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Health Insurance with Chronic Conditions
Our advisers can help you understand the underwriting terms an insurer offers. Acceptance and cover for an existing condition are not guaranteed.
Talk to an adviser →Can you get private medical insurance with chronic conditions? Yes, but it can be more complicated.
We help you compare policies from our panel and understand how a chronic condition affects your options. Being eligible to buy private medical insurance does not mean that ongoing care for an existing condition will be covered. Standard UK PMI generally excludes ongoing management of chronic conditions.
Getting insured is possible even with a pre-existing condition, but it may involve exclusions, or waiting periods. Just get in touch with our team, and we’ll show you personalised quotes from top UK insurers. Many insurers have plans that may be suitable for people living with pre existing conditions, although these plans often come with specific terms and conditions.
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Can I Get Health Insurance With a Chronic Condition?
Yes, you can get private health insurance in the UK even if you have a pre existing condition like diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis. While some insurers may deny or limit coverage for your pre-existing illness, there are plans and underwriting options that may be more forgiving than others.
Many top UK health insurers offer plans that may be suitable for people with diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and other pre-existing medical issues, though these plans often have specific terms and conditions.
PMI is not a replacement for ongoing NHS management of a chronic condition. A policy may cover eligible new, acute conditions, subject to underwriting, benefit limits and exclusions.
Request a free review to understand which acute-treatment benefits may be suitable and what chronic-condition care remains outside the policy.
What Are Considered Chronic Medical Conditions?
A chronic condition is any long-term illness requiring ongoing treatment and management, such as:
Diabetes
Heart disease
Arthritis
Asthma
Crohn’s disease
Understanding the difference between chronic and acute conditions is key. Insurers may cover treatments for flare-ups or sudden symptoms of chronic illnesses, but they often exclude routine medications or therapies for managing incurable, long-term conditions.
We can help you compare eligible acute-treatment benefits and understand what remains excluded. Standard PMI generally does not fund ongoing chronic care.
If your current plan falls short for your chronic condition, request a quote now. Compare tailored personal and family plans. Our experts help every step.
What Aspects of Chronic Conditions Are Covered?
Having a chronic illness like diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease doesn’t mean you’ll be denied all private health insurance coverage in the UK. Insurers could cover:
Treatment for sudden symptom flare-ups.
Procedures and surgeries related to your condition.
Diagnostic tests for assessing acute changes to your illness.
Some policies may cover eligible acute treatment associated with a chronic condition, but this is not automatic. Emergency care and ongoing management are generally outside standard PMI. Ask the insurer to confirm the proposed treatment is covered before arranging it.
Emergency treatment is generally outside standard UK PMI. An acute episode related to a chronic condition is not automatically covered: check the policy definition, underwriting and insurer authorisation.
Joint surgery to repair arthritis damage.
However, most policies exclude coverage for regular, ongoing treatment and management of chronic conditions. This means you may have to pay out-of-pocket for things like:
Daily medications.
Routine injections or therapy.
Drugs for long-term maintenance.
An adviser can help distinguish ongoing chronic care, which is generally excluded, from any eligible acute treatment. Cover depends on the policy and the insurer’s written confirmation.
Request your free, no-obligation quote now. Our experts will help you compare policies and get the most comprehensive coverage possible for your condition and budget.
What Types of Insurance Can People With Existing Medical Conditions Get?
Reviewing your policy may identify suitable options, but switching does not guarantee cover for an ongoing condition. Compare benefits, exclusions and underwriting as well as price, and secure written terms before changing cover.
Types of Chronic Illness-Friendly Plans:
Medical History Disregarded underwriting may avoid individual medical-history exclusions where a group scheme qualifies. It does not remove general policy exclusions, including restrictions on chronic care. Availability and eligibility depend on the insurer and scheme.
Health cash plans typically reimburse specified eligible expenses up to stated limits. They are different from PMI and do not provide unlimited chronic-condition treatment.
Compare eligible acute-treatment benefits alongside your ongoing NHS care. Do not assume a new policy will fund existing or chronic conditions.
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Start A QuoteHow to Switch Health Policy With a Chronic Condition
Reviewing your policy may identify suitable options, but switching does not guarantee cover for an ongoing condition. Compare benefits, exclusions and underwriting as well as price, and secure written terms before changing cover.
Here are a few key things to look out for when switching with a pre-existing condition like diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease:
Understand if there will be any lapses in your coverage during the transition.
Check if your new policy covers ongoing treatment from your current doctors/specialists.
Review and compare additional benefits for things like diagnostics, hospital access, specialist fees.
Our experts have years of experience guiding people through switching to private health insurance while managing a chronic illness.
Don’t put your health on hold any longer. In just a few minutes, you can request free quotes from top UK insurers and book a consultation with one of our advisers right away.
Our specialists will review the policy details with you so you can upgrade to the right underwriting and benefits for your condition. Get the private, quality care you deserve!
Take the Next Step
Our advisers can explain where PMI may complement NHS care. We cannot promise that a policy will cover management of an existing chronic condition.
The first step is simple – request your free quote now. Just answer a few basic questions about your needs.
We’ll instantly show you personalised policy comparisons from top UK insurers tailored to your chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis. Our experts will review each option so you can select the best underwriting, benefits, and price.
Reduce the risk of denied claims and out-of-pocket costs by finding quality, affordable private care tailored to your needs.
Request a personalised review of policies from our panel. We will explain eligible benefits, limits and exclusions relevant to your circumstances.
Call us now for a tailor made quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get Answers to Common Queries About Health Insurance Coverage
Does Bupa cover pre existing conditions?
Bupa like all insurers have specific terms for taking membership. They also provide various underwriting methods to get you on cover, every case is indivdual though, so the specific coverage details will depend on the plan you select and the underwriting approach used for your particular condition. Best to get some advice.
Does AXA cover pre-existing conditions?
AXA policy terms and underwriting must be checked for the particular scheme. Moratorium underwriting does not automatically cover a condition after two years. The insurer’s look-back period and required continuous period without symptoms, treatment, medication or advice must be satisfied, and general policy exclusions still apply. Obtain confirmation for the treatment you need.
Can I get private healthcare for an existing condition?
Yes, it is possible to get private healthcare and medical insurance that covers certain pre-existing and conditions in the UK, but it’s generally more complicated to navigate. Many top insurers offer plans for people with pre existing conditions, providing you can meet criteria they will set out at application. The specific terms and coverage will depend on the underwriting approach. Best to get advice.
How far back do pre-existing conditions go?
For health insurance purposes, pre-existing conditions typically refer to any medical issues you had symptoms, treatment, or advice for in the 5 years prior to your policy start date. However, insurers also consider conditions that existed at or prior to birth as pre-existing.
Do any health insurers cover pre-existing conditions?
Moratorium underwriting does not automatically cover a condition after two years. The insurer’s look-back period and required continuous period without symptoms, treatment, medication or advice must be satisfied, and general policy exclusions still apply. Obtain confirmation for the treatment you need.
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