatient Consultations, £1K Outpatient Diagnostics Tests, £500 Therapy and Cash Extras Level 1) will cost around 85% more than a core benefit policy.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive cover policy with all the bells and whistles and maximum cover is around 50% more expensive than a mid-range policy (see table below).

WPA health insurance offers several underwriting options, depending on whether you are taking out a new policy or looking to switch an existing policy from another insurer.

Underwriting for people with no existing health insurance

If you are new to private health insurance you can select moratorium or full medical underwriting. The only exception is if you are 66 or older, in which case WPA restricts you to joining on a full medical underwriting basis.

Moratorium underwriting

If you choose moratorium underwriting you won't need to share your medical history with WPA when you apply, but you will need to provide detailed medical information when you claim.

Any pre-existing conditions that occurred in the five years before your policy starts will automatically be excluded. However, if you go two continuous years after you join WPA without any symptoms, medication, advice or treatment for those conditions, they will then be covered.

Full Medical Underwriting

With full medical underwriting WPA will ask you questions about your medical and family history when you apply. It will review your past medical history and, in most cases, exclude recent or ongoing medical conditions. Any personal exclusions will be clearly listed on the Certificate of Insurance that WPA provides with your policy.

Underwriting for people with other health insurance companies

If you have existing health insurance cover that you want to move to WPA you can switch through continued moratorium or continued personal medical exclusions (CPME), depending on which underwriting you already have.

Continued moratorium

Where your previous health insurance was underwritten on a moratorium basis you may be able to switch to WPA with continued moratorium, allowing you to maintain your existing moratorium period.

Continued personal medical exclusions

If you have undergone full medical underwriting in the past, and there has been no break in your cover since, you can opt for continued personal medical exclusions with WPA. This means you can carry across your current personal exclusions, although WPA may ask you more medical questions and apply additional exclusions based on this information.

Some groups of customers may be eligible for discounts and offers when they take out WPA health insurance or once they have a policy in place:

Family discounts

You can save 5% on the cost of your WPA health insurance when your policy includes two or more adults aged 18+. The family discount increases to 10% if your policy covers at least one adult (18+) and one or more children.

Medical professionals discount

WPA will apply a 10% discount on the premiums for medical professionals (doctors, specialists, therapists, dentists, etc) when they buy WPA health insurance.

Refer a friend

Existing WPA members can receive £100 if they refer a friend who takes out a WPA insurance. This can be WPA’s individual health insurance (Complete Health), or one of its business health insurance plans (Enterprise Flexible Benefits or Precision Corporate Healthcare). Each household can make up to five referrals each policy year.

Membership discounts

WPA members can access health, wellbeing and lifestyle special offers via the My WPA Portal or the WPA Health app, including products and services from well-known brands such as Nuffield Health, Specsavers, Fitbit and Garmin. These offers include:

• Gym memberships
• Optical and hearing
• Health screening and assessments
• Keeping active
• Wellness support
• Meal subscription boxes

While WPA has plenty of discounts, it doesn’t have any that are health-specific. So, unlike some insurers that offer savings on your premiums of 10% to 15% for answering some simple health and lifestyle questions, you won’t have the opportunity to benefit from a health assessment discount with WPA.

WPA’s Trustpilot reviews offer a great snapshot of the levels of customer service its health insurance customers have experienced.

WPA currently enjoys a rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 5,111 reviews (15th April 2026), which is a higher rating than any other health insurer we've reviewed. Impressively, 89% of the reviewers gave WPA the full 5-stars suggesting strong customer satisfaction.

Much of the positive feedback centres around WPA’s efficient claims process, responsive staff and user-friendly mobile app. 

Example WPA health insurance reviews from its customers:

“As I was able to identify the best consultant for the issue we were able to get it sorted quite efficiently. The WPA team were both very helpful and supportive throughout the process.”

“Extremely empathetic, human and helpful, but also extreme clarity in communication and resolution of my issue and claim.”

‍“WPA are an excellent company to deal with. Their processes are easy to follow, and they’re always quick to respond and pay out when you have a claim. ”

Is it worth having WPA health insurance?

Getting private health insurance can be a wise decision if you are looking to get quicker access to medical treatment and, based on your policy, a faster diagnosis without having to rely on the NHS. As well as shorter waiting times, private medical insurance also gives you more choice over where and when you receive treatment.

Whether WPA health insurance is worth it will depend on your personal healthcare needs, your budget and the health solutions you’re ultimately looking for. However, we think that WPA’s highly customisable health insurance, strong customer service, and competitive pricing make it a good health insurance company to consider and one of the best options for those seeking private healthcare in 2026.

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How to get more information about WPA health insurance cover

If you'd like more WPA health insurance information, to read its terms and conditions, or access its product literature, visit its website. 

For more independent expert analysis from us you can check out how WPA ranks against other providers in our review of the Best private health insurance in 2026 and see how its pricing compares in our research guide on how much private health insurance costs.

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