Private health insurance cost in the UK

There’s no single price for private health insurance in the UK. Your age, postcode, cover, excess, hospital list and the people covered all affect cost. A personal quote from a health insurance specialist shows how those choices work together.

Your age and where you live

Your age helps insurers work out cost. Cover generally costs more as you get older because you’re more likely to need treatment. Different ages help explain differences between quotes for similar policies.

Your postcode matters too. Private treatment costs vary across the UK, and insurers use location to work out cost. Someone elsewhere may pay a different amount for similar cover.

A friend’s price tells you little about what you’ll pay. Their quote could reflect different ages, locations, cover choices or exclusions.

Compare quotes for the same people and address to see which differences come from the policy. A general estimate won’t show how every choice works together.

The level of cover you choose

Private medical insurance starts with core in-patient and day-patient cover. In-patient treatment means an overnight hospital stay. Day-patient treatment means admission for care without staying overnight. Core cover includes operations, consultant fees, tests and nursing during an admission.

It pays for eligible private treatment of acute conditions that start after cover begins. These conditions are expected to respond to treatment. Even a broader policy doesn’t cover every health need.

Outpatient cover

Outpatient care includes consultations and tests without hospital admission. Some policies set a limit on what they pay for this care. Others offer a wider allowance or cover certain tests separately.

A lower outpatient limit can reduce cost and leave more appointments or tests for you to pay for privately or access through the NHS. Check which services share a limit and what happens when it runs out.

Our guide to outpatient cover explains the options.

Additional benefits

Options include therapies such as physiotherapy, plus mental health treatment. Cancer cover also varies between policies. Some policies offer dental and optical benefits as add-ons.

Adding benefits can increase cost. The name alone won’t tell you what’s covered. Check what each benefit pays for and where it stops. Look for limits on treatment sessions and services that need approval before you use them.

Your renewal cost isn’t fixed, even if you haven’t claimed.

The excess you agree to pay

An excess is the amount you agree to pay towards eligible claims under your policy. A higher excess often reduces the cost of cover because you pay more when you claim.

Choose an amount that fits your budget when a bill arrives, as well as when you apply. Think about what you could comfortably pay without using money needed for everyday bills.

Check how it applies. Depending on the policy, the excess may apply per person each policy year or per claim. This affects what you pay when you need treatment.

Some benefits have different excess rules. Compare the amount and how it’s charged. Read our guide to health insurance excess before deciding how much of a claim you’re comfortable funding.

The hospitals available under the policy

A hospital list sets out where covered treatment is available. A policy with a wider choice can cost more than one with a restricted list. Access to higher-cost hospitals also affects cost.

Check which hospitals are within a reasonable distance. A long list is little use if it excludes the locations you’d use. A shorter list may suit you if it includes convenient hospitals.

Hospital access doesn’t mean every consultant or treatment there is covered. The insurer may set separate rules about recognised consultants and the fees it pays.

Before choosing a restricted list to reduce cost, check how you’d use it when you need care. Read the exact list attached to the quote. A broad description of hospital choice isn’t enough.

Underwriting and what the policy excludes

Underwriting sets the terms on which an insurer offers cover. It can affect the quote and how pre-existing conditions are treated. Most individual policies exclude them, subject to their underwriting terms.

With full medical underwriting, the insurer assesses medical information before setting out any personal exclusions. Moratorium underwriting usually excludes recent pre-existing conditions at the start, with possible cover later if the policy’s conditions are met.

Neither approach automatically covers an existing condition. Broader benefits don’t remove a personal exclusion. The specialist explains the differences so you don’t have to work them out from policy labels.

If you already have insurance, take care when changing insurer. Switching on continued personal medical exclusions may be possible, subject to acceptance. Other terms of the new policy won’t necessarily match your current cover.

Our guide to pre-existing conditions and underwriting explains the main terms. Compare exclusions alongside cost, especially when switching. Keep existing cover until the new insurer confirms the terms and start date.

Who is included in the cover

The people covered and their ages affect cost, as do the benefits chosen. A family policy brings cover together. Check each person’s eligibility and exclusions.

Check how limits and excesses work for each person on the policy. Some allowances apply separately to each person, while other terms work differently. A shared policy doesn’t mean a shared excess.

Check what existing cover through work provides before paying for overlapping cover. Employer-funded private medical insurance is normally a taxable benefit in kind.

If you’re leaving a company scheme, continuing cover may be possible. Personal cover has its own cost and terms, which won’t necessarily match your workplace cover. A specialist explains available continuation options and any time limits that apply.

Renewal changes and insurance premium tax

The cost when you first take out cover isn’t fixed for future years. Insurers can change it at renewal as you get older and treatment costs change.

Claims can also affect future costs, depending on the policy. A year without a claim doesn’t mean your renewal cost stays the same. Check how the insurer treats claims when it explains a renewal quote.

Insurance premium tax applies to private medical insurance. Check the quote includes it so you’re comparing the full cost.

Think beyond the first year. If renewal becomes difficult to afford, changing benefits or the excess may affect cost and what you receive when claiming. Review cover before deciding on renewal cost alone.

How to compare cost and cover

Compare quotes with similar benefits. If one costs less, check why. A lower outpatient allowance affects cover differently from a more restricted hospital list.

Before choosing, check the following details.

• What core treatment is covered and which benefits are optional.
• How outpatient limits apply to consultations and tests.
• When the excess is charged and who pays it.
• Which hospitals and consultants the insurer recognises.
• What exclusions apply and how renewal pricing works.

Private medical insurance generally excludes ongoing management of chronic conditions, routine pregnancy and cosmetic treatment. A&E and emergency care are outside its scope.

You remain entitled to free NHS care when you choose private treatment. The NHS is still there for emergencies. Read the guidance on NHS and private care for how the services work alongside each other.

MoneyHelper’s guide to private medical insurance gives another view on weighing up cover and affordability before buying.

A health insurance specialist explains cover and provides quotes based on the options you’re considering. Answer a few quick questions to compare private health insurance. The form asks no health questions. The specialist then contacts you by phone or email to talk through the options.

Common questions

Last updated 8 November 2026