Medicash health cash plan reviewed: levels, what each pays back for dental, optical and therapies, and claim rules, sourced from Medicash's own pages.
Medicash Cash Plan Review — from £7.20/mo
Medicash health cash plan reviewed: levels, what each pays back for dental, optical and therapies, and claim rules, sourced from Medicash's own pages.
What Medicash cover includes
Liverpool-based not-for-profit health cash plan insurer — one of the UK's longest-running specialist health cash plan providers.
Medicash is a UK health cash plan insurer founded in Liverpool in 1871, with the underwriting company, Medicash Health Benefits Limited, trading as a not-for-profit (medicash.org, checked 15 Oct 2026). Its individual proposition, the Personal Health Plan, runs across a Cashback entry option plus four escalating levels (Level 1 to Level 4), priced at £7.20, £17.05, £28.90 and £42.75 per adult per month on Medicash's own published 'Get a Quote' price comparison (medicash.org/join-now/get-a-quote, checked 15 Oct 2026). Every level pays cash back into your bank account after you pay the dentist, optician, physio or therapist directly and submit a receipt. Up to four dependent children can be covered free alongside a paying adult under the plan's family terms (medicash.org/faqs, checked 15 Oct 2026).
Medicash at a glance
- Established: Founded in Liverpool in 1871 as the Liverpool Hospital Saturday Fund; the underwriting company, Medicash Health Benefits Limited, was incorporated at Companies House on 24 July 1931 (company number 00258025, formerly named Merseyside Health Benefits Council until 2001). Checked at Companies House, 15 Oct 2026.
- Head office: One Derby Square, Liverpool, L2 1AB (registered office, Companies House, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Regulation: Medicash Health Benefits Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA, FRN 202242 (Bank of England list of PRA-regulated insurers, checked 15 Oct 2026; Medicash's own Solvency and Financial Condition Report 2025 confirms PRA/FCA dual regulation). Medicash is a company limited by guarantee without share capital, not a registered friendly society, and operates on a not-for-profit basis according to its own SFCR.
- Best suited to: Individuals with regular dental / optical spend; Families wanting children covered free alongside a paying adult; Employers adding a low-cost everyday-health benefit for staff
- Indicative starting premium: £7.20/mo
- Corporate structure: Company limited by guarantee without share capital; operates as not-for-profit (Companies House and Medicash SFCR 2025, checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Trading since: 1871 (as Liverpool Hospital Saturday Fund); company incorporated 1931
- Flagship individual product: Personal Health Plan — Cashback option plus Level 1 to Level 4 (medicash.org, checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Digital services included: Virtual GP, SkinVision dermatology screening, HealthLens health scanning, digital physiotherapy via the My Medicash app (medicash.org, checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Corporate offering: Medicash Proactive — employer-funded cash plan from £4.65 per employee per month for companies with 10+ staff (medicash.org/employer-health-plan/medicash-proactive, checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Which? 2026 survey status: Not rated in the Which? 2026 private medical insurance survey — Medicash is a health cash plan, not a PMI provider, so it falls outside that survey's scope.
