
Understanding the cost of private medical insurance in the UK can feel complex. At WeCovr, an FCA-authorised broker with over 800,000 policies of various types arranged for our clients, we help you navigate core premiums and optional add-ons to find the perfect cover for your budget and health needs.
Private Medical Insurance (PMI) isn't a one-size-fits-all product. While a core policy provides a crucial safety net for serious medical issues, it's the optional add-ons that allow you to tailor your cover to your specific lifestyle and health priorities.
These extras—often covering services you use more regularly like dental check-ups, new glasses, or therapy sessions—are what transform a basic policy into a comprehensive health and wellbeing package. But how much do they really add to your monthly premium? Let's break it down.
Before we explore the add-ons, it’s vital to understand what determines the cost of your basic private health insurance policy. A core plan is designed to cover the big, unexpected health events, primarily for treatment of acute conditions that begin after you take out the policy.
Crucial Point: Standard UK private medical insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions (illnesses you already have) or chronic conditions (long-term illnesses that need ongoing management, like diabetes or asthma). PMI is for new, curable conditions.
Your base premium is calculated using several key factors:
To give you a clearer idea, here are some illustrative monthly costs for a core in-patient and day-patient only policy.
| Age Bracket | Location (Manchester) | Location (Central London) |
|---|---|---|
| 30-year-old | £35 - £50 | £45 - £65 |
| 45-year-old | £55 - £75 | £70 - £95 |
| These are example figures for a non-smoker with a £250 excess. Actual quotes will vary significantly. |
Once you have your core premium, you can start adding optional benefits. The most common and impactful add-ons are out-patient cover, mental health support, dental and optical benefits, and therapies.
While a core policy covers treatment once you're admitted to hospital (in-patient or day-patient), it often doesn't cover the steps leading up to it. This is where out-patient cover comes in.
What it includes:
Without this add-on, you would need to rely on the NHS for your initial diagnosis before you could use your PMI for private treatment. For many, the ability to see a specialist and get diagnosed quickly is a primary reason for getting private health cover in the first place.
Cost Impact: Adding comprehensive out-patient cover is often the most significant price increase after the core premium itself. It can add anywhere from £15 to £50+ per month, depending on the level of cover you choose (e.g., a limited number of consultations vs. unlimited).
| Policy Type | Estimated Monthly Premium (40-year-old) | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Core Policy (In-patient only) | £45 | Covers treatment once admitted to hospital. |
| Core + Full Out-patient Cover | £75 | Covers specialist consultations and scans. |
In recent years, insurers have vastly improved their mental health offerings in response to growing public need. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), around 1 in 5 adults in Great Britain experienced some form of depression in early 2021, highlighting the scale of the issue.
A basic PMI policy might offer a very limited amount of mental health support, if any. A dedicated mental health add-on provides far more extensive and accessible benefits.
What it typically includes:
Cost Impact: Adding comprehensive mental health cover can increase your premium, but it's often more affordable than people think. It provides peace of mind that expert help is available without a long wait.
For many, this is a non-negotiable part of their private medical insurance in the UK. Waiting lists for mental health services on the NHS can be long, and this add-on ensures prompt access to care when you or your family need it most. An expert PMI broker like WeCovr can help you compare policies from different providers to see which offers the most robust mental health support for your budget.
These are two of the most popular add-ons because they cover routine healthcare costs that most people will incur each year. They are often sold as a combined package but can sometimes be selected individually.
This benefit works differently from standard PMI. It's usually a 'cashback' style benefit where you pay your dentist and then claim the money back, up to an annual limit.
What it typically includes:
It's important to read the policy details. Major restorative work like crowns, bridges, or orthodontics is often excluded or has very specific limits.
Similar to dental, this is a cashback benefit for eye care.
What it typically includes:
This is a key question. You need to weigh the annual cost of the add-on against the total benefit you can claim.
For someone who wears glasses and regularly visits the dentist, this can represent excellent value. However, if you have good eyesight and rarely need dental work, you might be better off paying for these services as you go or considering a standalone dental plan.
This add-on covers treatment from complementary therapists, usually for musculoskeletal issues. With millions of working days lost to back, neck, and muscle pain each year in the UK (Source: ONS), this is a highly practical benefit.
What it typically includes:
How it works: Policies will specify an annual limit, either as a total monetary amount or a set number of sessions (e.g., up to 10 sessions per condition). Some policies require a GP referral, while others allow you to self-refer, which is a significant convenience.
Cost Impact: This is one of the more affordable add-ons.
For anyone with an active lifestyle, a physical job, or a history of sports injuries, this small extra cost can provide invaluable, fast access to treatment that gets you back on your feet quickly.
Let's create a profile to see how these add-ons stack up. Profile: A 40-year-old, non-smoking professional living in Birmingham, choosing a mid-range policy with a £250 excess.
| Policy Component | Description | Estimated Monthly Cost Impact | Running Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Policy | In-patient & day-patient cover for acute conditions. | £50 | £50 |
| Add: Full Out-patient Cover | Adds specialist consultations and diagnostic scans. | +£25 | £75 |
| Add: Mental Health Cover | Adds comprehensive support for therapy and psychiatric care. | +£15 | £90 |
| Add: Dental & Optical Cover | Adds cashback benefits for routine dental care and eyewear. | +£20 | £110 |
| Add: Therapies Cover | Adds cover for physiotherapy, osteopathy, and chiropractic sessions. | +£10 | £120 |
| Total Comprehensive Premium | A fully-featured policy covering a wide range of health needs. | - | £120 |
As you can see, a comprehensive policy with all the major add-ons can cost more than double the basic premium. This is why working with an adviser is so important—they can help you decide which extras offer genuine value for you.
The best PMI providers now compete not just on price and cover, but on the value-added benefits they include to encourage a healthy lifestyle. These often come as standard, without adding to your premium.
Common perks include:
At WeCovr, we enhance this value further. When you arrange your private health cover through us, you also receive:
Feeling concerned about the total cost? Don't be. There are several levers you can pull to make your private health cover more affordable without sacrificing essential protection.
Choosing the right add-ons is a balancing act between cost and comprehensive cover. By understanding what each extra offers and how it impacts your premium, you can build a policy that gives you true peace of mind.
Ready to find the right private medical insurance policy that balances comprehensive cover with your budget? The expert team at WeCovr is here to help. Get your free, no-obligation quote today and discover your options.






