Private mental health cover can be a crucial benefit of your health insurance policy. UK leading insurers such as Bupa, AXA, Aviva and Vitality offer different mental health cover options.

This could mean avoiding long waiting lists and quickly accessing the best specialist treatment from the best medical professionals.

We’re exploring the top benefits you can get with health insurance for mental health support.

Why choose private mental health cover?

There are many benefits of having private mental health cover, which include:

Quick access to services

Private mental health cover can mean gaining quick access to GPs and medical professionals for initial assessments and treatment, such as counselling or psychiatrist sessions.

 Early support can help to reduce the risk of your condition worsening. It can also offer peace of mind that if you were to need mental health treatment that access would be quicker than using the NHS services.

More people in the UK are turning to private health insurance to ensure they are gaining quicker access to appointments and quality care. It's thought that 14% of UK adults have a health insurance policy.

Health insurance with mental health cover provides you with quicker access to therapy and appointments with GPs. The NHS provides mental health support and key areas include talking therapies, however, you could be waiting 18 weeks or longer for an appointment.

This makes private mental health cover an important consideration when taking out a policy, and it's worth considering your options and what's important to you. 

Flexibility

Private mental health care can provide more flexibility not only around your schedule and availability, but also around what support you require.

The leading UK health insurers will typically offer access to private psychiatrists of your choosing in your local area. You'll have much more flexibility and choice surrounding where you want to be treated and which provider you choose. 

This can help you be much more flexible in your day to day life, and have appointments that are suited around your lifestyle. 

Extended treatment

The NHS provides treatment that will take place over a set period of time. For example, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), will generally consist of between 6 and 20 sessions with a therapist.

You wouldn't necessarily have the same limit with private mental health care. Instead, there is the option to pursue more intensive support, with treatment lasting longer too if needed. You can benefit from peace of mind that treatment is tailored around you and your specific needs. 

Specialist treatment

Access to therapy, treatment, and support with mental health cover is extensive and extends to both inpatient and day-patient treatment.

Also, treatment that may not be available on the NHS will often be an option with insurers such as specialist therapy and attending private hospitals with state-of-the-art facilities.

Additional Resources

There are many mental health support services that do come as standard with most health insurance policies. Whilst these aren't quite as comprehensive, they can be a useful option when you need extra support or someone to talk to quickly. They can also help with managing our mental health overall. 

This can include:

• 24/7 phone helplines
• Video consultations
• Treatment from a mental health specialist without a GP referral
• Talking therapy sessions like CBT and counselling, without GP referral

What do UK leading health insurers offer?

UK health insurers have extensive offerings for mental health cover.

Insurers often provide access to a plethora of resources such as articles, blogs, and tips; and that is before you’ve even become a member. So just imagine the support available when you do become a member. 

We're exploring mental health cover with three of the top insurers that Usay Compare are partnered with and compare policies for.

We will outline the key offerings for AXA, Aviva and Bupa.

AXA Mental Health Cover

AXA sit as one of the UK's top insurers and are well known for offering private health insurance that is extensive and of great quality.

The optional add-on of mental health cover is available with AXA which covers both in-patient and day-patient mental health treatment. Mental health cover with AXA also provides:

• Psychiatric treatment
• Accommodation for psychiatric treatment
• Treatment including diagnostic tests and drugs
• Treatment is covered for either at a hospital or day-patient unit in one of AXA's Directory of Hospitals

AXA do not impose a yearly limit on specialist fees for psychiatric treatment.

Support is available around the clock for members with AXA’s 24/7 Health at Hand service which is only a phone call away.

Whenever you have a health question for yourself or for a member of your family you can call the Health at Hand service to get advice and support with:

• Checking your medication with a pharmacist
• Talking to a counsellor about how you’re feeling
• Discussing your symptoms with a nurse

Aviva Mental Health Cover

Aviva are the largest UK insurer with 20.5 million customers and a leader in health insurance policies.

The optional add-on of mental health cover is available with Aviva which covers both in-patient and day-patient mental health treatment if you’re diagnosed with an acute psychiatric condition.

Aviva offer both standard and additional mental health cover for their policies. Mental health treatment that will be covered will extend to:

• Inpatient and day patient accommodation and nursing costs in full up to 28 days

Quick access to GP’s when you need support with your mental health is important and this is available through the Aviva Digital GP app.

This digital GP service will mean you will be able to get a digital appointment 24/7 with an NHS-registered private GP. You’ll have five video consultations for each member every policy year to use.

Aviva also have a Stress Counselling helpline where you can contact and talk to trained counsellors privately about anything that’s been on your mind or is affecting you.

Bupa Mental Health Cover

Bupa are another leading health insurer within the UK.

Bupa differentiate themselves from other insurers as they cover more mental health conditions than any other insurer.

The Bupa By You service covers all conditions apart from dementia, learning, behavioural, and developmental conditions. Bupa By You health insurance also includes mental health cover as standard.

Bupa also offer quick, round-the-clock access to mental health support via their Digital GP app. This digital GP service will mean you will be able to get a digital appointment with a GP, 24/7.

A specialist mental health team is available through Bupa who have the ability to do the following:

• Provide specialist mental health advice
• Transfer you through to a mental health nurse for support
• Direct you to a mental health specialist without the need to see a GP*

Why is mental health cover important?

Mental health is intrinsically linked to our quality of life and we should invest in it as much as we do with our physical health. 

It's good to be aware of your mind, emotions and feelings, finding ways to look after your mental health. 

An astonishing 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England

We have been navigating the ever-present cost of living crisis in the UK amongst NHS strikes and continued long waiting lists throughout recent years.

All of which is sending ripples of uncertainty and concern throughout communities. It is more important than ever to be checking in with yourself, practising self-care, and seeking resources and help to support your mental health and wellbeing.

Mental health conditions are vast and vary for an individual with the most common conditions including anxiety and depression. Professional medical advice and treatment tailored to your needs are not just valuable but are essential. 

How to find private mental health cover

If you are considering private health insurance with mental health cover, you could benefit from using a free advice service like Usay Compare.

We compare policies from the UK's leading insurers and help you to find the best health insurance policy for your needs. You'll understand health insurance and have peace of mind and confidence you know exactly what you're covered for. Learn more about  how can an insurance adviser help you. 

If you're ready to see what options are available to you, fill out the form below or give us a call on 01285 864 670 to get started.

*This will depend on your policy and may not be included as standard.