Association of British Insurers

Are you buying private medical insurance?

2005
Take a look at this guide before you decide.

This independent guide is published by the Association of British Insurers.

 Association of British Insurers

contents
section
1 About this guide.
2 What is private medical
insurance?
3 How do I buy private
medical insurance?
4 How do I choose the
right cover?
5 What am I covered for?
What does my cover not
include?
6 Will my premiums go up?
7 Will I need to provide details
of my health?
8 What if I want to change
to a new insurer?
9 Will my cover be affected if I
am disabled?
10 How do I make a claim?
11 How is private medical
insurance regulated?
12 Your checklist.
13 Useful addresses.
 Are you buying private medical insurance? 1

1 About this guide

We have designed this guide to help
you understand more about how
private medical insurance works,
so that you can make an informed
choice before you buy a policy.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI)

publishes this guide on behalf of all insurers
who offer this type of cover, whether
they are members of the ABI or not. The
ABI is the recognised trade organisation
for insurance companies operating in the We hope that you find this useful. If you
United Kingdom and currently its members have any questions, your sales person or
account for more than 96% of the UK’s insurance company will be able to answer
insurance business. them.

As well as this guide, the literature you

receive from anyone providing private
medical insurance will contain an outline
of the products which you are considering
buying. These outlines are meant to
help you compare the benefits different
products will offer. They give you a brief
overview of what is, and is not, covered.
 2 Association of British Insurers

2 What is Most people buy this type of insurance

to gain the reassurance of knowing that
private medical treatment is available promptly, if they
insurance? become ill or are injured.

Private medical insurance is designed As a private patient you can often choose
to cover the costs of private medical when treatment will take place, the
treatment for what are commonly specialist who treats you and the hospital.
known as acute conditions. You will usually have the privacy of an
en-suite room complete with TV and other
Most insurers define an acute condition as home comforts.
a disease, illness or injury that is likely to
respond quickly to treatment which aims Some illnesses and treatments will not
to return you to the state of health you be covered by a private medical insurance
were in immediately before suffering the policy and these are common to most
disease, illness or injury, or which leads to schemes (see section 5 of this guide). It
your full recovery. 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.
 Are you buying private medical insurance? 3

3 How do I buy private medical insurance?

Independent
advisers Insurance
Insurance agents (including
company banks, building
societies or retail
outlets)

Face-to-face Internet
By phone By post

The insurance
company receives
your filled-in
application form.

The insurance
company sends
you a policy and
documents.

Cancellation period
You will be entitled to a cancellation period. There are details of how the cancellation
period works in section 12.

Some insurers will arrange private medical insurance cover differently from the above - for
example, if cover is arranged over the phone. However, this cover may only be provisional
until they receive your fully filled-in application form.

If you are not renewing your private medical insurance and are buying cover
from another provider, please read section 8.
 4 Association of British Insurers

4 How do I There is a large variety of schemes

available – from low cost schemes, offering
choose the limited cover, to those which offer
right cover? wide-ranging cover and benefits. Most
schemes offer cover for in-patient and
When looking at cover, it is useful to day-patient treatment, but not always
know that treatment is categorised in the out-patient treatment.
following way.

In-patient treatment You will need to decide what sort of

cover you want. There are a number
Treatment which, for medical of things you will have to consider:
reasons, means you have to stay here are just two examples.
in hospital overnight or for longer.
• Do you want your cover to include
seeing a specialist as an out-patient?

Day-patient treatment • Do you want a choice of hospitals, or

would you be satisfied to receive any
Treatment which, for medical
treatment that you might need in a
reasons, means you have to go
hospital available from a limited range
into a hospital or day-patient
chosen by your insurance company?
unit because you need a period
of clinically-supervised recovery.
The answers you give to questions
However, you do not have to stay
such as these could have a
overnight.
significant effect on the premium
that you pay (please see section 6).
Out-patient treatment

Treatment given at a hospital,

consulting room or out-patient clinic
where you do not go in for
day-patient or in-patient treatment.
 Are you buying private medical insurance? 5

5 What am I covered for?

What does my cover not include?
Remember, private medical insurance is designed to cover treatment for curable,
short-term illness or injury (commonly known as acute conditions). Some illnesses and
treatments are never covered and these are common to most schemes.

Usually included Sometimes included Usually not included

Cover for treatment Out-patient diagnostic Conditions you had before taking
of short-term tests out the insurance (commonly
(acute) medical known as pre-existing
conditions conditions – read section 7)

In-patient Out-patient consultations GP services

tests and treatment with a
specialist

Surgery as an Overseas cover Cover for long-term illnesses

in-patient or which cannot be cured (usually
day-patient referred to as chronic conditions)

Hospital Cash payment for Accident and emergency

accommodation treatment received as admission
and nursing an NHS in-patient

As well as those listed above as ‘Usually not included’, the following conditions or
treatments are normally outside your cover.
Drug abuse, self-inflicted injuries, out-patient drugs and dressings, HIV/AIDS, infertility,
normal pregnancy, cosmetic surgery, gender reassignment (also known as sex change),
preventive treatment, kidney dialysis, mobility aids, experimental treatment, experimental
drugs, organ transplant, war risks, injuries arising from dangerous hobbies (often called
‘hazardous pursuits’).

