
Experiencing a serious cardiac event is a life-changing moment. As you focus on recovery, considering your future healthcare options is a natural step. At WeCovr, an FCA-authorised broker with experience in over 800,000 policies, we help people navigate the UK private medical insurance market to find the right protection.
A heart attack is a stark reminder of how quickly our health can change. While the NHS provides excellent emergency and ongoing cardiac care, many people look to private medical insurance (PMI) for faster access to treatment for future health concerns and greater peace of mind.
The key question is: can you get private health cover after a heart attack, and what will it include?
The short answer is yes, you can almost certainly get a policy. However, it's crucial to understand what it will and won't cover. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, providing clarity and confidence in your decisions.
Before we dive into the specifics, we must establish the fundamental principle of the UK private medical insurance market.
Private health insurance is designed to cover new, unforeseen, acute medical conditions that arise after your policy begins.
It is not designed to cover:
A heart attack is an acute event, but the underlying coronary artery disease that likely caused it is a chronic condition. This distinction is vital. Your PMI policy will not cover the ongoing management, monitoring, or treatment of your heart condition.
When you apply for private medical insurance, you have a duty to declare your full medical history truthfully. A heart attack is a significant "material fact" that insurers need to know about.
Here’s how an insurer will typically view your application after a heart attack:
To make this simple, let's look at some examples for a person who takes out a PMI policy after having a heart attack.
| Medical Scenario | Is it Likely to be Covered by PMI? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Routine check-up with your cardiologist | No | This is for monitoring a pre-existing, chronic condition. |
| Prescription for statins or beta-blockers | No | This is ongoing management of a chronic condition. |
| Developing gallstones and needing surgery | Yes | This is a new, acute condition unrelated to your heart. |
| Needing a hip or knee replacement | Yes | A new, acute condition that can be resolved with treatment. |
| A new cancer diagnosis | Yes | A new, acute condition (if cancer cover is included in your plan). |
| Follow-up angioplasty for a blocked artery | No | This is directly related to your pre-existing heart condition. |
| MRI scan for a painful shoulder | Yes | Diagnostic tests for a new, unrelated musculoskeletal issue. |
The value of PMI after a heart attack lies in its ability to protect you from long waiting lists for a whole host of other potential health problems. With NHS waiting lists in the UK affecting over 7.5 million people (NHS England, 2024), having a private option provides invaluable security.
"Underwriting" is the process an insurer uses to assess your health and decide the terms of your policy. For individuals, there are two main types.
This is the most common and recommended route after a serious health event like a heart attack.
For anyone with a history of heart trouble, FMU is the most transparent and sensible choice.
This type of underwriting is often advertised as simpler, but it can be problematic for anyone with a significant medical history.
Choosing a moratorium policy can create false hope and lead to disappointment when a claim is (correctly) rejected. An expert PMI broker like WeCovr will almost always recommend Full Medical Underwriting for clarity and peace of mind after a cardiac event.
It's easy to focus on the exclusion and think, "What's the point?" But this misses the huge benefits that remain. You are not just your heart condition. You are a whole person who could face a wide range of other health issues.
Consider this real-life scenario:
Sarah, 62, had a heart attack two years ago. She is on daily medication and her condition is well-managed by her excellent NHS GP and cardiologist. Worried about potential long waits for other issues, she takes out a private medical insurance policy with the help of WeCovr. Her heart condition is excluded.
A year later, Sarah starts experiencing severe hip pain that stops her from gardening and walking her dog. Her GP refers her for an NHS consultation, with a potential 18-month wait for surgery. Instead, she uses her PMI. Within a week, she sees a private consultant. Two weeks after that, she has a total hip replacement in a private hospital. Three months later, she is back in her garden, pain-free.
Without PMI, Sarah would have faced over a year of pain and immobility. With it, she protected her quality of life. This is the true value of private health cover post-heart attack.
Key benefits you can still access:
Navigating the market alone can be complex. Different insurers have slightly different approaches, and finding the best value requires expertise. This is where an independent PMI broker is invaluable.
The team at WeCovr can:
You can customise your policy to balance cost and benefits.
| Policy Component | Description | How to Manage Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Level of Cover | Comprehensive: Covers diagnosis and treatment. Treatment Only: You use the NHS for diagnosis, then go private for treatment. | A "Treatment Only" plan is a great budget-friendly option. |
| Out-patient Cover | Covers diagnostic tests and consultations that don't require a hospital bed. | You can choose a full cover limit, a set cash amount (e.g., £1,000), or remove it entirely to lower premiums. |
| Hospital List | Insurers have lists of eligible hospitals. A more limited list is cheaper than a list that includes prime central London hospitals. | Unless you live in central London, choosing a national hospital list is usually more cost-effective. |
| Excess | The amount you agree to pay towards the first claim each year (e.g., £250). | A higher excess significantly reduces your monthly premium. |
Modern private health insurance is about more than just hospital treatment. The best PMI providers include a wealth of benefits designed to keep you healthy and support your recovery. These are fully available to you, even with a heart condition exclusion.
Valuable additions can include:
At WeCovr, we enhance this further. When you arrange a policy with us, you receive complimentary access to CalorieHero, our AI-powered nutrition app, making it easier to manage your diet and support your long-term health. Furthermore, our clients often receive discounts on other vital protection, like life insurance, helping you secure your family's overall well-being.
If your employer (or your partner's) offers a group private medical insurance scheme, you may be in a very fortunate position.
Larger company schemes often have "Medical History Disregarded" (MHD) underwriting. This is the most generous type available. On an MHD scheme, all pre-existing and chronic conditions are typically covered, as long as you are an active member of the scheme.
This means that if you join your company's MHD plan, your heart condition could be covered for private treatment. If this is an option for you, it is almost always the best one to take.
Your PMI policy is a safety net for the future, but your daily habits are your first line of defence. Following a cardiac event, focusing on a healthy lifestyle is paramount.
Navigating the private medical insurance UK market after a major health event doesn't have to be overwhelming. The right advice makes all the difference.
At WeCovr, our friendly, expert advisors are here to provide free, no-obligation advice. We'll help you understand your options and find a policy that gives you and your family security for the future.






