Private Health Insurance UK | Medical Insurance | Vitality (2024)

Private medical insurance works alongside the NHS. It focuses on providing quicker access to treatment, with more choice about who treats you, and where.Private healthcare is paid for - usually through a private health insurance plan financed by yourself or your employer.

Anyone with private healthcare policy can still use all services offered by the NHS.

This depends on your individual circ*mstances. It’s worth considering private health insurance if you:

• Can afford to pay monthly premiums (our core coverstarts from £1.45¹ a day)
• Want quick access to healthcare
• Want to ensure you are protected from any sudden, large private medical bills.

You’ll also need to be able to afford the monthly premiums. This is what you pay each month to stay covered by your private health insurance plan. Our core coverstarts from £44¹ a month.

Yes, you can add your husband, wife or partner, and your children to your health insurance plan.

Additionally, you can refer a friendfor Vitality health insurance - you’ll both be rewarded if they sign up.

Your friend will need to take out a health or life plan directly from Vitality - and paid premiums for three months. For the full offer details, read the terms and conditions.

No. If you don't have any pre-existing medical conditions, you just need to:

• Give the insurer your personal details
• Pick your level of cover
• Answer some basic questions.

If you do have a pre-existing condition, the insurer may need additional information from your GP.

Pre-existing health conditions aren't usually covered under Vitality’s private health insurance. This tends to be the same for most insurance providers across the UK. Please check with your provider for more information.

You can still get private medical cover with a pre-existing condition - you just won’t be able to make a claim for any care relating to that condition. Instead, you will need to carry on seeking treatment from the NHS for your pre-existing medical condition.

There is not typically an age limit for taking out private medical insurance. But this can vary depending on the insurer.

Your age is one of the factors used to determine the cost of your private health insurance premium. The older you are, the more expensive your plan is likely to be.

The cost of private medical care varies depending on the consultant, hospital, and treatment. For example, a hip replacement done privately costs on average £15,000 (Vitality data, 2020).

You can manage the costs of private healthcare with private medical insurance. By paying a monthly premium, you can access private healthcare more affordably.

To keep your monthly premiums down, you can choose private medical cover with a higher excess.The higher the excess, the lower the premiums. This is the same with most insurers.However, this will mean that if you do need to make a claim, the amount you will have to pay upfront will be higher. Learn more about how you can control your costs.

With our core cover, you can help reduce the amount your premium will increase at renewal. To do this, engage in our Vitality Programme to earn points and improve your Vitality status. Learn more about health living rewards.

Yes, your premium will change each year based on your age, claims history and medical inflation. The amount you’ve claimed also affects your premium.

At Vitality, if you don’t make any insurance claims, your premium will only rise in line with age and medical inflation.

Learn more about how your health insurance premium is calculated.