Private Health Care
Discussion
It's not something I've thought about before and there's nothing happened to me to make me do so now thankfully but I have had to take my mum to a private hospital today and it does make you realise there's a lot to be said for being able to see someone quickly.
Appreciate it depends on a variety of factors but assuming a 50 year old bloke in (far as I know) good health who doesn't smoke or drink or have any conditions what sort of number do you pay and who with please?
Appreciate it depends on a variety of factors but assuming a 50 year old bloke in (far as I know) good health who doesn't smoke or drink or have any conditions what sort of number do you pay and who with please?
Was Vitality - im 53 and went from £140pm to £165pm this summer even though both my kids dropped off as over 18. The missus 49 has her own policy and was paying £130pm. Over the years to keep price down I had also unticked outpatients, cancer, physio etc so it wasnt an all singing policy. They were forever removing or changing the goals/discount scheme and the excess was £500 so in the end i paid £595 for a scan as wasnt worth claiming £95 and loosing no claims.
We decided to cancel both policies so saving £300pm plus we canned a couple of life insurance policies that didnt fit now. All in over £500pm going straight into a saving account for the "what if". We are both non smoker, good family health so only time will tell if it was sensible!
We decided to cancel both policies so saving £300pm plus we canned a couple of life insurance policies that didnt fit now. All in over £500pm going straight into a saving account for the "what if". We are both non smoker, good family health so only time will tell if it was sensible!
I don't pay directly but it's one benefit that I am very grateful for from my work. I have a full MOT every year including ECG, blood tests etc completely gratis and also up to £5K of other treatment for which I pay a max of £200 excess.
I went to see a consultant a couple of weeks ago for an issue that's being bothering me for a while and had an op for it yesterday. If I had paid myself, the fixed price is about 4.5k and if I had gone through the NHS, the threshold to qualify for treatment is much higher as well as having a very long waiting list.
If you can afford it and can't get it via an employer then it's definitely worthwhile.
I went to see a consultant a couple of weeks ago for an issue that's being bothering me for a while and had an op for it yesterday. If I had paid myself, the fixed price is about 4.5k and if I had gone through the NHS, the threshold to qualify for treatment is much higher as well as having a very long waiting list.
If you can afford it and can't get it via an employer then it's definitely worthwhile.
Interesting differences in pricing there 
So the experience "self funded" was literally phone up and book an appointment with an appropriate consultant.
What's the comparable experience with private cover?
I presume it's more for "proper" illness or medical conditions than a replacement for your local GP for example?
This probably sounds thick as s
t so apologies but fingers crossed I've been very lucky health wise so far.
So the experience "self funded" was literally phone up and book an appointment with an appropriate consultant.
What's the comparable experience with private cover?
I presume it's more for "proper" illness or medical conditions than a replacement for your local GP for example?
This probably sounds thick as s
t so apologies but fingers crossed I've been very lucky health wise so far.butchstewie said:
Interesting differences in pricing there
So the experience "self funded" was literally phone up and book an appointment with an appropriate consultant.
What's the comparable experience with private cover?
I presume it's more for "proper" illness or medical conditions than a replacement for your local GP for example?
This probably sounds thick as st so apologies but fingers crossed I've been very lucky health wise so far.
It’s not a replacement for a GP. It is for the stage after that but some insurers offer a Private GP service (virtual). Normally you need to see your GP who then refers you to a consultant. Some insurers may let you miss out the GP but some insist on it. So the experience "self funded" was literally phone up and book an appointment with an appropriate consultant.
What's the comparable experience with private cover?
I presume it's more for "proper" illness or medical conditions than a replacement for your local GP for example?
This probably sounds thick as s
t so apologies but fingers crossed I've been very lucky health wise so far.As I said in my first post, probably best to speak to a broker who can explain the differences between insurers and cover.
The reasons there is a difference in cost is because there are so many variables.
Doofus said:
I switch between Vitality and Aviva each year, based on price. Currently with Vitality. £170-odd for me and the wife. Full cover plus outpatients and all the trimmings. I'm 56 and my wife isn't (+ 
)
All very well until you have a pre existing condition which can be covered on a switch. No problem though if you don’t/have never had anything wrong with you.)That makes sense
I have a pension with Aviva so did a quick quote using their portal and it's spat out £1300/year but that's with me choosing protected NCD and the "choose my own hospital" and £0 excess options to try to get an idea of (haven't dug into any real detail) "proper" cover v cheapest price they can throw out.
