UK Private Health Insurance: Family Health Resilience

Secure Your Family's Future: How UK Private Health Insurance Empowers Strategic Planning for Intergenerational Health Resilience.

How UK Private Health Insurance Can Support the Strategic Planning for Intergenerational Health Resilience Within Families

In an increasingly complex world, ensuring the long-term health and wellbeing of our families has become a paramount concern. While the National Health Service (NHS) remains a cornerstone of British society, its unparalleled commitment faces unprecedented demand, leading to challenges such as extended waiting lists for diagnostics, specialist consultations, and treatments. For families looking to build a robust future, a strategic approach to health must extend beyond reactive care. This is where UK private health insurance (PMI) emerges not just as a luxury, but as a crucial tool for fostering intergenerational health resilience.

Intergenerational health resilience refers to the ability of a family unit to maintain and improve the health of its members across different generations, adapting to challenges, and proactively planning for future wellbeing. It’s about creating a 'health legacy' – ensuring that children grow up with timely access to care, working-age adults can maintain productivity, and elderly relatives can preserve their quality of life. This comprehensive article will delve into how private health insurance can become an indispensable part of this strategic planning, offering peace of mind and tangible benefits for every family member.

Introduction: The Intergenerational Health Landscape in the UK

The health of a family is often intricately linked. A grandparent’s genetic predispositions, a parent’s lifestyle choices, and a child’s early access to care all intertwine to shape the collective health trajectory of the family unit. In the UK, we are privileged to have the NHS, a universal healthcare system providing outstanding emergency and critical care. However, the sheer volume of patients and the nature of public healthcare mean that non-emergency, elective, or preventative services can sometimes be subject to significant delays.

Consider the typical UK family structure:

• Children and Young Adults: Growing up, facing developmental milestones, potential childhood illnesses, and increasing pressures on mental health. Timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial for their physical and psychological development.
• Working-Age Adults: Juggling careers, family responsibilities, and often caring for both children and elderly parents. Their health directly impacts their productivity, financial stability, and ability to support their dependants.
• Elderly Parents and Grandparents: Navigating the natural process of ageing, often with new health challenges emerging. Maintaining their quality of life and dignity is a priority for many families.

The challenges to intergenerational health resilience are multifaceted:

• NHS Pressures: Long waiting lists for non-urgent referrals, diagnostic tests (e.g., MRI, CT scans), and elective surgeries. This can cause anxiety, pain, and a worsening of conditions.
• Hereditary and Lifestyle Risks: Many conditions, from heart disease to certain cancers, can have hereditary components or be influenced by shared family lifestyles. Proactive management and early detection are key.
• Mental Health Stigma and Access: Mental health issues can affect all ages, yet access to timely, specialised mental health support through the NHS can be challenging.
• Financial Burden of Illness: While the NHS covers core medical costs, indirect costs of illness (e.g., lost earnings, travel, childcare, private physiotherapy) can still be substantial.
• Caregiver Strain: Family members often take on significant caregiver roles, which can impact their own health and wellbeing.

Private health insurance is not designed to replace the NHS, but rather to work in parallel, offering an alternative pathway for specific medical needs. It provides a strategic layer of protection, enabling families to bypass public waiting lists for eligible acute conditions and access private medical facilities, often with greater convenience and choice. By understanding its role, families can proactively plan for health challenges, rather than react to them, thereby strengthening their intergenerational health resilience.

Understanding Private Health Insurance in the UK Context

Before exploring how PMI supports intergenerational health, it's vital to have a clear understanding of what it is, what it covers, and crucially, what it does not.

Private health insurance in the UK typically covers the cost of private medical treatment for new, acute conditions that arise after the policy is taken out. An "acute condition" is generally defined as a disease, illness, or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and restore you to the state of health you were in immediately before suffering the disease, illness, or injury, or which leads to your full recovery.

