Health insurance

✓ Fast access to private healthcare
✓ 5 Star Defaqto rated health insurance
✓ Discounts and rewards for healthy living.

What is health insurance?

Health insurance gives you access to private healthcare in the UK and helps cover the cost. This can be anything from private GP appointments to cancer treatment.

Health insurance is also called medical insurance, private medical insurance or private health insurance. They're all the same thing.

Our core cover gives you peace of mind that you can access private healthcare whenever you need it. But, you'll also get support, tools and rewards to help with your health and wellbeing. From mental health and menopause support, to discounts on popular health and fitness brands, and rewards for being active.

Why choose our health insurance?

Full Cover Promise

If you're admitted to hospital, we'll pay your consultant and anaesthetist fees in full. We promise to pay for this as long as the treatment is eligible, and the consultant is recognised by us. We’re the only health insurer in the UK to offer this guarantee as part of our core cover¹.
Online doctor appointments

Appointments within 48 hours and access to a 24/7 medical helpline with Vitality GP. Get direct referrals to a consultant, private prescriptions and more.
5 Star rated health insurance

Our health insurance has been rated 5 Star by Defaqto. This means it’s verified as a trusted product.
Discounts and rewards

To make healthy living easier, you’ll get discounts on popular health and fitness brands. And when you get active, you can earn weekly rewards.

The benefits of health insurance

Access to private healthcare

This means you're diagnosed and treated quickly.
Specialist treatment

Private health insurance can help pay for the costs of specialist drugs and treatment.
Choice and privacy

You can choose where you are treated, and who by.

How does health insurance work?

You pay monthly health insurance premiums. When your GP refers you to a specialist, you make a claim with your insurer. You'll be able to choose who treats you, and at which hospital.

Choose your medical insurance plan
Choose your insurer and your excess amount. This is the amount you agree to pay towards your treatment if you make a claim. The higher your excess, the lower your premiums.

Pay your premium
This is the cost of your medical insurance plan. It’s usually taken as a monthly Direct Debit.

See a GP when you're unwell
This can either be your NHS GP or a private GP, like Vitality GP. If you need to see a specialist or get treatment, they'll refer you.

Contact your insurer and make a claim
When you contact your insurer, they can find a consultant for you. They will ask about your symptoms and when they started.
They will assess your claim. When it’s approved, you can receive treatment.

Your private healthcare bill is paid
Once you've received your treatment, the hospital will send your insurer the invoice. In some circumstances you may need to pay your excess. For example, if your treatment cost £1,000 and your excess is £250, the insurer will cover £750, and you’ll pay £250.

What does health insurance cost in the UK?

Monthly premiums vary from person to person. Premiums are calculated based on many factors, like your:

Age
Current health
Lifestyle factors (for example whether you smoke or not)
What your chosen excess is – the higher your excess, the lower your premium will be.

Our core health cover starts from £1.25 a day.
Get a health insurance quote

What's covered?

✓ Acute conditions
These are conditions where symptoms develop quickly and treatment is short-term. Examples include hernias and joint injuries.
✓ Private hospital stays
✓ Specialist consultations
✓ Diagnostic tests
✓ Cancer treatment
✓ Oral surgery

Our core cover includes the above, but also includes:
✓ Weight loss surgery
✓ Corrective surgeries
✓ Discounts and rewards for healthy living
✓ Mental health support
✓ Menopause support.

You can boost what's covered in your plan by including cover options. Like Out-Patient Cover, Optical, Dental and Hearing Cover, and more.

What's not covered?

✕ Long term, chronic conditions
Conditions where symptoms appear slowly and can worsen over time. For example, diabetes.
✕ Pre-existing conditions
✕ Any treatment you receive outside the UK
✕ Pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions
✕ Cosmetic treatment
✕ Organ transplants
✕ Any treatments or practices that are experimental, unproven or unregistered
✕ Any treatment for learning and behavioural problems, or dementia.

