The Ultimate Guide to Comprehensive Health Insurance

Why consider comprehensive health insurance? The simple answer is access to better quality healthcare in shorter periods. However, finding a tailored, private health insurance plan to your needs and budget may not be as straightforward.

We offer this guide to comprehensive health insurance based on the most frequently asked questions around the policies.

What is Comprehensive Health Insurance?

Comprehensive health insurance is a plan that pays out for private medical care when required. It’s also known as private health insurance, comprehensive sickness insurance, or private medical insurance.

As the name dictates, the policies cover a broader spectrum of illnesses, therapies, and treatments that may not have available on the NHS or other social healthcare entities.

The policies cover both inpatients and outpatient care and allow policyholders to jump ahead of waiting lists with access to private medical care. Treatment is faster in an arguably more comfortable environment than in a public hospital.

The coverage of a comprehensive health insurance policy can vary depending on client requirements. We can dive into what plans will cover and break down what you can expect from purchasing a policy.

What Does Comprehensive Health Insurance Cover?

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Comprehensive health insurance covers many treatments, ranging from alternative therapies, mental healthcare, and aftercare treatments. However, different plans won’t cover everything.

The health care plans break down into three general price tiers – basic, medium, and comprehensive. We define those policy tiers below:

Basic

The basic plans are the most affordable options for those seeking a comprehensive health insurance policy. Because these policies tend to have competitive pricing, they won’t cover all medical care.

Basic comprehensive health insurance plans will cover inpatient treatment only in a private medical centre. However, testing, consultations, and diagnosis must come from the NHS.

The plan does not cover outpatient treatment.

Medium

Medium plans are the middle-of-the-road comprehensive health insurance policies or considered more of a compromise between the top and bottom pricing tiers.

The plan is not as expensive as comprehensive health insurance but covers inpatient and outpatient care.

Even day visits to the hospital get covered, not requiring overnight stays. The critical point of medium plans is that they will not cover as many illnesses, treatments, and therapies as the comprehensive plan.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive health insurance plans are the highest-priced tier policies. However, in accordance, they cover a much broader spectrum of illness, injuries, treatments, and therapies.

All inpatient and private outpatient care find coverage with these plans. The complete nature of care offered makes them preferred.

Private health insurance covers needs that other programs won’t, including the below:

• Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy
• Private healthcare
• Physiotherapy
• Mental health treatments
• Alternative therapies, including acupuncture or chiropractic services
• Dental and optical care
• Private hospital room access
• Access to specialists
• A broader selection of private hospitals at home or abroad

While most services come standard as part of a comprehensive health insurance plan, it’s essential to understand with your provider what they include and what costs extra.

That notion also begs the question, is there anything not covered by comprehensive health insurance?

Is There Anything Not Included in Private Medical Insurance?

Each provider has its guidelines and regulations in its comprehensive health insurance plans. All can be different in the services they offer, so it’s essential to check what isn’t in your policy. 

Most policies will not cover emergency or international health care services in any case.

Comprehensive health insurance policies are generally flexible about what can cover given that you are willing to pay a higher premium.

That considered, how much can you expect to pay for comprehensive health insurance?

How Much Does Comprehensive Health Insurance Cost?

Given the nuances of the treatments and illnesses policyholders want to cover, there’s no set-in-stone price for comprehensive health insurance.

However, some factors can determine the cost of premiums for your plans. Those are:

• Age – younger people will have less to pay
• Medical History – those with good overall health will pay less
• Lifestyle – the amount of alcohol consumed, smoking, and diet will play a role in pricing
• Residence – where you live becomes a factor, as residing in cities makes comprehensive medical insurance more expensive
• Coverage Required – naturally, the more range needed, the higher the premium

Let’s break down the most frequently asked questions about the cost of comprehensive health insurance.

What’s the Average Cost of Comprehensive Sickness Insurance?

Again, finding what you can expect to pay on each plan can vary a fair amount, given the nature of the product. However, there are loose figures averaged on the cost of comprehensive sickness insurance per month.

