Private medical insurance

Making a claim

Before a claim, check with your insurer to see if you’re covered for the particular treatment. Sometimes written evidence by your insurer, confirming that the particular expense is covered might come in handy. Costs with regard to surgery such as consultant’s fees, anesthetist’s fees, private beds and expenses incurred after the surgery could result in heavy burdens, so it’s better to confirm beforehand as to whether you’re covered or not.

Private Medical Insurance (PMI) is where an insurance policyholder can retrieve his or her expenses incurred on medical bills over a period of time. 

• The scale of the plan – whether to go for minimal benefits with low cost or a comprehensive plan with full benefits.
• Which hospitals are covered from the plan
• The treatments that are covered under the plan
• Treatments that are not covered under the plan
• Whether policy supports in-patients or out-patients
• Is there a limit for the claims to be made
• Can the family of the policyholder also be covered?
• What is the amount of the payments to be made

You should bear in mind that although cost could be an important fact when considering a PMI, but this should not be your sole concern.  Being overly concerned about costs could lead you to find yourself in a situation where you may not be covered for certain claims in a time of need.

What does the PMI plan include?

Aside the general treatments, you can also anticipate privately provided in times of special medical needs such as cancer, circulatory diseases and digestive problems as these are some of the most common reasons why a policyholder can be hospitalized. 

PMI providers believe in the concept of “prevention is better than cure” and therefore are quite concerned about the policyholder’s present healthcare.  These PMI services also include a helpful hotline where helpful and qualified staff is available to answer any of your questions and queries. 

You can receive a wide range of other healthcare services such as annual eye tests, health screens, provision of spectacles, routine dentistry, complementary medicine such as homeopathy and private maternity provision. It is advised to check the exact services offered by your PMI provider before you make any final decisions about the cover. 

Private Medical Insurance benefits

• There is no need to wait a long period for NHS lists
• Receive treatment in a private hospital
• Convenience of choosing the date to receive treatment
• Benefit of choosing the consultant
• Convenience and comfortableness

Low-cost plans

These plans tend to be preferred by many, simply for the low financial burden however you need to realize that the benefits received too will be low.  Such low-cost plans most of the time do not include out-patient consultations and there also may be limits in the number of hospitals that are covered.  Also, some of the pay for claims only if NHS has a waiting list over a particular period of time. 

Information needed by PMI providers

You need to remember to fill all the criteria when filling out a PMI application.  Make sure that all the relevant information is disclosed.  While pre-existing conditions may be excluded, your state of health will be confirmed by contacting your GP.  Therefore the importance of disclosing all the information on pre-existing conditions is very high.