
Navigating private medical insurance in the UK can be complex, especially with a long-term condition like Parkinson's. As FCA-authorised expert brokers at WeCovr, having arranged over 800,000 policies, we provide the clarity you need to make informed decisions about your health cover and future peace of mind.
The first and most important thing to understand about Private Medical Insurance (PMI) in the UK is its core purpose: to cover the diagnosis and treatment of acute conditions that arise after your policy begins.
An acute condition is a disease or illness that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and lead to a full recovery. Think of things like a hernia, cataract, or a joint injury.
A chronic condition, on the other hand, is a long-term illness that requires ongoing management and has no known cure. This category includes degenerative neurological conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, multiple sclerosis, and motor neurone disease.
Crucially, standard UK private health insurance policies do not cover the treatment or management of chronic conditions. This is a fundamental principle of the insurance model. Insurers exclude them to keep premiums affordable for the majority of policyholders who are seeking cover for unexpected, short-term medical issues.
Think of it like this: you can't buy car insurance to cover an engine that is already broken. Similarly, PMI is designed for new, unforeseen problems, not for managing pre-existing, long-term health challenges. The NHS remains the cornerstone of care for chronic conditions in the UK, providing comprehensive, lifelong support.
Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurological condition. This means it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. The main symptoms are related to movement and can include tremors, slowness of movement, and muscle stiffness. However, it can also cause a wide range of non-motor symptoms like anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and pain.
According to Parkinson's UK, the landscape of the condition in the UK is significant:
The NHS provides a dedicated care pathway for Parkinson's, involving a multi-disciplinary team of specialists. This typically includes:
This team works together to manage symptoms, provide medication, and offer support to help maintain the best possible quality of life. PMI is not designed to replace this essential, ongoing NHS care.
This is a common and important question. The short answer is yes, you can almost certainly get a private health insurance policy. However, it will come with a significant caveat.
When you apply for PMI, the insurer will assess your medical history through a process called underwriting. Because Parkinson's is a chronic, pre-existing condition, it will be permanently excluded from your cover. This means the policy will not pay for any consultations, diagnostic tests, treatments, or therapies related to your Parkinson's.
There are two main ways an insurer will do this:
This is the most common type of underwriting. You don't have to provide a full medical history upfront. Instead, the policy automatically excludes any condition for which you've had symptoms, medication, or advice in the five years before the policy started.
For someone with Parkinson's, the condition would be automatically and permanently excluded because it requires continuous management.
With FMU, you complete a detailed health questionnaire when you apply, declaring your full medical history, including your Parkinson's diagnosis. The insurer's underwriting team will review this information and then offer you a policy with a specific, named exclusion for Parkinson's Disease and any related conditions. This provides absolute clarity from day one about what is and isn't covered.
| Feature | Moratorium Underwriting | Full Medical Underwriting (FMU) |
|---|---|---|
| Application Process | Simple and quick. No initial health forms. | Requires a detailed health questionnaire. |
| Exclusions | Automatically excludes conditions from the last 5 years. | Exclusions are explicitly stated in your policy documents. |
| Clarity | Can sometimes be unclear what's excluded until you make a claim. | Crystal clear from the start. You know exactly where you stand. |
| Parkinson's Status | Automatically and permanently excluded as a chronic condition. | Explicitly and permanently excluded in writing. |
| Recommendation | Can be a good option for simplicity. | Often preferred for clarity, especially with a known chronic condition. |
An expert broker, such as our team at WeCovr, can help you decide which underwriting method is most suitable for your personal circumstances and guide you through the application process.
If PMI won't cover your main health concern, is it still worth having? For many people, the answer is a resounding yes. A policy can provide significant value and peace of mind by giving you fast access to private treatment for a whole host of new, unrelated acute conditions.
By having PMI, you can bypass NHS waiting lists for eligible treatments, get a private room in a comfortable hospital, and have more choice over your consultant and where you are treated.
Here are real-life examples of what your PMI policy could cover, even with a Parkinson's exclusion:
| Covered (New, Acute Conditions) | Excluded (Chronic & Pre-existing) |
|---|---|
| ✅ Diagnosis of a new, unrelated symptom (e.g., knee pain) | ❌ Consultations with your neurologist for Parkinson's |
| ✅ Hip or knee replacement surgery | ❌ Medication to manage Parkinson's symptoms |
| ✅ Cataract removal | ❌ Physiotherapy or occupational therapy for Parkinson's |
| ✅ Hernia repair surgery | ❌ Scans (e.g., DaTscan) to monitor Parkinson's progression |
| ✅ Treatment for a new cancer diagnosis | ❌ Treatment for any falls or injuries caused by Parkinson's |
| ✅ Acute mental health support (e.g., for work-related stress) | ❌ Management of any symptom directly linked to Parkinson's |
This ability to "ring-fence" your Parkinson's care with the NHS while using PMI for other acute medical needs is how many people with chronic conditions get the best of both worlds.
When you have a condition like Parkinson's, choosing a PMI policy requires careful consideration. It's not about finding a policy to cover your Parkinson's, but about finding the best value policy for everything else.
Here are our top tips:
Our high customer satisfaction ratings are built on providing clear, impartial advice that puts our clients first.
At WeCovr, we specialise in helping individuals and families find the right health and life insurance. We understand that a chronic condition diagnosis can make things feel uncertain, but our expert advisors are here to bring clarity and confidence.
As an FCA-authorised firm, we adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct. We take the time to understand your unique situation and priorities. We can then search the market on your behalf, saving you time and stress, and ensuring you don't overpay for cover you don't need.
As a WeCovr client, you also get exclusive benefits:
While PMI helps with acute conditions, managing your day-to-day wellbeing with Parkinson's is paramount. This holistic approach, combining NHS care with proactive self-care, can make a huge difference to your quality of life.
Eating a balanced diet is important for everyone, but it can help with specific Parkinson's symptoms.
Movement is medicine for Parkinson's. Regular physical activity can improve mobility, balance, mood, and overall fitness.
Sleep disturbances are very common with Parkinson's.
A Parkinson's diagnosis doesn't mean you have to stop travelling. It just requires a little more planning.
Understanding how private medical insurance works alongside a chronic condition like Parkinson's is the key to unlocking its value. It provides a safety net for new health worries, giving you fast access to high-quality care when you need it most, while you continue to receive dedicated, specialist support from the NHS.
Ready to explore your options? Get a free, no-obligation quote from our friendly experts at WeCovr today. We'll help you compare the UK's leading providers and find a policy that gives you and your family lasting peace of mind.