Not awful.
I suppose like any insurance it feels like a waste of money until you need it.
I have a pension with Aviva so did a quick quote using their portal and it's spat out £1300/year but that's with me choosing protected NCD and the "choose my own hospital" and £0 excess options to try to get an idea of (haven't dug into any real detail) "proper" cover v cheapest price they can throw out.
Not awful.
I suppose like any insurance it feels like a waste of money until you need it.
craig1912 said:
Doofus said:
I switch between Vitality and Aviva each year, based on price. Currently with Vitality. £170-odd for me and the wife. Full cover plus outpatients and all the trimmings. I'm 56 and my wife isn't (+ )
All very well until you have a pre existing condition which can be covered on a switch. No problem though if you don t/have never had anything wrong with you.)butchstewie said:
Interesting differences in pricing there
So the experience "self funded" was literally phone up and book an appointment with an appropriate consultant.
What's the comparable experience with private cover?
I presume it's more for "proper" illness or medical conditions than a replacement for your local GP for example?
This probably sounds thick as st so apologies but fingers crossed I've been very lucky health wise so far.
I had a GP referral which came from the Bupa GP which I saw as part of my annual health assessment. I then applied to the insurer for approval who recommended a list of specialists or I could specify my own. They then give a pre authorisation number which the consultant claims against for the payment and I pay the excess directly.So the experience "self funded" was literally phone up and book an appointment with an appropriate consultant.
What's the comparable experience with private cover?
I presume it's more for "proper" illness or medical conditions than a replacement for your local GP for example?
This probably sounds thick as s
t so apologies but fingers crossed I've been very lucky health wise so far.Outside of the annual assessment, I also have a digital GP who I can call any time for the usual stuff and they have telephone or video appointments
It was all very easy and smooth
I ended up calling a broker on the comparison site last time and they got cover for about half the initial online quote with tweaks, e.g. if nhs can treat within 6 weeks then we use that, no diagnostic cover as got that through work, few others that I forget now.
They used to vary a bit in logistics too, vitality one had quite good bonuses and offers, but was a pain for needing letter from GP and info on medical records before they’d progress any claim. Axa would let you book the consult and then just claim after so far less faff. No idea of they still work that way.
They used to vary a bit in logistics too, vitality one had quite good bonuses and offers, but was a pain for needing letter from GP and info on medical records before they’d progress any claim. Axa would let you book the consult and then just claim after so far less faff. No idea of they still work that way.
cheeky_chops said:
Was Vitality - im 53 and went from £140pm to £165pm this summer even though both my kids dropped off as over 18. The missus 49 has her own policy and was paying £130pm. Over the years to keep price down I had also unticked outpatients, cancer, physio etc so it wasnt an all singing policy. They were forever removing or changing the goals/discount scheme and the excess was £500 so in the end i paid £595 for a scan as wasnt worth claiming £95 and loosing no claims.
We decided to cancel both policies so saving £300pm plus we canned a couple of life insurance policies that didnt fit now. All in over £500pm going straight into a saving account for the "what if". We are both non smoker, good family health so only time will tell if it was sensible!
My wife and I have been paying into private medical insurance for years and despite my wife having had many medical issues we are now well out of pocket as the premiums seem to rise exponentially with age.We decided to cancel both policies so saving £300pm plus we canned a couple of life insurance policies that didnt fit now. All in over £500pm going straight into a saving account for the "what if". We are both non smoker, good family health so only time will tell if it was sensible!
We keep it going out of some belief that I’d rather spend the money and not have to use a hospital service ( a kind of Ju-Ju ! ),
If you have an accident you go to A&E. If you have cancer the NHS is usually pretty quick.
If you need elective surgery the chances are that any premium money wisely invested somewhere else could cover the cost IF it arises.
We started with private medical insurance because our neighbours at the time were both surgeons
and said that they could recommend if we needed surgery, the meticulous surgeons with the best outcomes for that specialism ( so avoiding for instance having an exhausted medical student after a long shift carrying out the procedure for the first time).