What PMI Generally Covers:

• In-patient treatment: Hospital accommodation, nursing care, surgeon's and anaesthetist's fees for surgical procedures.
• Day-patient treatment: Procedures that do not require an overnight stay in hospital.
• Out-patient treatment: Consultations with specialists, diagnostic tests (e.g., MRI, CT, X-rays, blood tests), and physiotherapy, depending on the level of cover chosen.
• Mental health support: Many policies now include cover for consultations with psychiatrists and therapists, and sometimes inpatient psychiatric care, for new mental health conditions.
• Cancer care: Comprehensive cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and biological therapies, often covered from diagnosis through to remission, for new occurrences.
• Complementary therapies: Some policies may offer limited cover for treatments like osteopathy, chiropractic, or acupuncture, often requiring a GP or specialist referral.
• Digital GP services: Many insurers offer access to virtual GP appointments, providing quick consultations and referrals.

What PMI Does NOT Cover (Crucially Important):

This is perhaps the most important distinction and a common source of misunderstanding.

• Pre-existing conditions: Any medical condition you had or received advice or treatment for before taking out the policy is generally excluded. This is a fundamental principle of insurance – it covers new risks, not known ones. There are various ways insurers assess pre-existing conditions (e.g., moratorium or full medical underwriting), but the principle remains.
• Chronic conditions: Long-term conditions that cannot be cured (e.g., diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, hypertension, multiple sclerosis) are not covered. While PMI might cover an acute flare-up or complication of a chronic condition, it will not cover the ongoing management, monitoring, or regular medication for the chronic condition itself. The NHS is the primary provider for chronic disease management.
• Emergency care: Accidents and emergency services remain the domain of the NHS. If you have a medical emergency, you should always call 999 or go to an A&E department.
• Routine maternity care: While some policies may cover complications, routine pregnancy and childbirth are not typically covered.
• Cosmetic surgery: Procedures solely for aesthetic reasons are excluded.
• Drug or alcohol abuse.
• Organ transplants.
• HIV/AIDS.
• Infertility treatment.
• Normal ageing processes.

Types of Policies:

• Individual policies: Cover a single person.
• Family policies: Cover multiple family members (e.g., parents and children) often at a discounted rate compared to individual policies. These are particularly relevant for intergenerational planning.
• Corporate/Company policies: Provided by employers as a benefit to their employees, sometimes extending to dependants. This can be a highly tax-efficient way to provide PMI.

NHS vs. PMI: Collaboration, Not Competition

It is crucial to reiterate that private health insurance is a complementary service to the NHS, not a replacement. The NHS will always be there for emergencies, chronic conditions, and any care not covered by your private policy. PMI offers a choice and an alternative pathway for eligible new acute conditions, allowing you to potentially bypass waiting lists and access care at a time and place that suits you, within the private healthcare system. This dual approach provides a robust safety net for your family's health needs.

The Pillars of Intergenerational Health Resilience Through PMI

PMI supports intergenerational health resilience by strengthening several key pillars within a family's health strategy.

Pillar 1: Proactive Health Management and Early Intervention

One of the most significant benefits of PMI is the emphasis on speed and access, which facilitates proactive health management and early intervention.

• Faster Access to Diagnostics: When a new symptom appears, swift diagnostic tests (MRI, CT scans, ultrasounds, blood tests) are vital. On the NHS, these can sometimes involve significant waits, leading to anxiety and potential worsening of a condition. With PMI, a private GP or specialist can often refer you for tests immediately, with results typically available much quicker.
• Rapid Access to Specialist Consultations: Once a GP suspects a condition requiring specialist input, PMI allows for rapid referral to a private consultant. This means bypassing long NHS waiting lists for first appointments, leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Emphasis on Early Diagnosis: Early diagnosis of many conditions, such as certain cancers, heart conditions, or neurological issues, is critical for better outcomes. The speed offered by PMI can mean the difference between a minor issue and a more serious, advanced one. For example, a child with persistent stomach pains might get an earlier diagnosis of a specific condition, preventing it from affecting their growth or schooling long-term.
• Mental Health Support for All Ages: Many modern PMI policies include comprehensive mental health cover for new conditions. This can mean rapid access to private psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists. For teenagers grappling with anxiety, adults facing burnout, or elderly relatives dealing with depression (provided it's a new occurrence and not a pre-existing chronic condition), timely intervention can be life-changing, preventing conditions from becoming entrenched.
• Wellbeing Programmes: Some insurers offer added benefits like digital health apps, health assessments, discounts on gym memberships, or access to nutritional advice. While not direct medical treatment, these contribute to overall wellbeing, potentially preventing future acute conditions.