Important policy documents

Health insurance plan summary (IPID)
Health insurance plan terms and conditions

Discounts and rewards with our health insurance

See all discounts and rewards

How our health insurance claims process works

1. See a GP when you're unwell

This can either be your NHS GP or a private GP, like Vitality GP. If you need to see a specialist or get treatment, they'll refer you.

2. Submit a claim – self serve

Before you get treatment, submit a claim on Care Hub. We’ll let you know as soon as it’s been approved.

3. See a consultant

When you go for your appointment, give your consultant your care number. This means they can bill us directly.
If you need hospital treatment, or extra treatment, you'll need to contact us again.

4. Your bill is paid

We’ll settle with the healthcare provider. If you’ve got an excess on your plan, you’ll have to pay this yourself and we’ll let you know who it needs to be paid to.

Athos’ story

“I looked at myself as bulletproof”

Athos, Vitality Sales Director, is a keen runner. In fact, he’s run 12 ultramarathons.

But when he developed sore lungs and often became out of breath, his family started to worry.

Through his Vitality health insurance he was able to see a cardiologist within days. Athos was then diagnosed with a serious heart condition and needed a triple heart bypass.

Here’s his story and how he got his life back on track.

It only takes two minutes.

Get a health insurance quote

Call us on 0808 274 1902. Our team are on hand to answer your queries. See opening hours.

Request a callback

Health insurance FAQs

How is private medical insurance different from the NHS?

Private medical insurance works alongside the NHS. It focuses on providing quicker access to treatment, with more choice about who treats you, and where.

Anyone with health insurance can still use all services offered by the NHS.

Is it worth getting private health insurance in the UK?

This depends on your individual circumstances. It’s worth considering private health insurance if you:

Can afford to pay monthly premiums (our core cover starts from £1.25 a day)
Want quick access to healthcare
Want to ensure you are protected from any sudden, large private medical bills.

What does private healthcare cost in the UK?

The cost of private medical care varies depending on the consultant, hospital, and treatment. For example, a hip replacement done privately costs on average £15,000 (Vitality data, 2020).

You can manage the costs of private healthcare with private medical insurance. By paying a monthly premium, you can access private healthcare more affordably.

Do I need to have a medical before I take out health insurance?

No. If you don't have any pre-existing medical conditions, you just need to:

Give the insurer your personal details
Pick your level of cover
Answer some basic questions.

If you do have a pre-existing condition, the insurer may need additional information from your GP.

Can I add people to my health insurance plan?

Yes, you can add your husband, wife or partner, and your children to your health insurance plan.

What's a health insurance premium?

A health insurance premium is what you pay for your health insurance plan. You’ll pay for your premium by monthly or annual direct debit. It’s reviewed once a year and can change, depending on your age and whether you make a claim. Your insurance premium also includes Insurance Premium Tax (IPT).

How can I reduce my health insurance premiums?

You can pick a higher plan excess. The higher the excess, the lower the premiums. This is the same with most insurers.

With our core cover, you can help reduce the amount your premium will increase at renewal. To do this, engage in our Healthy Living Programme to improve your Vitality status. More on how you could control your costs

Will my health insurance premiums change?

Yes, your premium will change each year based on your age and medical inflation. The amount you’ve claimed can also affect your premium.

If you don’t claim, your premium only rises in line with age and medical inflation.

Helpful guides

Need help understanding health insurance and if it’s right for you? Read our most popular guides below or browse all health cover guides.

Health insurance for diabetics

Is diabetes covered under health insurance and is medical insurance for diabetics more expensive? Find out in this guide.

Health insurance for diabetics explained
Health insurance and cancer

Read our guide on health insurance cancer cover to find out how it works and your options.

Health insurance and cancer explained
Health insurance for self-employed

Self employed? Find out what health insurance could mean for you.

Health insurance for self-employed explained

¹ Full Cover Promise may be available from other insurers at an extra cost.

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