Types of Health Cover

There are many different policies available - let us find the right one for you!

Core Cover

With this type of policy normally only inpatient treatment is covered, this means that diagnostic tests, Consultant's fees and outpatient treatments are not covered. This type of policy best suits those who can afford to pay their own outpatient tests and consultants fees from savings leaving the policy to pay for the most expensive treatments such as operations. Some insurers will include diagnostic tests and consultants fees if this later results in an inpatient hospital stay. Inpatient radiotherapy and chemotherapy is covered by most insurers on Core polices. Inpatient treatment is covered in full.

Standard Cover

This type of policy covers full inpatient treatment such as operations and a range of outpatient treatments. Specialist consultations and diagnostic procedures, including pathology, radiology computerised tomography, MRI Scans, radiotherapy and chemotherapy up to a limit of anything between £500 - £2000 depending on the insurer. Normally Therapies such as treatment by registered Osteopaths, Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Homoeopaths and Acupuncturists will also be covered again up to specified limits that vary between insurers.

Comprehensive Cover

Comprehensive policies are very much top-of-the-range healthcare solutions. They typically include full inpatient cover, unlimited outpatient cover as described above, MRI, and CT scans and other benefits such as psychiatric cover, travel cover, dental cover, home nursing costs, chiropody, recuperative care and incidental hospital expenses (telephone calls, newspapers etc). For complete peace of mind this is the type of policy you should choose.

Private Cover

Private medical insurance is designed to cover the costs of private medical treatment for what are commonly known as acute conditions. Most insurers define an “acute condition” as a disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment which aims to return you to the state of health you were in immediately before suffering the disease, illness or injury, or which leads to your full recovery.

Most people buy this type of insurance to gain the reassurance of knowing that treatment is available promptly, if they become ill or are injured.

As a private patient you can often choose when treatment will take place, the specialist who treats you and the hospital. You will usually have the privacy of an en-suite room complete with TV and other home comforts.

Some illnesses and treatments will not be covered by a private medical health insurance policy and these are common to most schemes. It is also important to remember that this insurance is not designed to replace all the services offered by the NHS. Some, such as accident and emergency, are beyond the scope of most private hospitals.

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