Medicash plan tiers compared
| Plan | Monthly (illustrative) | Typical use / limits |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Health Plan — Cashback | Price on quote | 100% cashback on eligible receipted treatment,Not published; confirm exact annual limits at quote |
| Personal Health Plan — Level 1 | £7.20/month per adult | Routine dental up to £40,Dental accident and injury up to £100,Optical up to £40,Complementary therapies up to £150 |
| Personal Health Plan — Level 2 | £17.05/month per adult | Routine dental up to £80,Dental accident and injury up to £200,Optical up to £80,Complementary therapies up to £250 |
| Personal Health Plan — Level 3 | £28.90/month per adult | Routine dental up to £140,Dental accident and injury up to £350,Optical up to £140,Complementary therapies up to £350 |
| Personal Health Plan — Level 4 | £42.75/month per adult | Routine dental up to £225,Dental accident and injury up to £500,Optical up to £180,Complementary therapies up to £500 |
Benefit limits, line by line
| Category | Benefit | Limits | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routine dental | Dental treatments and check-ups, hygienist fees and braces provided by a dentist; half the annual limit can be claimed towards dental care plan fees | £40 (L1) → £225 (L4) per adult per year, paid at 100% | medicash.org/join-now/get-a-quote, checked 15 Oct 2026. |
| Dental accident and injury | Dental treatment required following an accident or injury; emergency appointment must be within 5 days of the accident | £100 (L1) → £500 (L4) per adult per year, paid at 100% | |
| Optical | Eye tests, prescribed spectacles and sunglasses, contact lenses, safety goggles required for work, and laser eye surgery | £40 (L1) → £180 (L4) per adult per year, paid at 100% | |
| Consultations and diagnostic tests | Initial consultation fee from a specialist consultant, plus diagnostic and investigative tests under a specialist consultant or GP; health screening and home testing kits are not covered under this benefit | £100 (L1) → £500 (L4) per adult per year, paid at 100% | |
| Hospital benefits | Cash paid per day or night for an overnight hospital stay for medical treatment or continuation of medical care, up to a combined 20 days/nights per year; the first night or single-night stays are not covered | £15 (L1) → £50 (L4) per day or night | |
| Complementary therapies | Physiotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy and chiropractic assessment and treatment | £150 (L1) → £500 (L4) per adult per year, paid at 50% | |
| Alternative therapies | Allergy testing, homeopathy, reflexology, Bowen and Alexander technique, reiki, Indian head massage and hypnotherapy as part of a treatment plan | £50 (L1) → £150 (L4) per adult per year, paid at 50% | |
| Chiropody | Chiropody and podiatry assessments and treatment; cosmetic and beauty treatments, pedicures and surgical footwear are excluded | Not published on the public quote comparison; confirm at quote | |
| Virtual GP | Phone or video consultation with an NHS-registered doctor booked via the My Medicash app | Included; usage terms not separately published — confirm at quote | |
| Digital wellbeing tools | SkinVision dermatology screening, HealthLens health scanning and digital physiotherapy, available via the My Medicash app | Included as digital services rather than cash benefits; some features are corporate-scheme specific |
Indicative Medicash premiums by age
Illustrative desk figures, not quotes — every premium is individually underwritten.
Making a claim
- 1. Pay the practitioner — You attend the dentist, optician, physio or specialist and pay them directly — Medicash does not settle invoices at the point of care (medicash.org FAQs, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- 2. Submit the claim — Submit the itemised receipt via the My Medicash app or online, selecting the relevant benefit category.
- 3. Cash paid into your account — Approved claims are paid into your nominated bank account. Medicash will not pay any claims until your first premium has been received.
- 4. Check exclusions before claiming — The hospital benefit excludes pre-existing conditions for 3 years from policy start (or from a cover increase); birth or adoption of a child is not covered within the first 12 months of the policy; claims arising from dangerous sports or self-inflicted injury are excluded (medicash.org FAQs, checked 15 Oct 2026).
Where Medicash stands out
- Over 150 years of trading heritage and a not-for-profit structure, according to Medicash's own Solvency and Financial Condition Report (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Virtual GP consultations and digital tools such as SkinVision and HealthLens available via the My Medicash app.
- Applicants aged 16 to 65 can join with no medical questions and premiums that do not rise because of age (medicash.org FAQs, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Solo Plan covers the policyholder plus up to four dependent children; Dual Plan extends this to a partner, including same-sex partnerships.
- Dependent children can be covered at no extra cost up to age 16, or 19 if in full-time education, for some benefits (medicash.org FAQs, checked 15 Oct 2026).
Watch-outs before you buy
- A cash plan is not PMI — Medicash does not fund hospital-level acute treatment, private consultants for treatment (rather than diagnosis) or full cancer pathways. If you want private surgery cover, you need PMI alongside.
- You pay providers directly and claim back — cashflow-friendly households only.
- Complementary and alternative therapies are reimbursed at 50%, not 100%, even though dental, optical, consultations and diagnostic tests are reimbursed at 100% on the current published table.
- The hospital benefit excludes pre-existing conditions for 3 years from policy start, and new-child benefits are excluded for the first 12 months — plan ahead of claiming if either applies.
