Private medical insurance is designed to cover the costs of private medical treatment, for what are commonly known as ‘acute conditions’ that start after your policy begins.

Most insurers define an acute condition as a disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and aims to return you to the state of health you were in immediately before suffering the disease, illness or injury or which leads to your full recovery.

Your insurer can tell you about their cover for this and other conditions, such as cancer and chronic (long-term) conditions.

Why buy Private Medical Insurance?

Most people buy this type of insurance to:-

• be reassured, knowing that treatment is available quickly if they become ill or are injured;
• have a choice about when treatment will take place, the specialist who treats them and the hospital they are referred to; and
• have the privacy of an en-suite room with a TV and other home comforts.

You could wait up to two years for a non-urgent operation under the NHS Scheme and may think of going "private".

Some typical costs of treatment are outlined below, which could prove prohibitive if you do not carry insurance.
 
Under private schemes, you can be operated on within hours or days and have nursing care at home whilst you recuperate.

Additionally, if you carry Income Protection and Private Medical Insurance, your income will be protected for up to a year for a prolonged illness or medical condition which prevents you from working. Critical Illness Insurance would cover you if permanently incapacitated.

How much do operations cost?

Average cost at the time of writing - (source BUPA)

Open Heart Surgery £8-800-£14,175

Hip Replacement £8,200-£10,300

Spinal Operation £4,500

Mastectomy £3,429

Hysterectomy £5,000 - £6,700

Gall Bladder Removal £3,500 - £5,800

Cataract Removal £1,800 - £3,200

Hernia Operation £1,300 - £2,450

Tonsillectomy £1,550 - £2,150

Coronary artery bypass graft £13,650-£17,000

How does Private Medical Insurance work?

Although policies can be different, medical treatment usually has to start with a referral by your GP to an appropriate specialist.

Before you arrange any private treatment, you should call your insurance company to check that you are covered for the treatment. In fact, most insurers need you to do this. Stay in touch with your insurer at each stage of your treatment. Your insurer will confirm if you are covered. Treatments for some illnesses, including pre-existing conditions (conditions from which you are already suffering, or have already had) will not be covered by a private medical insurance policy.

It is also important to remember that private medical insurance is designed to work alongside, not to replace, all the services offered by the NHS. Some services, such as accident and emergency, are not available at most private hospitals.