The ability to act quickly when a new health concern arises reduces uncertainty and stress, allowing family members to receive necessary care before conditions escalate. This proactive stance is central to building resilience.

Pillar 2: Tailored Support Across Life Stages

Private health insurance can be customised to meet the evolving needs of family members at different stages of life, offering targeted support.

Children and Young Adults:

Children’s health concerns, even seemingly minor ones, can cause immense worry for parents and significantly impact a child's development, education, and social life.

• Avoiding NHS Waiting Lists: For non-urgent conditions like persistent ear infections, suspected allergies, dermatology issues, or orthopaedic concerns, NHS waiting lists for paediatric specialists can be long. PMI allows parents to quickly access private paediatricians, often leading to faster diagnosis and treatment.
• Mental Health Support: The pressure on young people is immense. Early intervention for new mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or eating disorders can make a profound difference. PMI can provide fast access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) privately, bridging the gap where NHS services are overwhelmed.
• Developmental Concerns: If there are concerns about a child's development (e.g., speech, motor skills, or neurodevelopmental assessments for conditions like ADHD or autism – for assessment of new concerns, not treatment of existing diagnosed conditions), private pathways can offer quicker access to specialist assessments.
• Minimising Disruption: Speedy treatment means less time off school, faster recovery, and less stress for the entire family.

Working-Age Adults:

For adults, health directly impacts their ability to work, earn, and care for their family. Time is often their most valuable asset.

• Minimising Downtime from Illness: A new condition requiring surgery (e.g., a new hernia, gallstones, or orthopaedic injury) can lead to significant waiting times on the NHS, meaning prolonged pain, reduced mobility, and time off work. With PMI, elective surgery can often be scheduled quickly, facilitating a faster return to work and daily responsibilities.
• Access to Convenient Appointments: Private hospitals and clinics often offer more flexible appointment times (early mornings, evenings) and locations, reducing the need to take significant time off work or travel extensively.
• Stress and Burnout Support: The demands of modern life can lead to new mental health challenges. PMI can provide confidential and rapid access to private therapy or psychiatric consultations for new cases of stress, anxiety, or depression, helping adults manage their mental wellbeing before it impacts their family or career.
• Ensuring Continuity of Care for Family: When parents are healthy and able to function optimally, they can better support their children and elderly parents, reinforcing the family's overall resilience.

Elderly Parents and Grandparents:

While chronic conditions are not covered, new acute conditions can still arise as people age. For these, PMI can significantly improve quality of life and dignity.

• Maintaining Quality of Life: A new, acute condition like a sudden need for cataract surgery (if it's a new issue and not related to a chronic, pre-existing condition), a new orthopaedic injury from a fall, or a newly diagnosed cancer (for treatment, not ongoing chronic management) can be debilitating. Quick access to private treatment can restore function and comfort much faster.
• Access to Specific Treatments: For new acute conditions, PMI can provide access to specific private hospitals or consultants known for particular expertise, offering a broader range of options for new treatments not always immediately available on the NHS.
• Respite for Family Carers: When an elderly parent needs treatment for a new acute condition, the process of navigating the private system is often smoother and less stressful than managing long NHS waits. This indirectly reduces the burden on adult children who might otherwise be heavily involved in advocacy, transport, and support during prolonged public sector waits.
• Dignity and Comfort: Private hospitals often provide private rooms, more flexible visiting hours, and a generally calmer environment, which can contribute to a more comfortable recovery for elderly patients.

It bears repeating: PMI does not cover pre-existing or chronic conditions. This means if an elderly parent has had diabetes for years, PMI will not cover its ongoing management. However, if they develop a new acute condition like a sudden acute infection requiring hospitalisation, or a new cataract (assuming it's not pre-existing), PMI could cover the necessary treatment. This distinction is vital for managing expectations.

Pillar 3: Financial Security and Strategic Planning

Health shocks can have significant financial repercussions for families. PMI acts as a buffer against these unexpected costs.

