Are you looking at a private medical insurance policy? We’d love to help you streamline the process. We have access to the best deals, and we can often save you money by knowing where to look. Importantly, they will suit you personally. Not just a generic policy off the web. Let’s dive into some top tips to get you started!

Before You Start, Know What You’re Buying:

Private medical insurance (PMI) pays for private diagnosis and treatment of acute conditions. Things that flare up, are treated, and resolved. It is not designed to cover chronic, long-term conditions like diabetes or asthma that you manage ongoing.

Step 1: Know Your Health History

Before a broker can find you the right policy, you need to be honest and thorough about your medical history. Insurers will ask about conditions, symptoms, and treatments. Typically going back 5 years, sometimes longer. Be prepared to answer questions about anything you’ve seen a GP or specialist about, any medication you’re currently taking, and any ongoing symptoms, even if undiagnosed.

The golden rule: never withhold information. A policy that pays out is only as good as the disclosure behind it. If you omit something and later make a claim related to it, the insurer can void the claim. Or the entire policy.

Step 2: Understand Underwriting, This Is Crucial

Moratorium underwriting is the most common for individuals. Any condition you’ve had in the last 5 years is automatically excluded at the start. If you go 2 years claim-free for that condition, it may be covered going forward. It’s simpler and quicker to set up, but you won’t know exactly what’s excluded until you try to claim.

Full medical underwriting (FMU) means you declare everything upfront, and the insurer tells you exactly what is and isn’t covered from day one. It takes longer, may require a GP report, and exclusions are fixed. But there are no surprises.

Step 3: Decide What Level of Cover You Actually Need

PMI policies vary hugely in what they include. Core decisions include:

  • Inpatient vs outpatient cover.
  • Mental health cover.
  • Cancer cover.
  • Dental and optical.
  • GP access.
  • Choice of hospital.

We’ll go through this with you in detail!

Step 4: Consider an Excess

Like car insurance, you can choose to pay a voluntary excess per claim or per year to bring your premium down.

Step 6: Understand What’s Not Covered

Regardless of the policy, certain things are almost always excluded across the board. These include pre-existing conditions (under moratorium), chronic conditions, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, pregnancy and normal childbirth, and emergency A&E treatment (which the NHS handles).

Step 7: Compare, But Not Just on Price

A good broker will compare across multiple insurers. Don’t just pick the cheapest. A policy that doesn’t pay out when you need it is worth nothing.

Plus: Don’t forget to review your policy every year!

Getting PMI right is about much more than finding a low premium. A good broker takes time to understand your health, your priorities, and your budget. We’ll find cover that will actually be there when you need it.