Each insurer will give you a policy summary or ‘key facts’ document and a full policy
document either before or immediately after you sign the contract of insurance. The
policy summary or ‘key facts’ document will set out any significant and unusual limits
of the policy.
 6 Association of British Insurers

6 Will my premiums The number, sophistication and cost of

treatments to improve quality of life is
go up? increasing steadily. Most private medical
insurance policies aim to cover these
Healthcare inflation
treatments as they become established
Whichever scheme you choose, your
medical practice and available privately.
premiums may rise above the rate of general
inflation. This is because of factors which
affect how healthcare is provided in all Likewise, the sophistication and
western economies. complexity of tests used to diagnose
illness and injury are also increasing.
Each year more people claim on their Such tests are becoming far more widely
insurance cover for private medical available in private hospitals.
treatment. For example, a hip replacement
costs between £7,000 and £10,000
(source: Medibroker) and is a common
procedure, particularly for older patients.

Your choice of cover will affect what you pay

Paying an excess
(in other words paying
the first part of a claim
yourself).

Choosing to
Choosing a different
receive treatment
grade of hospital
at a specified
accommodation.
hospital.

Paying for part

Receiving
of your treatment
(for example an treatment under the
out-patient consultation NHS when it is available
with a specialist). within six to 12 weeks.

It is unlikely that you will find all of There may also be other factors that affect
these options in any one product, but a your premium, for example, a no-claims
combination will probably be available. discount or payment method.
 Are you buying private medical insurance? 7

Will my premiums increase with age?

As people get older they are more likely to
need and receive medical treatment, which
means that private medical insurance
premiums will usually increase with age to
reflect this.

The graph below shows how premiums

vary with age. For example, someone aged
45 would pay 25% more than someone
aged 35. And a 65 year old would pay more
than twice the premium of a 45 year old.

Although the exact figures differ depending

on each insurer, this shows the likely
variation. You can ask your insurer to
provide the current premium for someone
older than you when you ask for a
quotation.

Average indexed premium by age

300

250
Indexed premium

200

150

100

50

0
35 40 45 50 55 60 65

Note: The indexed premium is the premium when compared to the premium at age 35, expressed as a percentage.
So, the indexed premium at age 35 is 100%, and at age 60 it is just over twice as much as for someone aged 35.
 8 Association of British Insurers

7 Will I need If you are not sure whether or not to

mention something, it is best to do so.
to provide If you have a medical condition which
details of my is likely to come back, the insurer will
health? issue a policy, but that condition (and any
related to it) may not be covered, either
As described in section 5, there are a indefinitely, or for a set period of time.
number of medical conditions which you
will not be able to get private medical Moratorium
insurance cover for. You won’t normally be This is when you are asked to fill in a form,
covered for an illness from which you are but you are not asked to give details of
suffering, or have already had (commonly your medical history. Instead, the insurer
known as pre-existing conditions). There does not cover any medical condition
are two main methods that private which existed in the last (usually) five
medical insurance companies can use years.
to accept your application for cover –
medical history declaration or moratorium. These conditions may automatically
All medical insurance companies will become eligible for cover, but only when
offer you the medical history declaration you do not have symptoms, or receive
option. Only some medical insurers offer treatment, medication, tests and advice
the moratorium option. (from your GP or a specialist) for that
condition for a continuous period of
Medical history declaration (usually) two years, after your policy has
(otherwise known as full medical underwriting) started.
You are asked to provide details of your
medical history. If necessary, the insurer There are some conditions, for example
may write to your doctor for more chronic conditions, that will probably
information. It is essential that you give all never be eligible for this delayed cover
the information you are asked for. If you because you will always need regular or
don’t, you may find that your insurer may occasional treatment, medication, tests or
refuse to pay any claim that you make in advice for them.
the future, or may cancel your policy.
 Are you buying private medical insurance? 9

You should not delay getting medical

9 Will my cover
advice or treatment, simply to get cover.
be affected
If your insurer offers a “moratorium”, if I am
they will give you printed information disabled?
explaining how their particular moratorium
works. You may also want to ask the Insurers will not refuse to cover you
insurer, or salesperson, to explain how it because you are disabled. As with other
works. pre-existing conditions, your insurer may
exclude cover for treatment arising directly
from your disability. However, it must be
8 What if I reasonable and fair for them to do this.

want to change
If you sign a ‘medical history declaration’,
to a new you must reveal all relevant information
insurer? about your disability. If your policy does
not cover pre-existing conditions, then
You may change insurers. However, it is
an existing medical condition causing
important to remember that your new
disability, or arising from it, will not be
insurer may not cover any previous, or
covered.
existing medical conditions, which your
current insurer may cover. You may also
lose any premiums you have paid up front.

