WPA softens no claims discount rules for smaller health insurance claims

WPA has announced a further improvement to its Complete Health no claims discount (NCD), which will give its health insurance customers more protection from premium increases at renewal.

The update follows a series of changes WPA made to its Complete Health plan last year, which included simplified underwriting and a more generous NCD ladder. This time, the insurer is focusing on how smaller claims affect a customer’s discount level.

How WPA’s new NCD structure will work

Under WPA’s current NCD rules, any policyholder who claims between £250.01 and £750.00 drops down its NCD ladder by two levels, regardless of where in that range the claim amount falls. From 1 October, WPA is splitting this band in two, so that smaller claims within it are treated more leniently.

Its new NCD structure means customers claiming between £250.01 and £500 will move down the NCD ladder by one level only. However, customers claiming between £500.01 and £750 will continue to move down by two levels, as before.

Kathryn Vellacott, Head of Distribution and Proposition at WPA Group, said: “We want customers to feel confident using their health insurance when they need it. With benefits such as Fast Track pathways and Cash Extras already available without affecting their No Claims Discount, reducing the impact of smaller claims is another way we are helping customers access care with greater peace of mind.” 

WPA said that all other claim values that affect its NCD ladder will remain unchanged. The graphic below shows WPA’s new NCD structure in full.

An example of what the NCD change will mean

Take a customer who is at level 12 of WPA's NCD, which carries a 64% discount. If they submit a claim for £400, under the current rules they would drop two levels to level 10, reducing their discount to 58%. Once the new rules take effect, the same £400 claim would only move them down one level, to level 11, leaving them with a 61% discount instead.

How WPA’s NCD compares to other insurers

WPA already has one of the fairest NCDs among the leading UK health insurers. This improvement will put WPA further ahead of several rivals on smaller claims. ​For instance, Aviva Healthier Solutions also protects claims up to £250, but anything above that immediately costs customers three levels, with no intermediate step. AXA Health Personal Health is stricter still, applying a three-level drop to any eligible claim regardless of size. 

Bupa By You sits closer to WPA, protecting claims up to £300 before applying a two-level drop for claims between £300 and £1,200. However, the most lenient of the major insurers remains The Exeter's Health+ plan, which protects claims up to £300 and applies just a one-level drop for claims up to £1,000, higher than WPA's new £500 cut-off.

Chis Steele, founder and editor of myTribe Insurance Experts, said: “This is another sensible move from WPA. Splitting out its claims band means customers who have a smaller, one-off health cost aren’t hit as hard as those with a more significant claim, which feels like a fairer way to structure the NCD. It’s encouraging to see WPA continuing to look at ways to soften the impact that claiming has on health insurance premiums over time.”

The change announced by WPA takes effect from 1 October 2026 for both new and renewing customers. WPA confirmed that existing policyholders will be informed of the update in their renewal packs, so customers don’t need to do anything in order to benefit once it comes into force.

Further reading: WPA Health insurance review (2026) and how claims affect your NCD and health insurance premium

You can find out how WPA Complete Health compares with other providers in our impartial guide to the best health insurance companies in 2026