• Avoiding Unexpected Medical Costs: Private medical treatment can be incredibly expensive. A single private surgical procedure can run into tens of thousands of pounds. PMI covers these eligible costs, preventing a family from dipping into savings, taking on debt, or facing impossible choices.
• Budgeting for Health: With a PMI policy, families pay a predictable premium, allowing them to budget for potential health needs rather than facing unpredictable, potentially ruinous, out-of-pocket expenses.
• Tax Efficiencies (e.g., Corporate PMI): For businesses, providing private health insurance to employees (and often their families) can be a tax-deductible expense, offering a highly valuable benefit that boosts morale and reduces absenteeism. This indirect benefit extends to the families of employees.
• Long-Term Financial Peace of Mind: Knowing that eligible new health issues can be addressed swiftly and without financial strain provides invaluable peace of mind, allowing families to focus on other long-term financial goals like education or retirement, without the constant worry of medical bills.

Pillar 4: Empowering Family Carers and Reducing Stress

The indirect benefits of PMI on the mental and emotional wellbeing of family members, particularly carers, are profound.

• Reduced Burden of Navigating the NHS: When a family member falls ill, navigating NHS waiting lists, referrals, and appointments can be a full-time job. PMI streamlines this process significantly, with dedicated helplines and faster access, reducing the administrative burden on family members.
• Peace of Mind: Knowing that if a new acute health issue arises, your loved ones can receive prompt, high-quality care without undue delay offers immense psychological relief. This reduces anxiety for both the patient and their carers.
• Focus on Recovery Rather Than Logistics: Instead of spending time chasing appointments or worrying about delays, family members can focus their energy on supporting the recovery of their loved one, fostering a more positive and effective healing environment.
• Less Conflict and Stress: Health crises can be a major source of family stress and conflict. Having a clear pathway for care, agreed upon through insurance, can alleviate some of this pressure.

Building Your Family's Health Legacy: Practical Steps with PMI

Integrating private health insurance into your family's strategic health plan requires careful consideration. Here are practical steps to ensure you choose the right cover.

Step 1: Assessing Your Family's Unique Needs

Every family is different. A tailored approach begins with a thorough assessment:

• Hereditary Risk Factors (Not Current Conditions): While PMI won't cover pre-existing hereditary conditions, understanding family health history (e.g., prevalence of heart disease, certain cancers) can inform a proactive approach. For example, if there's a family history of a specific acute condition, you might prioritise policies with comprehensive diagnostic cover.
• Lifestyle Factors: Consider your family’s general lifestyle. Are they very active and prone to sports injuries (acute, new injuries being covered)? Do they experience high levels of stress (potentially leading to new mental health issues)?
• Geographic Considerations: Do you live near private hospitals that you would want to access? Some policies have restricted hospital lists, which can reduce premiums.
• Financial Capacity: Be realistic about your budget. Premiums vary widely based on age, level of cover, and chosen excess.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Policy – A Comprehensive Guide

The market for private health insurance in the UK is diverse, with numerous insurers offering a wide range of policy options. This is where expert guidance becomes invaluable.

Key policy features to consider:

• In-patient vs. Out-patient Cover:
  • In-patient: The core of any policy, covering hospital stays for treatment and surgery.
  • Out-patient: Crucial for diagnostics and specialist consultations before a hospital admission. Many policies offer a limited amount of out-patient cover, or you can opt for unlimited. This is often where the "faster access" benefits really shine.
• Mental Health Cover: Check the extent of cover for new mental health conditions – does it include inpatient, outpatient, and therapy sessions?
• Therapies: Does it cover physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, etc., and to what extent?
• Hospital Lists:
  • Full Hospital List: Provides access to almost all private hospitals in the UK.
  • Guided Option/Restricted List: Limits your choice to a specific network of hospitals, often reducing premiums.
• Excess: This is the amount you pay towards a claim before your insurer pays. A higher excess typically means lower premiums.
• Co-payment: Some policies require you to pay a percentage of the claim cost, in addition to or instead of an excess.
• Underwriting Types:
  • Full Medical Underwriting (FMU): You provide a detailed medical history at the outset. The insurer then clarifies any pre-existing exclusions before the policy starts. This offers certainty from day one.
  • Moratorium Underwriting: You don't provide a full medical history upfront. Instead, the insurer won't cover any condition you've had symptoms of, or received treatment for, in a specific period (e.g., the last 5 years) before you took out the policy. If you remain symptom-free and haven't needed treatment for that condition for a continuous period (e.g., 2 years) after your policy starts, it may then become covered. This can be simpler to set up initially but can lead to more uncertainty if you make a claim.

