Many of us insure our cars and properties without a second thought. However, when it comes to health insurance, some people aren’t sure if it’s a good idea or not.
While most UK citizens are entitled to free healthcare on the NHS, some individuals take out private medical insurance too. To find out more, here are five benefits you can receive from taking out private health insurance in the UK.
Private Health Insurance in the UK – Specialist Referrals
If you are receiving specialist treatment and would like a second opinion, you have the option to ask your GP to refer you to a specialist or expert working privately. Taking out private health insurance can bring you peace of mind, especially as you’ll be given more clarification and certainty on your treatment and condition.
Private Health Insurance in the UK – Reduced Waiting Time
While we know the NHS delivers excellent care to patients, unfortunately, the waiting times can be incredibly long. Whether you’re waiting for an appointment or operation, you can use your private health insurance to lower the time you spend waiting for NHS treatment. However, be aware that this will only happen if your wait time is six weeks or longer.
Private Health Insurance in the UK – More Control
Going into hospital can be incredibly frightening for some people. Having no idea what to expect or what lies ahead can be too much to bear. Therefore, you may wish to take out private health insurance for the simple fact you’ll have more control over what hospital you attend and who will treat you. Private health insurance allows you to (in theory) pick a surgeon and hospital to align with your location and diary. This is not available on the NHS.
Private Health Insurance in the UK – Privacy
If you are going into hospital for an operation and need to stay over, you might be drawn to the idea of having a private room to rest and recover in. You are more likely to get a private room if you have private health insurance. You may not want to stay in a mixed-sex open ward for religious reasons too, which makes the option of private health insurance more appealing.
Private Health Insurance in the UK – Specialist Treatments and Drugs
There are some specialist treatments and drugs that are not available on the NHS. The reason for this is because they are either not approved by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in England and Wales), or they are too expensive. If you take out private health insurance, certain drugs and treatments may be more available to you.
Private Health Insurance in the UK – Finding a Policy
If the above has swayed your mind, you will understandably want to get the best private health insurance. To help you do this, you can utilise the Switch Health site which compares a variety of health insurance quotes, helping to get you the best health insurance possible.
Taking out private health insurance is very much a personal choice. While some people will be against it, others will be more drawn to the idea. If you do decide on taking out private health insurance, make sure that you can afford the monthly payments, and be aware that the prices may go up year by year.