The choice is yours …………
butchstewie said:
It's not something I've thought about before and there's nothing happened to me to make me do so now thankfully but I have had to take my mum to a private hospital today and it does make you realise there's a lot to be said for being able to see someone quickly.
Appreciate it depends on a variety of factors but assuming a 50 year old bloke in (far as I know) good health who doesn't smoke or drink or have any conditions what sort of number do you pay and who with please?
Start with a broker because there are so many variablesAppreciate it depends on a variety of factors but assuming a 50 year old bloke in (far as I know) good health who doesn't smoke or drink or have any conditions what sort of number do you pay and who with please?
Medical history disregarded yes/no (can be a big one)
Amount of excess
Conditions covered
etc
Been with AXA and Vitality, both good experiences.
You will typically need to start with a GP referral letter to start their claims process, unless you pay for a consultant meeting from your own pocket.
wombleh said:
I ended up calling a broker on the comparison site last time and they got cover for about half the initial online quote with tweaks, e.g. if nhs can treat within 6 weeks then we use that, no diagnostic cover as got that through work, few others that I forget now.
They used to vary a bit in logistics too, vitality one had quite good bonuses and offers, but was a pain for needing letter from GP and info on medical records before they d progress any claim. Axa would let you book the consult and then just claim after so far less faff. No idea of they still work that way.
AXA now requires a GP letter They used to vary a bit in logistics too, vitality one had quite good bonuses and offers, but was a pain for needing letter from GP and info on medical records before they d progress any claim. Axa would let you book the consult and then just claim after so far less faff. No idea of they still work that way.
Something I've been looking into recently. I can get cover through my employer for myself, wife & 2 kids for £167/mth. Seems the only stipulation is that pre-existing conditions aren't covered for the first 2 years. It does have some rather vague conditions though, "chronic or long term" conditions are not covered. Cancer is covered, unless it spreads to a 2nd site, then all treatment cover for cancer stops, which doesn't sound great.
From my experience, costs vary monumentally.
I cover me, my wife and our daughter through my business, with BUPA. It's an all inclusive, every option, zero excess, zero exclusions, unlimited cover value, every box ticked policy and costs almost £6,000 per year.
Each year I get alternative quotes from comparison set-ups and we could get covered for under £1,000 per year, but a very different levels of cover & exclusions. There is no right or wrong answer, it's based on what works for you.
What I would like is a policy with does a full health assessment as we are both incredibly fit and well, low body fat, both exercise for over 10 hours per week, eat very healthily, take supplements, sit with calculated metabolic ages c20yrs than our actual ages, etc. Most seem to think that 'no medical required' is what everyone wants!
I cover me, my wife and our daughter through my business, with BUPA. It's an all inclusive, every option, zero excess, zero exclusions, unlimited cover value, every box ticked policy and costs almost £6,000 per year.
Each year I get alternative quotes from comparison set-ups and we could get covered for under £1,000 per year, but a very different levels of cover & exclusions. There is no right or wrong answer, it's based on what works for you.
What I would like is a policy with does a full health assessment as we are both incredibly fit and well, low body fat, both exercise for over 10 hours per week, eat very healthily, take supplements, sit with calculated metabolic ages c20yrs than our actual ages, etc. Most seem to think that 'no medical required' is what everyone wants!
skinnyman said:
Something I've been looking into recently. I can get cover through my employer for myself, wife & 2 kids for £167/mth. Seems the only stipulation is that pre-existing conditions aren't covered for the first 2 years. It does have some rather vague conditions though, "chronic or long term" conditions are not covered. Cancer is covered, unless it spreads to a 2nd site, then all treatment cover for cancer stops, which doesn't sound great.
Possibly OK, people at work with a family are seeing around 260 including medical disregard craig1912 said:
All very well until you have a pre existing condition which can be covered on a switch. No problem though if you don t/have never had anything wrong with you.
Can I ask about the existing condition thing please.I don't have any AFAIK.
If I did take private medical and then got or found a condition which would become existing does that tie me to my provider or do other providers still take on people who have found or uncovered a new existing condition.
TIA
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