This is where WeCovr comes in. Navigating the myriad of options from major UK insurers (Bupa, Aviva, AXA Health, Vitality, WPA, National Friendly, etc.) can be overwhelming. We pride ourselves on being modern, independent brokers who simplify this process. We compare policies across the entire market, providing you with tailored advice and helping you find the best coverage to meet your family's unique needs, all at no cost to you. We understand the nuances of each insurer's offering and can explain them clearly.

Step 3: The Application Process and Important Considerations

• Honest Disclosure: Be completely transparent about your family's medical history during the application process, especially for full medical underwriting. Non-disclosure can invalidate a claim. Remember, pre-existing conditions are not covered.
• Understanding Terms and Conditions: Read the policy documents carefully. Understand the waiting periods, exclusions, and claims process.
• Renewal Considerations: Premiums typically increase with age and sometimes with claims history. Be prepared for this and review your policy annually to ensure it still meets your needs and budget.

Step 4: Integrating PMI into Your Overall Family Wellness Strategy

PMI is a tool, not a magic bullet. For true intergenerational health resilience, it should be part of a broader wellness strategy:

• Beyond Just Treatment: Encourage healthy lifestyles, balanced diets, regular exercise, and preventative check-ups. Many insurers offer incentives for healthy living.
• Using PMI Benefits Effectively: Don't hesitate to use the digital GP services or wellbeing tools offered by your insurer.
• Regular Family Health Discussions: Encourage open communication about health concerns within the family.

Case Studies and Real-World Scenarios

To illustrate the tangible benefits, let's look at some hypothetical scenarios:

Case Study A: The Young Family with a Speedy Diagnosis

The Roberts family has a 6-year-old daughter, Lily. Lily started complaining of persistent stomach aches and fatigue. Her GP initially suggested it might be a viral infection, but after a week, the symptoms persisted.

• Without PMI (NHS Pathway): The GP refers Lily to a paediatric gastroenterologist. The waiting list for an initial appointment is 8-12 weeks. During this time, Lily continues to feel unwell, misses school, and the family is stressed and anxious. Once seen, further diagnostic tests (e.g., blood tests, endoscopy) could add more weeks of waiting.
• With PMI (Private Pathway): The Roberts family uses their PMI's digital GP service. The online GP quickly assesses Lily and, concerned, immediately provides an open referral to a private paediatric gastroenterologist. Within three days, Lily has her first private consultation. The specialist orders immediate blood tests and an endoscopy for the following week. Within two weeks of initial symptoms, Lily is diagnosed with coeliac disease. She starts a gluten-free diet, and her symptoms rapidly improve, allowing her to return to school and her normal activities. The quick diagnosis prevents further nutritional deficiencies and suffering. The cost of consultations, tests, and the procedure is covered by their policy (as it’s a new, acute condition).

Case Study B: The Professional Couple Maintaining Productivity

Mark, 42, a busy project manager, suddenly develops severe shoulder pain, making it difficult to work or sleep. His GP suspects a rotator cuff tear.

• Without PMI (NHS Pathway): Mark is referred for physiotherapy. After several weeks, if the pain persists, an orthopaedic referral might be made, followed by an MRI scan. Total waiting time for diagnosis and potential surgery could be several months, during which Mark's work performance suffers, and he struggles with daily tasks.
• With PMI (Private Pathway): Mark contacts his insurer. He gets a referral to a private orthopaedic consultant within days. An MRI scan is arranged for the following week, confirming a significant rotator cuff tear. Within two weeks, surgery is scheduled at a private hospital, allowing Mark to choose a date that minimises disruption to his work projects. Post-surgery, he receives private physiotherapy, accelerating his recovery. He's back at work part-time within a month, fully recovered within three, with minimal impact on his career and family life. All costs are covered for this new, acute condition.

Case Study C: Supporting Elderly Parents with New Acute Needs

Evelyn, 78, lives independently but develops a new, persistent cough and shortness of breath. She has well-managed, pre-existing mild hypertension (not covered by PMI for its chronic management).