- Exact chiropody limits and some digital-tool eligibility rules are not published on Medicash's public quote comparison; confirm the live benefit table at quote.
PremierPMI broker desk notes
- For most individual PremierPMI clients considering Medicash, we recommend comparing Level 1 against Level 2 carefully — the jump in routine dental and optical limits between the two tiers can outweigh the premium difference for households with regular dental spend.
- For SMEs, we frequently discuss pairing a mid-range PMI scheme with Medicash Proactive — the PMI covers acute hospital events, the cash plan covers everyday dental/optical/physio and can improve perceived scheme value at modest premium loading.
- Medicash's benefit categories (dental, optical, physio, chiropody) do not duplicate PMI hospital treatment cover, so combining the two products should not create a double-cover clash — always confirm with Medicash's current terms and conditions before advising a client.
- We ask clients to check the live benefit table and claims-exclusion wording directly with Medicash before relying on any specific limit, as cash-plan schedules are reviewed and can change between benefit years.
Medicash compared with other insurers
| Versus | Broker verdict |
|---|---|
| National Friendly | Both are UK health-benefit mutuals/insurers with long trading histories. National Friendly's current individual range (Friendly Health and Friendly Doctor+) is structured around a diagnosis pot and digital GP access rather than Medicash's numbered dental/optical cashback levels — the two products are not directly comparable tier-for-tier. |
| PMI (Bupa / AXA / Aviva) | Different products. A cash plan reimburses everyday spend up to limits; PMI funds private hospital treatment. Many households use both, since the benefit categories do not overlap. |
Broker verdict
Medicash is a long-established UK health cash plan insurer with a not-for-profit structure, a four-level Personal Health Plan priced from £7.20 to £42.75 per adult per month on its own published price comparison, and family terms that let children join alongside a paying adult. It complements — rather than replaces — private medical insurance for hospital-level treatment.
Best for: Best for families and dental/optical spenders wanting a long-established UK cash plan insurer.
Common questions
Is Medicash health insurance?
No — Medicash is a health cash plan insurer, not private medical insurance. A cash plan reimburses everyday health spend (dental, optical, physio, therapies) up to fixed annual limits. Private medical insurance funds hospital-level acute treatment. Many households buy both — they don't overlap.
How much does Medicash cost per month?
On Medicash's own published 'Get a Quote' price comparison (medicash.org, checked 15 Oct 2026), the Personal Health Plan starts at £7.20 per adult per month for Level 1, rising to £17.05 for Level 2, £28.90 for Level 3 and £42.75 for Level 4. A Cashback-only option is also listed; its price is not published alongside the numbered levels — confirm at quote.
Can I claim on Medicash straight away?
You can claim from the date shown on your policy schedule, but Medicash will not pay any claims until your first premium has been received. Some benefits carry exclusion periods — for example the hospital benefit excludes pre-existing conditions for 3 years from the start of the policy, and new-child benefits are excluded for the first 12 months (medicash.org FAQs, checked 15 Oct 2026). Always check the live terms before booking a big-ticket appointment.
Do I have to use a specific dentist or optician with Medicash?
Medicash's benefit table describes cover for treatment 'provided by a dentist' or eye tests and glasses generally, without restricting you to a specific network; you pay the practitioner directly and submit the receipt via the My Medicash app or online for reimbursement.
Is Medicash a mutual?
No — according to Companies House, Medicash Health Benefits Limited is a private company limited by guarantee without share capital, not a registered friendly society. Medicash's own 2025 Solvency and Financial Condition Report describes it as operating on a not-for-profit basis. It is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA, FRN 202242.
Is Medicash worth it for a family?
Medicash's Solo Plan covers the policyholder plus up to four dependent children, and its Dual Plan extends this to a partner; children can be covered at no extra cost up to age 16, or 19 in full-time education, for some benefits (medicash.org FAQs, checked 15 Oct 2026). Whether it's worth it depends on your household's actual annual dental, optical and therapy spend compared with the premium and limits at each level.
Price basis: Illustrative adult-only price on the provider's lowest cash plan tier, before any employer subsidy. Adding partner or family cover and moving up tiers increases the price.
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 07515 703307, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk.
Check whether a cash plan or full PMI fits you better
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