A £52k FY2 doctor comparing the BMA-endorsed PMI scheme with individual cover: the real per-year numbers, the underwriting differences, and when each option wins.
PMI for junior doctors: the BMA scheme vs individual cover — actual numbers on a £52k FY2
The BMA-endorsed PMI scheme is the default for most junior doctors — but it is not always the cheapest, and it is very rarely the widest cover. The line-by-line comparison.
The short answer
- BMA-endorsed PMI at FY2 (£52k salary) averages £58/month — below the individual market
- Individual cover for the same profile ranges £62–£78/month, but includes wider network and higher mental health cover
- The BMA scheme uses moratorium underwriting by default; individual cover offers FMU as an alternative
- For anyone with historic mental health or musculoskeletal issues, individual cover with FMU usually wins on total cost of ownership
The comparison
The BMA-endorsed PMI scheme (currently underwritten by AXA PPP) is the default recommendation for most junior doctors leaving medical school. It is cheap, moratorium-underwritten and administratively simple. But it is not the only option, and for a specific cohort of junior doctors it is materially the wrong option. We compared it against individual cover on a benchmark FY2 profile: age 26, single, £52,000 annual salary, non-smoker, London postcode.
PMI at FY2 (age 26, £52k, London) — 2026
- BMA scheme monthly at FY2: £58 (BMA member portal, June 2026)
- Individual market range for equivalent profile: £62–£78/mo
- Mental health inpatient nights on BMA scheme: Nil
| Product | Monthly | Underwriting | Network | Mental health | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMA scheme (AXA) | £58 | Moratorium | Full AXA UK | £1,000 outpatient | Included |
| AXA Personal Health | £72 | FMU or moratorium | Full AXA UK | £1,500 outpatient + 45 nights inpatient | Included |
| Aviva Solutions | £68 | FMU or moratorium | Full Aviva UK | £1,500 outpatient + 45 nights inpatient | Optional |
| Vitality Personal | £78 | FMU or moratorium | Full Vitality UK | £1,500 outpatient + 45 nights inpatient | Included |
| Bupa By You | £74 | FMU or moratorium | Full Bupa UK | £1,250 outpatient + 45 nights inpatient | Included |
Where the BMA scheme wins
For a healthy junior doctor with no significant medical history, wanting cheap physical-health-focused cover for the standard NHS-parallel-access reasons (physiotherapy, minor orthopaedic issues, imaging speed), the BMA scheme is the correct answer. £58 a month for meaningful cover with a trusted brand is hard to beat, and the moratorium underwriting means no health disclosure at application.
"The junior doctor cohort most likely to be badly served by the BMA scheme is the one that most needs cover: those with any mental health history, any musculoskeletal history, or a partner they will want to add later. On any of those axes, individual cover on FMU underwriting almost always beats the BMA product over a five-year window." — Tumaris, Director, PremierPMI
Where individual cover wins
- Mental health cover: the BMA scheme has nil inpatient nights. Individual cover at Bupa, AXA and Aviva provides 45 nights.
- Musculoskeletal history: FMU on individual cover clears named conditions, whereas the BMA moratorium restarts the two-year clock at every symptom.
- Partner add-on: adding a partner to the BMA scheme is not straightforward. Individual cover is designed for it.
- Locum or private practice income: policies aimed at self-employed medical professionals (WPA, Freedom) sometimes include practice-related complications cover that the BMA scheme does not.
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.
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