As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 900,000 policies, WeCovr provides expert insight into the UK private medical insurance market. This guide unpacks the complex issue of premium inflation, explaining the real reasons your costs are rising and what you can do about it.
WeCovr explains how premiums track inflation
When your annual private medical insurance (PMI) renewal letter lands on your doormat, the increased figure can be a shock. It's natural to assume your premium is simply rising in line with the general cost of living, known as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). However, the reality is more complex.
Private health insurance premiums are driven by a separate, much more powerful force: medical inflation. This specific type of inflation reflects the rising cost of providing healthcare and consistently outpaces general inflation by a significant margin. Understanding this difference is the first step to managing your health cover costs effectively.
What is Medical Inflation?
Medical inflation is the annual percentage increase in the cost of medical services, treatments, and goods. It's a global phenomenon, but in the UK, it is a primary driver of rising private health insurance premiums. While the ONS might report general inflation (CPI) at 2-3%, medical inflation often runs anywhere from 8% to 12% per year.
Several key factors contribute to this high rate:
- Advances in Medical Technology: Groundbreaking new diagnostic tools (like advanced MRI scanners), robotic surgery techniques, and innovative procedures are incredibly effective but come with a high price tag for development, acquisition, and operation.
- Expensive New Drugs: The research and development of new medicines, particularly for complex conditions like cancer, is a multi-billion-pound industry. These costs are passed on to insurers through the price of treatments they fund.
- Increased Demand and an Ageing Population: As we live longer, we naturally require more healthcare over our lifetimes. An ageing population places greater demand on medical services, from joint replacements to cardiac care, increasing claim frequency.
- Rising Staff Costs: The salaries of highly skilled clinicians, surgeons, anaesthetists, and nurses must remain competitive. These wage increases contribute directly to the cost of private hospital stays and procedures.
- NHS Waiting List Pressures: As NHS waiting lists have grown, more people with PMI are choosing to use their policies. This higher claim volume across the board means insurers are paying out more, forcing them to adjust premiums upwards to cover the increased risk.
Medical vs. General Inflation: A 2025 Snapshot
To put it into perspective, here is how the two types of inflation typically compare. These figures are illustrative projections based on recent trends.
| Inflation Type | Projected Annual Rate (2025) | Key Drivers |
|---|
| General Inflation (CPI) | 2.5% | Fuel, food, housing, consumer goods |
| Medical Inflation | 9.0% | New technology, drug costs, staff wages, claim frequency |
This 6.5% gap is precisely why your health insurance premium increases by more than you might expect.
How UK Private Health Insurance Premiums Are Calculated
Your final premium is a personalised calculation based on a blend of medical inflation and several individual risk factors. Insurers use these to predict the likelihood of you making a claim.
Key Factors Influencing Your Premium
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Age: This is the most significant factor. As you get older, the statistical likelihood of needing medical treatment increases, so your premium rises each year.
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Location: Your postcode affects your premium because the cost of private treatment varies across the UK. Hospitals in Central London, for example, have higher operating costs and charge more than a hospital in a more rural area.
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Level of Cover: Policies are not one-size-fits-all. The more comprehensive your cover, the higher the cost.
- Basic: Typically covers in-patient and day-patient treatment (requiring a hospital bed).
- Intermediate: Adds some out-patient cover for consultations and diagnostics.
- Comprehensive: Includes full out-patient cover, therapies (like physiotherapy), and sometimes mental health support.
- Add-ons: Optional extras like dental, optical, and travel cover will also increase the price.
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Excess: This is the amount you agree to pay towards the cost of a claim. A higher excess means you take on more of the initial financial risk, which in turn lowers your premium.
| Excess Level | Illustrative Monthly Premium |
|---|
| £0 | £95 |
| £250 | £80 |
| £500 | £72 |
| £1,000 | £60 |
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Hospital List: Insurers offer different tiers of hospital access. A policy that includes premium central London hospitals like The London Clinic will cost more than one limited to a list of local private hospitals.
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Underwriting Method: This determines how the insurer treats your past medical history.
- Moratorium: You don't declare your medical history upfront. Any condition you've had symptoms, advice, or treatment for in the 5 years before joining is automatically excluded for the first 2 years of the policy.
- Full Medical Underwriting (FMU): You complete a detailed health questionnaire. The insurer may place permanent exclusions on specific pre-existing conditions.
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Claims History (No Claims Discount): Similar to car insurance, many PMI policies feature a No Claims Discount (NCD). If you don't claim, your NCD level increases, giving you a larger discount. If you do claim, your NCD level will likely be reduced at renewal, increasing your premium.
Why Did My Premium Increase So Much This Year? An Example
Let's break down a typical renewal increase to see how the different factors combine.
Imagine your premium last year was £1,500 for the year (£125/month).
Here's a potential breakdown for your renewal quote:
| Factor | Impact on Premium | Explanation |
|---|
| Starting Premium | £1,500 | Your premium from the previous year. |
| Age Increase | +£75 (5%) | You are one year older, moving you into a higher risk bracket. |
| Medical Inflation | +£135 (9%) | The insurer's adjustment for rising healthcare costs. |
| Claim Impact | +£225 (15%) | You made a claim, so your No Claims Discount was reduced. |
| New Annual Premium | £1,935 | An overall increase of 29% (£161.25/month). |
As you can see, a combination of your personal circumstances (ageing, claiming) and market-wide forces (medical inflation) can lead to a substantial, and often surprising, increase.
Strategies to Manage and Reduce Your PMI Premiums
A rising premium doesn't mean you have to abandon private healthcare. With the right strategy, you can keep your cover affordable.
