The complete UK private medical insurance buyer's guide: what it costs, how underwriting works, what to look for in a policy and the mistakes that cost claims.
The UK private health insurance buyer's guide
Everything you need to buy UK private medical insurance properly, in order: what it does and does not cover, what drives the price, how underwriting works, and the specific decisions that determine whether a policy carries a claim.
Step 1 — Decide what you are buying speed for
PMI buys diagnostic speed, choice of consultant and private facilities for acute conditions. It does not cover emergencies, chronic-condition management, most maternity or pre-existing conditions under moratorium. Deciding which of those matters to you determines whether full outpatient cover is worth the premium.
Step 2 — Choose an underwriting basis
| Basis | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Moratorium | Pre-existing conditions from the last 5 years excluded until you go a clear period (usually 2 years) without symptoms or treatment | Fast set-up, clean recent history |
| Full medical underwriting | You declare your history up front; the insurer confirms exclusions in writing | Certainty where history is complex |
| Continued personal medical exclusions | Existing exclusions carried over when switching insurer | Switching without re-serving a moratorium |
| Medical history disregarded | Group schemes only — pre-existing conditions covered | Employer schemes of sufficient size |
Step 3 — Fix the hospital list before the price
The hospital list determines where you can be treated and is the largest premium lever after age. Check that the consultants and hospitals you would realistically use are on the list before you optimise for price.
Step 4 — Use excess, not cover cuts, to hit budget
- Raising the excess reduces premium without reducing what is covered.
- Cutting outpatient cover reduces premium but risks the claim stopping mid-diagnosis.
- A six-week NHS wait option cuts premium sharply but only pays if the NHS wait exceeds six weeks.
- Removing therapies or mental health saves little relative to what it costs you at claim.
Step 5 — Plan for renewal from day one
PMI premiums rise with age and claims. The single biggest saving most clients make is at renewal, by re-broking rather than accepting the insurer's letter — but switching after a claim can re-trigger underwriting, so it must be handled carefully. That is the point at which a broker earns their keep.
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.
Talk through your cover with a specialist PMI broker
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.