Choosing healthcare insurance
28/08/2009
Choosing the right healthcare policy is an important decision and there are many private medical policies on the market.
Make sure you get at least three private healthcare policy quotes before you make a decision. You may also want to take independent advice before making your final choice.
Here are some issues that you should consider:
- What you want the policy to cover. Policies are available for individuals, businesses, couples and families, inpatient treatment and treatment abroad, to mention just a few variations.
- Consider what types of treatments you want to be covered for and think about whether you have any existing medical conditions. Some medical policies cover consultations and scans etc., while others only cover treatments which involve an overnight stay.
- Ask about what would happen if you chose to have a treatment on the NHS. Remember that private healthcare insurance doesn’t replace the NHS but supplements it. Some health insurance policies will pay out an equivalent sum even if you decide to be treated on the NHS.
Before you make a decision, be sure that you understand the policies fully.
Make sure you have a clear understanding of each of the policies so that you can make a comparison. Use product summaries, independent advice and clarification from the company to give you a good understanding.
Remember to take an overall view of each policy. Automatically choosing the cheapest medical insurance policy could prove to be a false economy if it doesn’t actually fit your needs.
Patient Choice provides private medical insurance for individuals and businesses in the UK. For more information visit the Patient Choice website.