These are the average costs for the three different plan tiers:

• Basic – approximately £49 a month for inpatient cover only
• Medium – about £79 a month for limited inpatient and outpatient cover
• Comprehensive – about £89 a month for unlimited inpatient and outpatient coverage

Can I Reduce the Price of Comprehensive Sickness Insurance?

You may want to consider comprehensive sickness insurance, given the coverage it provides. However, the premiums may not fit your budget. Many prospective clients inquire whether it’s possible to reduce the monthly costs.

The answer is yes, generally with a good medical history, you can. Health insurance providers will take some of the following factors into consideration:

• Policy excesses – if you’re willing to pay more yourself on your claim, the monthly costs will be cheaper.
• Limited access to facilities – if you scope your access to private hospitals, medical centres, or specialists, the price will be lower.
• Using the NHS – you can cut down monthly premiums if treatment is available in the NHS within a reasonable timeframe (considered around 6-weeks)
• Capping your plan – you can limit your coverage to only a certain amount to reduce monthly prices.

One significant factor to remember is that insurers will vary on comprehensive sickness insurance policies.

Doing research and shopping around is imperative to finding the balance between the coverage you need and the right price.

Will My Pre-Existing Condition Affect the Cost of Comprehensive Sickness Insurance?

However, the short answer is yes, consult with your insurer about coverage for pre-existing conditions.

The rule of thumb with most policies is that they will restrict payouts for pre-existing conditions that have had treatments within the last 5-years. Cancer, diabetes, strokes, asthma, and heart disease are typical examples of ailments not covered.

So with the costs in mind, many may ponder whether they are willing to pay for comprehensive sickness insurance when the NHS is available.

Do I Need Comprehensive Health Insurance When I Have the NHS?

The NHS is a brilliant public healthcare entity in the grand scope of global medical services. However, the matter of fact is that it has faced some obstacles over the last couple of years, trickling into its patients.

Increased demand for healthcare has put a strain on the NHS, where millions are now on a waiting list for treatment. Wait times have soared to months, and available treatments and care have become more limited as a result.

Comprehensive sickness insurance unlocks access to private healthcare and solves patient needs much quicker and more efficiently. The number of tests, treatments, and facilities is more widely available and accessible. Not to mention more comfortable hospital stays, reduced waiting times, and quicker recoveries.

Naturally, the NHS will see to your ailments free of charge. However, it can take to find solutions for lingering health issues can be quite long.

Comprehensive sickness insurance is ideal for managing your healthcare more effectively.

So, suppose it’s decided that comprehensive medical insurance finds preference. You may wonder whether you can include families in policies, as well. After all, we want the most significant people in our lives to have health protection just as much as ourselves.

Can I Add My Partner to my Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan?

Of course, you can include partners and families when putting together your comprehensive medical insurance. Often it makes life easier to have your entire family under one policy, and in some cases with more reasonable premiums, too.

Some of the comprehensive health insurance plans generally on offer include:

• Individual health insurance – a comprehensive medical insurance plan just for yourself
• Joint health insurance– for yourself and your partner
• Family plans – for you, your spouse, and your children
• Children’s insurance – only for your kids

Think about whom you want to include in your comprehensive health insurance policy. Then it’s time to finalize the process by purchasing your ideal package.

How Can I Buy Comprehensive Health Insurance?

Once you’ve considered treatments, symptoms, families, illnesses, and injuries you want coverage on your comprehensive health insurance policy, it’s time to shop around and compare.

One of the best approaches is finding an insurance broker that understands your needs, comparing and weighing up options from different insurers. There is a company that specializes in finding the most tailored comprehensive sickness insurance for clients.

All you need to do is fill out a form with your coverage needs, requirements, and contact details, and a private health insurance policy specialist will return your request. Together, you’ll find the perfect insurance provider that meets all your needs with interpersonal service.

Your comprehensive health insurance expert will help you understand carefully what each one offers. Getting the right coverage is more critical than the lower price in comprehensive health insurance. We want peace of mind that our healthcare finds range in any circumstances.

Happy hunting for your comprehensive health insurance plan!