When you start to look at private medical insurance in the UK, the options seem endless. How are you supposed to find the best health insurance provider when there are so many choices available?
Deciding what you want from your policy is essential, as is working out the budget you have available. Not everyone can afford a comprehensive policy, so working out what you want to have cover for is a key factor.
There are a number of health insurance providers in the UK including:
- Aviva
- AXA Health
- Bupa
- The Exeter
- Freedom Health Insurance
- General and Medical
- Vitality Health
No two providers offer the exact same cover, therefore the insurer that is best for you may be a totally different one for someone else.
Best health insurance provider: your criteria!
What would make an insurance provider best, in your opinion? Are you basing your decision on price, service, brand name, benefits or a combination of all these factors? As with all things we buy, cheapest does not always mean best.
If you have a Bupa policy, is that the best because it is the biggest provider of health insurance across the globe? Perhaps having your policy with a smaller insurer such as The Exeter will give you a more personalised service.
From our experience, the best health insurance provider depends on your own circumstances. As an example, if you are keen on fitness and great with technology, then Vitality Health offers a unique approach to health insurance. They have a rewards and discounts programme available to all members, providing you engage with the programme online. This could be your preferred provider. However, what if you are not keen on exercise and hate using a computer or mobile phone? Would an insurer who promotes healthy living via an online platform really appeal to you?
Access to the best hospitals for private treatment
If you know that you want access to Central London hospitals, including those in the HCA group, this will also be a deciding factor. Most insurers do not offer cover for all hospitals under one list. Therefore, to include London hospitals, you would need to pay more for your policy in most cases. It should be noted that just because a hospital or facility is situated in London, it does not necessarily mean that this is the “best” place for you to have treatment. Depending on your medical needs, there may be better options for you outside the capital city.
Private health insurance service levels
In our opinion, great service is a vital element. A company can have the best website, literature, hospital access and policy options in the world, but if they cannot back it up with excellent service, then you may feel less than happy. When you want to make a claim on your health insurance, you want to be able to speak to someone easily. Following Covid and the increased uptake in health insurance on a personal and company basis, insurance companies across the board are recruiting to try and keep up with the demand for the services they provide.
Companies such as Which? offer an unbiased guide to their members across a host of criteria for health insurance providers. This will give you a good insight into how an insurer is performing in the market:
https://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/health-insurance
In short, the best health insurance provider is a personal choice and depends on your own unique circumstances. The team at SMP Healthcare would be happy to help you find the insurance provider that is best for you. By using our expert knowledge and experience, you can find the perfect solution.
For more information, contact the team today on 01245 929129 or email lianne@smphealthcare.com. We look forward to helping you.