TL;DR
Understanding the cost of private medical insurance in the UK can feel complex. At WeCovr, an FCA-authorised broker with over 900,000 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. Dental, optical, mental health — what extras add to your premium Private Medical Insurance (PMI) isn't a one-size-fits-all product.
Key takeaways
- Age: This is the single most significant factor. As we get older, the statistical likelihood of needing medical treatment increases, so premiums rise accordingly.
- Location: Where you live in the UK matters. Treatment costs are higher in certain areas, particularly London and the South East, so premiums for residents in those postcodes are often higher.
- Level of Cover: You can choose the level of hospital access. A policy with a limited local hospital network will be cheaper than one offering nationwide access, including prestigious central London hospitals.
- Excess (illustrative): This is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim. A higher excess (e.g., £500) will lower your monthly premium, while a lower excess (e.g., £100 or £0) will increase it.
- Underwriting: The method the insurer uses to assess your health history. The two main types are 'Moratorium' (simpler, no initial medical questionnaire) and 'Full Medical Underwriting' (requires you to declare your medical history upfront).
Understanding the cost of private medical insurance in the UK can feel complex. At WeCovr, an FCA-authorised broker with over 900,000 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.
Dental, optical, mental health — what extras add to your premium
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.
Understanding Your Core Private Health Insurance Premium First
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:
- Age: This is the single most significant factor. As we get older, the statistical likelihood of needing medical treatment increases, so premiums rise accordingly.
- Location: Where you live in the UK matters. Treatment costs are higher in certain areas, particularly London and the South East, so premiums for residents in those postcodes are often higher.
- Level of Cover: You can choose the level of hospital access. A policy with a limited local hospital network will be cheaper than one offering nationwide access, including prestigious central London hospitals.
- Excess (illustrative): This is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim. A higher excess (e.g., £500) will lower your monthly premium, while a lower excess (e.g., £100 or £0) will increase it.
- Underwriting: The method the insurer uses to assess your health history. The two main types are 'Moratorium' (simpler, no initial medical questionnaire) and 'Full Medical Underwriting' (requires you to declare your medical history upfront).
Example Core Monthly Premiums (Illustrative)
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. |
Diving Deep into Add-Ons: Customising Your Health Cover
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.
1. Out-Patient Cover: The Most Important Add-On?
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:
- Consultations with a specialist.
- Diagnostic tests and scans (like MRI, CT, and PET scans).
- Minor procedures that don't require a hospital bed.
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). (illustrative estimate)
| 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. |
2. Mental Health Cover: A Modern Priority
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:
- Access to a network of psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists.
- Coverage for a set number of therapy sessions (e.g., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT).
- In-patient and day-patient treatment for psychiatric conditions.
- Access to mental health support lines and digital resources.
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.
- Estimated Cost Addition: £10 - £30 per month
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.
3. Dental and Optical Cover: Everyday Health Benefits
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.
Dental Cover Explained
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:
- Routine Care: Check-ups, scale and polish, x-rays.
- Minor Treatment: Fillings, simple extractions.
- Emergency Care: Urgent treatment needed to relieve pain.
- Accidental Injury: Treatment required for damage to teeth from an accident.
It's important to read the policy details. Major restorative work like crowns, bridges, or orthodontics is often excluded or has very specific limits.
Optical Cover Explained
Similar to dental, this is a cashback benefit for eye care.
What it typically includes:
- A contribution towards the cost of an eye test.
- Illustrative estimate: A set amount towards the cost of prescription glasses or contact lenses (e.g., £150-£200 per year).
Is It Good Value?
This is a key question. You need to weigh the annual cost of the add-on against the total benefit you can claim.
- Cost Impact (illustrative): A combined dental and optical add-on typically adds £15 - £35 per month to your premium.
- Annual Cost (illustrative): £180 - £420 per year.
- Potential Benefit: If your annual limit for dental is £500 and for optical is £200, you could claim up to £700 back.
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.
4. Therapies Cover: Keeping You Active and Pain-Free
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:
- Physiotherapy
- Osteopathy
- Chiropractic treatment
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.
- Estimated Cost Addition: £5 - £15 per month
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.
Putting It All Together: A Complete Cost Breakdown
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.
Beyond Insurance: Wellness Programmes & Extra Perks
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:
- 24/7 Digital GP: Speak to a GP via video call or phone, often within hours.
- Discounted Gym Memberships: Significant savings on memberships with major gym chains.
- Health and Wellbeing Apps: Access to apps for mindfulness, fitness, and nutrition.
- Health Screenings: Subsidised or free health checks to catch potential issues early.
At WeCovr, we enhance this value further. When you arrange your private health cover through us, you also receive:
- Complimentary access to CalorieHero: Our proprietary AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app to support your health goals.
- Exclusive discounts: You'll be eligible for reduced rates on other insurance products we offer, such as life or home insurance. Our clients enjoy high satisfaction ratings, reflecting our commitment to excellent service.
How to Manage Your Private Health Insurance Costs
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.
- Adjust Your Excess: Agreeing to a higher excess (the amount you pay per claim) is the quickest way to lower your monthly premium.
- Choose a '6-Week Wait' Option: This innovative option significantly reduces your premium. It means that if the NHS can provide the treatment you need within six weeks, you will use the NHS. If the waiting list is longer than six weeks, your private policy kicks in.
- Tailor Your Hospital List: Opting for a list that excludes expensive central London hospitals can lead to substantial savings if you live elsewhere in the UK.
- Review Annually: Don't just let your policy auto-renew. Your needs change, and new, more competitive products enter the market. An annual review with a broker can save you hundreds of pounds.
- Use an Expert Broker: This is the most effective tip. A specialist broker like WeCovr does the hard work for you. We compare the entire market to find the policy that perfectly matches your needs and budget. Our advice is impartial, and our service is free to you, as we are paid by the insurer.
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.
Does private health insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Is it cheaper to get dental cover separately or with my PMI?
How much excess should I choose on my health insurance policy?
Why should I use a broker like WeCovr instead of going direct to an insurer?
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.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics (ONS): Inflation, earnings, and household statistics.
- HM Treasury / HMRC: Policy and tax guidance referenced in this topic.
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Consumer financial guidance and regulatory publications.
