
As FCA-authorised experts who have arranged over 900,000 policies, we at WeCovr know that choosing the right private medical insurance in the UK can feel complex. A core policy is your foundation, but optional extras are what truly tailor the cover to your life, family, and health priorities.
Private Medical Insurance (PMI) is designed to give you peace of mind, faster access to treatment, and more choice over your healthcare. While a standard policy provides a robust safety net for significant medical events, optional extras, or "add-ons," allow you to build a comprehensive health plan that covers everyday wellness, from your teeth and eyes to your mental and physical wellbeing.
This guide will demystify the most popular PMI extras, helping you understand what they cover, their typical limits, and when they offer the most value.
Before diving into the extras, it's crucial to understand what a standard UK private medical insurance policy typically covers and, just as importantly, what it excludes.
Core PMI is designed for acute conditions. An acute condition is a disease, illness, or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and lead to a full recovery. Think of things like joint replacements, cataract surgery, or treatment for a hernia.
A typical core policy will usually cover:
Understanding the limitations of PMI is key to avoiding surprises. Standard policies will not cover:
Optional extras are designed to fill some of these gaps, particularly for routine care like dental check-ups and physiotherapy.
For many, dental and optical care are the most frequently used health services. With NHS dentistry facing unprecedented pressure and the cost of eyewear rising, these add-ons are becoming increasingly popular.
This extra helps cover the costs of looking after your teeth, from routine maintenance to unexpected problems. Cover is typically tiered.
What does a dental add-on cover?
It's important to check the policy details, as cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening are almost always excluded.
| Coverage Type | Typical Annual Limit (Illustrative) | What It's For |
|---|---|---|
| Routine Care | £150 – £300 | Check-ups, hygiene appointments |
| Restorative Care | £400 – £1,000 | Fillings, crowns, root canals |
| Accidental Damage | £5,000 – £20,000+ | Repairing teeth after an accident |
| Orthodontics | Often excluded or a % contribution | Braces (more common on corporate plans) |
When is Dental Cover Most Valuable?
Recent data from the British Dental Association highlights a crisis in NHS access, with reports in 2024 showing that 9 out of 10 NHS practices were not accepting new adult patients. If you struggle to find an NHS dentist or prefer the service and flexibility of a private practice, this add-on can provide significant value and make private dentistry much more affordable.
Real-Life Example: Maria has a dental add-on with a £600 limit for restorative work. She needs an urgent root canal, which is quoted at £750 privately. Her policy covers £600 of the cost, leaving her to pay just £150, making the treatment immediately accessible.
An optical add-on provides a contribution towards the costs of maintaining your eye health, covering eye tests, and helping with the cost of glasses or contact lenses.
What does an optical add-on cover?
The financial limits are typically modest, often in the range of £150 to £250 per year. It won’t cover the full cost of designer frames but acts as a helpful subsidy.
When is Optical Cover Most Valuable?
This benefit is most useful for individuals and families who all wear glasses or contact lenses. If you have a complex prescription or prefer high-end lenses and frames, the annual contribution can make a noticeable difference to your budget. However, always weigh the extra premium against the benefit, as many high-street opticians offer free eye tests or other deals.
Modern health is about more than just major surgery; it's about maintaining mobility, function, and mental resilience. Therapies and mental health add-ons are designed to support your holistic wellbeing.
Musculoskeletal issues are a leading cause of sickness absence in the UK, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting they accounted for 22.3 million lost working days in 2022 alone. A therapies add-on gives you fast access to treatment to get you back on your feet.
What therapies are typically covered?
Cover is usually defined by a set number of sessions (e.g., up to 8 or 10 sessions per condition, per year) or a total financial limit. Some insurers require a GP referral, while others now offer direct self-referral to a specialist, speeding up the process.
When is Therapies Cover Most Valuable?
While most core PMI policies include some level of mental health support, a dedicated add-on significantly broadens the scope of cover. With NHS mental health services seeing unprecedented demand—over 4.6 million referrals in 2023—private support offers a crucial alternative for timely care.
What does a mental health add-on cover?
Important Note: Like other aspects of PMI, this cover is for acute mental health conditions. Chronic, long-term conditions are typically excluded. It is vital to read the policy wording carefully to understand the limits, particularly regarding the number of therapy sessions and any caps on in-patient care.
When is Mental Health Cover Most Valuable?
This add-on is for anyone who wants to proactively manage their mental wellbeing and ensure that if they or a family member face a crisis, expert help is available without delay. It provides choice over the type of therapist and treatment approach, which can be critical for effective recovery.
With so many choices, how do you decide which extras to add to your private health cover? The key is to balance the cost of the additional premium against the real-world value it provides to you and your family.
Here’s a step-by-step approach:
Assess Your Personal & Family Needs:
Review Your Existing Benefits:
Check Local NHS Waiting Times:
Balance Cost vs. Benefit:
Here is an illustrative table showing how add-ons can impact a premium. These figures are for demonstration purposes only.
| Policy Level | Estimated Monthly Premium | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Core Policy | £50 | In-patient & day-patient care, core cancer cover. |
| Core + Dental & Optical | £65 | As above, plus routine/restorative dental and optical benefit. |
| Core + Therapies | £60 | As above, plus physio, osteo, chiro sessions. |
| Comprehensive Cover | £85+ | All of the above, plus enhanced mental health or travel cover. |
Choosing WeCovr for your private medical insurance UK needs means you get more than just a policy. As an FCA-authorised broker with high customer satisfaction ratings, we provide a complete service.
Our goal is to be your long-term health partner, helping you get the most from your private health cover year after year.
Ready to build a private medical insurance policy that truly fits your life?
Contact WeCovr today for a free, no-obligation quote. Our expert team will help you navigate the options and find the perfect blend of core cover and optional extras for your peace of mind.