- Review Your Policy Annually: This is the single most important action you can take. Don't just accept your insurer's auto-renewal quote. The market is competitive, and another provider may offer similar or better cover for less. Using an independent broker like WeCovr makes this process simple and ensures you get an unbiased view of all your options.
- Increase Your Excess: If you are comfortable paying a bit more in the event of a claim (e.g., £500 instead of £250), you can achieve a meaningful reduction in your monthly premium.
- Opt for a '6-Week Wait' Option: This is a clever compromise. With this option, if the NHS can provide the necessary in-patient treatment within six weeks of it being recommended, you will use the NHS. If the waiting list is longer than six weeks, your private policy kicks in. This can reduce premiums by up to 30%.
- Refine Your Hospital List: Do you really need access to every private hospital in the country, including the most expensive ones in London? Choosing a more limited list that still provides excellent options near your home and work can save you money.
- Protect Your No Claims Discount: For smaller costs, such as a single physiotherapy session or a one-off consultation, it can sometimes be cheaper to pay for it yourself rather than making a claim that could significantly increase your premium for years to come.
- Embrace Wellness Programmes: Insurers like Vitality and Aviva actively reward healthy behaviour. By tracking your activity, getting health checks, and eating well, you can earn points that translate into direct premium discounts, cinema tickets, or coffee vouchers. As a WeCovr client, you also get complimentary access to our AI-powered nutrition app, CalorieHero, to help you on your wellness journey.
The Uninsurable: Pre-existing and Chronic Conditions
It is a fundamental principle of the UK private medical insurance market that it is designed to cover acute conditions that arise after you take out a policy.
- An Acute Condition is a disease, illness, or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and lead to a full recovery. Examples include cataracts, joint replacements, hernias, and most cancers.
- A Chronic Condition is a disease, illness, or injury that has one or more of the following characteristics: it needs ongoing or long-term monitoring, it has no known cure, it is likely to recur, or it requires palliative care. Examples include diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, and Crohn's disease.
Standard private health insurance in the UK does not cover the management of chronic conditions or any pre-existing conditions you had before the policy began. This rule allows insurers to manage risk and keep premiums affordable for the member pool.
The Value of PMI in the Current UK Health Landscape
Despite the rising costs, the demand for private medical insurance UK remains strong. The primary reason is the ongoing pressure on the National Health Service.
As of mid-2025, NHS England continues to report referral-to-treatment waiting lists involving over 7.5 million treatment pathways. For many, the prospect of waiting 18 months or more for a hip replacement or several months for a diagnostic scan is untenable.
PMI offers a solution by providing:
- Speed of Access: Get a diagnosis and start treatment in a matter of weeks, not months or years.
- Choice and Control: Choose your surgeon, your hospital, and a time for treatment that suits your life.
- Comfort and Privacy: Recover in a private room with an en-suite bathroom, more flexible visiting hours, and better food menus.
- Access to Specialist Care: Gain access to the latest licensed cancer drugs and treatments, some of which may not yet be approved for widespread use on the NHS due to cost.
For many, these benefits provide invaluable peace of mind and are well worth the investment.
How WeCovr Can Help You Navigate Premium Inflation
Facing a steep renewal increase can be daunting, but you don't have to navigate it alone. WeCovr is a specialist PMI broker dedicated to helping you find the right cover at the best price.
- Independent, Expert Advice: As an independent broker authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), we work for you, not the insurers. Our advice is impartial and focused entirely on your needs.
- Whole-of-Market Comparison: We have access to policies from all the leading UK private health cover providers, including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, and The Exeter. We'll compare the details for you, saving you hours of research.
- No Cost to You: Our expert advice and comparison service is completely free for you to use. We are paid a commission by the insurer you choose, which is already built into the premium, so you don't pay a penny more.
- Exclusive Client Benefits: When you arrange your PMI or life insurance through us, you'll receive complimentary access to our CalorieHero AI app and may be eligible for discounts on other types of insurance you need.
- Annual Review Service: We don't just find your first policy; we're here for the long run. Each year at renewal, we'll proactively help you review your cover and re-broke the market to ensure you're always on the best possible deal.
Why did my health insurance premium go up even though I didn't make a claim?
Even if you don't claim, your premium will almost certainly increase at renewal for two main reasons. Firstly, you are one year older, and age is a primary risk factor in premium calculation. Secondly, all premiums are adjusted upwards to account for medical inflation – the rising cost of treatments, drugs, and medical technology – which typically runs much higher than general inflation.
Can I switch private health insurance providers if I have developed a medical condition?
Yes, it is often possible to switch insurers while keeping your cover for existing conditions. This is done using a specific type of underwriting called Continued Personal Medical Exclusions (CPME). A broker's advice is crucial here, as they can ensure the switch is managed correctly so that you don't lose cover for conditions that developed while you were with your previous insurer.
Is it cheaper to buy PMI directly from an insurer or through a broker like WeCovr?
It is not more expensive to use a broker. Brokers like WeCovr often have access to the same or even better rates than going direct. The key benefit is that our service is free to you, and we provide invaluable expert advice, comparing the entire market to find the policy that truly fits your needs and budget, rather than you having to do the research yourself.
Does UK private health insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Generally, no. Standard UK private health insurance is designed to cover new, acute medical conditions that arise after your policy starts. It does not cover chronic conditions (like diabetes or asthma) or pre-existing conditions for which you have had symptoms, treatment, or advice in the years before you joined. This is a fundamental principle that helps keep cover affordable.
Take Control of Your Health Insurance Costs
Feeling concerned about your renewal premium? Don't just accept the increase. Let WeCovr's experts conduct a free, no-obligation market review to find you the right cover at the best possible price.
Get your personalised quote today and see how much you could save.