• Without PMI (NHS Pathway): Evelyn attends her GP, who refers her for a chest X-ray and then to a respiratory specialist. The X-ray takes a week, the specialist appointment several more. The delay causes anxiety for Evelyn and her children, who worry about her worsening condition.
• With PMI (Private Pathway): Evelyn’s family health insurance policy (which covers her as a dependant) allows for rapid access. Her GP refers her to a private respiratory consultant. Within days, Evelyn has a private consultation and a rapid CT scan. The results indicate a new, early-stage acute lung infection, not related to her hypertension. She receives immediate, targeted antibiotic treatment and recovers quickly at home, avoiding a potential hospital admission. The peace of mind for Evelyn and her children is immense, knowing a serious issue was swiftly addressed. Importantly, her pre-existing hypertension remains an NHS-managed condition, while the new acute lung infection is covered by PMI.

These examples highlight how speed, choice, and convenience, enabled by PMI, translate directly into improved health outcomes, reduced stress, and stronger family resilience across generations.

Overcoming Misconceptions About Private Health Insurance

Despite its benefits, PMI is often misunderstood. Addressing these misconceptions is crucial:

• "It's only for the rich." While it is an added expense, PMI is becoming increasingly accessible. Options exist for various budgets, including policies with higher excesses, co-payments, or restricted hospital lists to lower premiums. Many companies also offer PMI as an employee benefit, extending coverage to families. It's an investment in health, similar to investing in education or retirement.
• "It replaces the NHS." This is a critical misconception. PMI complements the NHS. The NHS will always be there for emergencies, chronic conditions, and anything not covered by your policy. PMI offers an alternative pathway for specific, eligible new acute conditions, providing choice and speed.
• "It covers everything." As detailed, PMI does not cover pre-existing or chronic conditions, nor does it cover emergencies, routine maternity care, or cosmetic surgery. It's essential to understand the exclusions clearly.
• "It's too complicated to understand." While policy documents can be dense, expert advice simplifies the process. We at WeCovr specialise in demystifying private health insurance. We explain the options in plain English, compare policies from all major insurers, and guide you through the application process, ensuring you understand exactly what you're getting, all without any charges to you. Our aim is to make finding the right health cover as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

The Future of Family Health and PMI

As healthcare evolves, so too will private health insurance.

• Increasing Role of Digital Health: Telemedicine, remote monitoring, and health apps are already integrated into many policies and will continue to grow, offering even greater convenience and access.
• Personalised Medicine: Advances in genetics and data analytics may lead to more tailored preventative advice and treatment pathways, which PMI providers could incorporate into their wellbeing offerings.
• Evolving Policy Benefits: Insurers are constantly adapting, with many now focusing more on preventative health, mental wellbeing, and integrating digital tools to support members proactively.
• Long-Term Investment in Health: The understanding that health is a long-term asset, not just an absence of illness, is growing. PMI is a tangible manifestation of this strategic investment for families looking to secure their future.

The landscape of healthcare in the UK is dynamic. While the NHS remains fundamental, a proactive and resilient family health strategy increasingly involves thoughtful consideration of private health insurance.

Conclusion: Investing in Your Family's Health for Generations

Intergenerational health resilience is about more than just treating illness; it's about building a robust framework that supports the wellbeing of every family member, today and for years to come. It’s about being proactive, having options, and fostering an environment where health challenges are met swiftly and effectively.

Private health insurance, in the UK context, serves as a powerful strategic tool in this endeavour. It provides:

• Rapid access to diagnosis and treatment for new, acute conditions, minimising suffering and preventing conditions from worsening.
• Tailored support for the unique health needs of children, working adults, and elderly family members.
• Significant financial security, protecting families from the high costs of private medical care.
• Invaluable peace of mind, reducing stress for patients and their carers, empowering families to focus on recovery rather than logistical battles.

While the NHS remains the bedrock of our healthcare system, private health insurance offers a complementary layer of protection, choice, and speed. It enables families to create a proactive health legacy, ensuring that the health and wellbeing of one generation positively influences the next. It’s an investment in a healthier, more resilient future for your entire family.

If you are considering how private health insurance could benefit your family and contribute to your strategic health planning, we at WeCovr are here to help. We offer free, no-obligation quotes and expert, unbiased advice, comparing options from all major UK insurers. Let us help you navigate the complexities and find the perfect policy to protect your family's most valuable asset: their health.