What is comprehensive health insurance coverage?

Many health insurance providers will have policies at different levels, with comprehensive often being the highest tiered option available. It is the most widely inclusive policy type for individuals, families and businesses that are looking for the highest level of private medical cover available. A comprehensive insurance policy will include cover for diagnostics, tests, treatments and more that may be unavailable on other policy plans.

What does fully comprehensive health insurance cover?

Fully comprehensive health insurance is designed to provide policyholders with the highest level of coverage and treatment options, but the policy will vary per provider. This means that you should compare the comprehensive plans available to you to understand which provider and policy would be best suited to your needs. Your medical history may determine what’s covered under your own personal underwriting terms but for the plan benefits many providers offer ways to increase or decrease your coverage options to help tailor your plan to you. When comparing comprehensive health insurance plans, you may find the following benefits listed:

1. Outpatient consultations, diagnostics and tests.
2. MRI, CT and PET scans.
3. Hospital lists which detail the facilities you will be eligible to be treated at.
4. Mental health support and treatment.
5. Post-treatment services, such as diagnostics tests, consultations, scans and follow-up support.
6. Cancer cover.
7. Access to digital health services.
8. Private ambulance allowance.
9. NHS cash benefits.
10. Access to therapies, such as physiotherapy.
11. Home nursing.
12. Dental and optical care.
13. Members benefits and rewards.

What does comprehensive medical insurance not cover?

As with all health insurance policies, some medical conditions may be excluded as standard. Depending on your medical history and lifestyle, there may be additional exclusions alongside this list of common conditions not covered:

1. Chronic conditions.
2. Pre-existing medical conditions.
3. Ageing.
4. Allergies.
5. Dietary intolerances.

What are the benefits of fully comprehensive health insurance?

Fully comprehensive health insurance may not be the best choice for everyone, and it depends on your unique needs and wants for private medical treatment. We advise that anyone considering comprehensive health insurance compares the health insurance policies available to them before deciding, as this process aims to highlight what type of plan is right for you. Fully comprehensive health insurance does offer many benefits, some of which include:

1. Peace of mind knowing that you have the highest level of cover available to you.
2. Ease of accessing treatment through more inclusive hospital lists.
3. Access to a wide range of drugs and treatments available through the provider.
4. Being able to utilise all of the various health services providers have to offer, such as private appointments, health lines, online resources, virtual GP appointments, private ambulances and more.
5. Reduces the likelihood of treatment not being covered due to reaching benefit limits compared to policies that offer less coverage
6. It may help to attract and retain staff if you're a business, as they’ll benefit from accessing a comprehensive plan through their employment.
7. You still have the option to tailor the policy to your needs, meaning that you can increase or decrease coverage in some areas while still having a comprehensive policy for your requirements.

How much will comprehensive health insurance cost you?

The price you pay for any health insurance policy will vary on many factors, which means there is no guaranteed price you’ll pay. There are ways to increase and decrease the cost by adjusting your coverage, but some details that determine the price aren’t able to be controlled. The price for comprehensive health insurance may vary depending on:

1. How old you and other policyholders are.
2. The lifestyle of all policyholders, such as whether they’re smokers.
3. The base level of coverage included within the policy.
4. The location of policyholders.
5. The number of people being covered under the policy.
6. Whether you opt to reduce some coverage options.
7. The amount of excess you opt to pay in the event of a claim.

Is comprehensive medical insurance right for you?

Knowing whether comprehensive medical insurance is the right choice for you is a personal decision based on many factors such as your needs, budget, expected usage, medical history, and the policies offered to you by providers. Comprehensive health insurance may be the best option for you if:

1. You want the highest level of private health cover available to you.
2. You are less concerned by the money you spend than the treatment available to you.
3. You would benefit from accessing a wide range of hospitals and medical facilities across the UK.
4. You would utilise all of the benefits offered by your provider, such as private GP appointments, virtual appointments, health support services etc.
5. You’ve researched and found a comprehensive policy that meets all of your needs.
   

If you need help understanding whether a comprehensive plan is right for you, we welcome you to contact us and we would be happy to help. We provide an independent service that allows us to answer any questions you have about all UK providers and provide you with unbiased guidance on purchasing private health insurance.

Purchasing your comprehensive health insurance policy

When you’re ready to take the next step with your comprehensive health insurance policy, you have several options. Each route to purchasing your policy has its benefits and drawbacks, and you should choose the option that suits you:

Comparison websites - You may find comprehensive plans listed on a comparison website. This method is a quick and easy way to view some of the options available to you, but it may limit your visibility on all of the comprehensive policies you could purchase on the UK market.

Providers - Health insurance providers will have expertise about policies sold by them, but they won’t answer questions, offer advice, or discuss other comprehensive plans available through other providers. This means that you’d have to contact each provider individually and go through the process of providing your information many times before you can compare the available options.

Independent brokers - Independent health insurance brokers aim to provide you with unbiased advice about all of the providers they work with. You’ll need to provide them with your information once, and they’ll be able to compare the options available to you. As providers don’t directly employ independent brokers, you’ll be able to ask them questions and advice on all providers, helping you to understand exactly what each one has to offer. 

Helping you find the right comprehensive plan for you

We are independent health insurance brokers working with health insurance providers across the UK. We aim to help individuals, families and businesses to find the most appropriate health insurance policy for them, from the provider offering them the best deal for them. Whether you’re just looking for some advice, or you’re ready to find a comprehensive policy that’s best suited to you, just let us know how we can help.