And, the level of cover on any new policy

may vary from that available with your
previous insurer.

It is best to check with your new insurer,

or whoever is selling or arranging a new
policy for you, how the change may affect
your cover.
 10 Association of British Insurers

10 How do I make a claim?

Apart from emergency admissions to NHS hospitals, all
medical treatment has to start with a referral by your GP to
an appropriate specialist.

You Your insurer

Before you receive any treatment Your insurer will give you all the
privately, you should call your insurance guidance you need, confirm what your
company to check that you are covered cover includes and, if necessary, send
for the treatment that you will receive. you a claim form.
In fact, most insurers insist that
you do this.

Your GP and your specialist will Stay in contact with your insurer who
probably need to fill in and sign your will confirm whether any treatment you
claim form. Your GP may charge a small plan to receive is within your cover.
fee which will probably not be covered
by your insurance.

Your specialist may recommend tests, Your insurer will tell you how they pay
admission to a hospital as an in-patient, claims. Remember, if you have chosen to
or day-patient treatment. pay an excess, you will have to make a
payment.

Most hospitals and some specialists have

their bills paid directly by the insurer.
Others will send the bills to you.
 Are you buying private medical insurance? 11

11 How is private Absolute confidentiality

By law all insurers have to treat personal
medical insurance information, especially medical details,
regulated? with absolute confidentiality. Totally
anonymous statistical information is
Financial Services Authority sometimes given to outside organisations
From 14 January 2005, the Financial carrying out research.
Services Authority (FSA) will regulate the
sales and administration of private medical A formal procedure for
insurance. The FSA was set up by the handling complaints
Government to provide a single regulator All insurers, and anyone else advising on
for financial services. The FSA is committed private medical insurance, must have their
to providing the appropriate protection own complaints procedures in place and
for consumers and promoting public be covered by the Financial Ombudsman
understanding of the financial system. Service (FOS). This means that if you have
a problem with any part of your cover,
The FSA has set out rules which regulate
speak to your insurer or adviser first. If
the sale and administration of general
you are not satisfied with the way in
insurance which must be followed by
which your complaint is handled, there
those dealing with you. There is more
is an independent dispute resolution
information about the FSA on its website
procedure through the FOS,
at www.fsa.gov.uk
which your insurer or
adviser must give you
Your application
details of. This
Your application form, or any declaration
service is free,
you make to your insurer, is very
and you can
important. In fact, it forms the basis of
find details
your contract with your insurer. Always
about the FOS
answer any questions you are asked fully
in section 13
and accurately. If you don’t, your insurer
of this guide.
may refuse to pay your claim and could
even cancel your policy.
 12 Association of British Insurers

12 Your checklist
Before you buy private medical insurance, you need to understand the following.

1 You agree to give the insurer or If you don’t give accurate details, your
advisor all the information they need. insurer can refuse to pay your claim or
could end your policy.
2 You agree to pay regular monthly or If you don’t pay premiums, your cover
yearly premiums as long as you want will stop. Your insurer will only pay for
cover. the costs you paid, or agreed to pay,
up to the last date covered by your
premiums.
3 The cost of your premiums may Your individual premiums are not
increase once a year when you renew influenced by the number of claims you
your cover. make (unless your cover includes a
no-claims discount).
4 If your insurer plans on making This will not prevent you continuing
changes to a scheme, all customers your cover.
will be told before they renew.
5 If you change insurer, you may not be Make sure you understand the
covered for conditions or treatments consequences before you change
that your existing policy covers. insurer.

Read your policy document you have already paid, although this
carefully. You must keep to the may not be the case if you have made a
policy’s terms and conditions. claim. If you want to cancel your policy
after the cancellation period, your insurer
You will be given a cancellation period may not refund your premiums – even
of at least 14 days to change your mind. those you have paid upfront.
If you decide not to go ahead, you will
usually receive a full refund of premiums
 Are you buying private medical insurance? 13

13 Useful addresses For general information on insurance,

and more specifically private medical
If your insurer or adviser cannot sort out insurance, you can contact:
a complaint, the Financial Ombudsman The Association of British Insurers
Service (FOS) will tell you how to go about 51 Gresham Street
taking the matter further. Decisions made London
by the FOS are binding on the insurer, EC2V 7HQ.
but do not affect your right to take legal Phone: 020 7600 3333
action if you want to do so. Website: www.abi.org.uk

Financial Ombudsman Service

South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR.
Phone: 0845 080 1800
E-mail: [email protected]
Association of British Insurers
51 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HQ
Phone: 020 7600 3333
Fax: 020 7696 8999
E-mail: [email protected]

www.abi.org.uk