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Private Medical Insurance

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Business Insurance

Private medical insurance covers the cost of private medical treatment for diseases, illnesses or injuries. We offer comprehensive advice and as we are independent we can search the whole market to find products that best meet your needs at the most competitive premiums.

Individuals with private medical insurance can benefit from greater choice and quality of care facilities and shorter waiting times for treatment compared to individuals treated on the NHS.

What are the benefits?

Should medical treatment be necessary private medical insurance has the following advantages over reliance on the NHS service

 

  • No queues. Although waiting times on the NHS have improved between referral and treatment, around 18 weeks on average currently, you won’t have to wait as long for private treatment.
  • Peace of mind.  If the worst happens, your treatment will be as quick as it can be.
  • Clean hospitals.  Many people are also concerned about the problem of MRSA in NHS hospitals. MRSA, MSSA & (C.diff) affect around 1 in 10 hospital patients a year.  Most of these, but not all, are in NHS hospitals and the risk of acquiring these is much less in independent hospitals.
  • Choice.  You can choose your consultant, when you want to be treated and where you want to be treated, with the proviso that some policies restrict treatment to set lists of hospitals.
  • ‘Hotel’ benefits.  Private rooms and, depending on your policy, you may have an en-suite bathroom.
  • Privacy.  You don’t have to worry about being on a mixed-gender ward and will have unrestricted visiting hours.
  • Personal care.  A stream of medical students won’t accompany your appointment with the consultant, you won’t be kept waiting for hours to see them and you will have more time to discuss your symptoms.
  • Continuity of care.  You are likely to be seen by the same consultant throughout your treatment.
  • Worldwide cover.  If this option is selected.
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Private Medical Insurance - Investments 13 5

Typical benefits in a private medical insurance policy

Includes chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, there are generally two levels of cover as described below.

  • Core cover – has limitations of time and money i.e. usually treatment is limited to 12 months but could be less.
  • Full cover – no limitations so chemotherapy and radiotherapy are included.

Outpatient cover usually has two sections

  • Out-patient cover which covers consultations and physiotherapy.
  • Out patient diagnostics, this covers blood tests and pathology, x-rays.

(Note that MRI, CT & PET scans would be covered under core cover whether or not outpatient cover was selected).


NHS cash benefit

Under a private medical insurance policy, the policy will pay for any stay in a private hospital where there is a cost attached to the stay and the treatment.  There may be times when you require treatment in an NHS hospital; it may be an emergency or treatment that may be considered better or more appropriate in an NHS hospital.  Under this circumstance the treatment is free, and the insurance company has nothing to pay.  The insurance company will pay you an amount for your “inconvenience” at having to be treated at an NHS hospital.

Transplants

Transplants are not covered by private medical insurance policies because transplants can only be done on the NHS.

Differentiation between acute and chronic conditions

  • Private medical insurance policies are designed for cure.
  • All private medical insurance policies make a difference between an acute condition and a chronic condition.  Wherever there is a potential to cure the cover will continue.  Where there is no belief that the condition can be cured, and that includes cancer where the doctors believe that the condition has become terminal, the treatment will stop.

Dental cover

If a dental section exists any excess usually would not apply nor would it affect the no claims discount so in effect this is a cash plan bolt on. There are 2 levels of dental cover as described below:

  • Level 1 – Major dental treatment – crowns, bridges, root canal.
  • Level 2 – Major and retained dental treatment – exams, scaling & polishing, x-ray, fillings.

Dental annual limits:  crowns –  £300/yr
bridges and implants – £200/yr
dentures £250/yr
root canal treatment – £150/yr
apicectomy – £100/yr
extractions – £150/yr
accident and emergency – £2,500/yr