From £32.40/mo at 30 to £175–£210/mo at 65 — see what actually moves the price by age, postcode, family size and excess. Broker desk figures, 020 4525 0884.
How much does private health insurance cost in the UK?
UK private medical insurance costs from about £32.40/month for a healthy 30-year-old on core cover to £180+/month for a 65-year-old on full comprehensive. Age is the single biggest driver: premiums roughly double every 15 years. Family cover starts at around £96/month.
Key numbers
- ABI 2025 UK PMI market: £8.1 bn premium
- Average per-adult premium: £1,468/yr (£122/mo)
- Cheapest 30-yo core plan: from £32.40/mo
- Typical 65-yo comprehensive: £175–£210/mo
The five factors that actually move the premium
Age (accounts for ~55% of premium variance), postcode (London zones 1–3 add 12–18%), excess level (£250 vs £500 vs £1,000 shifts premium by 8–14%), hospital list (Bupa's Country vs Extended list is a 22–30% swing) and outpatient limit (£500 cap vs full cover is another 10–15%).
Age curve — the number to plan for
Premiums roughly double every 15 years on a level cover. A 30-year-old paying £45 today pays around £90 at 45, £180 at 60 and £320+ at 75. That's why lock-in of underwriting (moratorium or FMU) at your earliest healthy year is worth thousands over a lifetime.
Why headline comparison prices mislead
Direct-to-consumer aggregators strip out hospital lists, cancer full-cover, mental health benefit and NHS cash grants to hit a low sticker. A £42/month AXA quote might have a Bupa-list hospital exclusion and £500 outpatient cap. A properly brokered £58/month plan is a fundamentally different product.
PMI monthly cost by age — healthy non-smoker, £250 excess, comprehensive
| Age band | Bupa | AXA | Aviva | Vitality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30–34 | £54.20 | £47.90 | £45.10 | £49.60 |
| 40–44 | £72.80 | £64.30 | £61.70 | £68.20 |
| 50–54 | £108.40 | £96.10 | £92.80 | £104.30 |
| 60–64 | £168.90 | £152.40 | £147.20 | £164.80 |
| 70–74 | £264.30 | £238.70 | £229.60 | not offered new |
Broker verdict
“Ninety per cent of the price of PMI is set the day you take it out. Underwrite young and healthy — even on a modest plan — and you buy yourself decades of pricing stability.” — , Head of Operations, PremierPMI
Related questions
Is PMI cheaper if I pay annually?
Yes — most insurers give a 4–6% discount for annual payment versus monthly instalments.
Do premiums go up every year?
Yes. Two forces: a claims-inflation renewal loading (usually 6–12%) and an age-band step every birthday. Combined 8–14% p.a. is typical.
Can I lower my premium without losing cover?
Yes — raise the excess to £500 or £1,000, drop the outpatient cap to £1,500, or move from an Extended to Country hospital list. Never drop cancer full cover.
Price basis: Cheapest available entry-tier monthly premium for a healthy non-smoking 30-year-old on core cover with a moderate excess and a regional hospital list, from PremierPMI live desk quotes (Q2 2026). A 65-year-old on full comprehensive is typically £175–£210/month. Every premium is individually underwritten, so age, postcode, cover level, excess and modules all change the figure.
PremierPMI is a UK private medical insurance broker specialising in whole-of-market placement across 10+ leading UK health insurers including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA, Freedom Health, The Exeter, General & Medical and National Friendly. FCA regulated (Tesha Family Ltd, FRN 1029667). Speak to a broker on 020 4525 0884, WhatsApp 020 8064 2273, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk.
Get a broker-led premium assessment for your own profile
PremierPMI's brokers are available Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm. Call 020 4525 0884, message us on WhatsApp 020 8064 2273, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk. You can also request a callback or meet our team.