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    Health Insurance policies give the ultimate reassurance that should any of your family become unwell, you have access to the best possible treatment and medicines with the minimum delay. No one wants to think about the prospect of a family member being seriously unwell, but if they were, you would want to be able to offer them the best treatment and care - without the wait. 

    As with an individual health insurance policy, there are many different options of insurers and policies to consider. Due to the nature of the additional circumstances and needs of different members of the family, comparing family policies can become even more complex. 

    Here at Usay Compare our advisers are on the end of the phone to offer free expert advice, compare policies and find you the best price policies available for you.  

    Get a free quote

     

     

    What Is Family Health Insurance? 

    Family Health Insurance is an insurance policy which covers the cost of private medical care, should any of your family ever require it. It provides the peace of mind that potentially expensive private treatments and care would be covered by the insurance policy. Private medical treatment means access to the very best treatments, hospitals and consultants, with the minimal waiting times and in superior comfort. 

    What Does It Cover? 

    All Health Insurance policies are intended for covering acute conditions. These are things that are treatable and can be recovered from, such as cancer or a joint replacement. Usually most policies include the following within their core cover: 

    • Inpatient and day patient treatments  
    • Some outpatient cover (this is variable depending upon your choices) 
    • Cancer cover 
    • Digital and/or telephone-based GP and health support 

    Benefits Specific to Families 

    There are some benefits to Health Insurance policies which are specific to families and worth comparing:  

    Benefit Details
    Newborn Cash Benefit Some insurers will pay a one-off cash benefit on the birth (or adoption) of a child. Usually you would need to be covered for a limited period before the baby is born to receive the benefit. 
    Parent Accommodation Some policies will cover the cost of accommodation for you to stay near your child whilst they are receiving eligible inpatient treatment in a hospital included in your plan. 
    Corrective Ear Surgery Most insurers will offer procedures to correct prominent ears up to a certain age.
    Laser Treatment  Most insurers will cover procedures to remove or improve the appearance of birthmarks such as ‘port wine stain’ on the child’s face. 
    Speech Therapy A set number of sessions are usually available with a speech therapist, when there is a delay in the child’s development. 

     

     

    Digital GPs 

    Digital GPs aren’t specific to family Health Insurance – but they are worth mentioning as one of the most valued benefits for parents. They can put your mind at rest for those occasions you are concerned about your family’s health, but attending a doctor’s surgery in person isn’t practical. Digital GPs offer prompt and convenient access to medical advice, some even have 24 hour access from anywhere in the world. Many of the providers offer same day appointments which can be incredibly reassuring. They can usually provide advice as they would in person, as well as providing prescriptions and referrals if necessary.  

    Cancer Cover 

    Cancer cover is usually included within the core cover of all policies. It is one of the most valuable benefits of Health Insurance policies; according to Macmillan’s latest research, cancer is the disease we fear the most in the UK. Health Insurance allows you the peace of mind that should one of your family be affected by the disease you can have access to breakthrough cancer treatments and superior comfort and choice throughout treatment. It is important to compare cancer cover between policies as what is included within the core cover can vary. However, most policies will include the following within the core cover: 

    • radiotherapy 
    • chemotherapy  
    • surgery  
    • consultants’ fees  
    • out-patient treatment 
    • home nursing  
    • cash benefits if treated by the NHS 

     

    Optional Extras 

    In addition to the core cover, family health insurance usually offers several optional extras - to enhance the cover to suit you, at additional cost. They usually include the following:  

    • Extended outpatient cover
    • Dental and Optical cover
    • Mental health cover
    • Travel cover
    • Therapies cover (such as physiotherapy, osteopathy and chiropractic)

    What Does It Not Cover? 

    Health Insurance is not intended for covering emergencies or chronic conditions. Chronic conditions are long term illnesses which you won’t recover from, such as asthma or arthritis. Typical things which are not regularly covered by a health insurance policy are: 

    • Pre-existing conditions
    • Treatment for Alcoholism or Substance addiction
    • Chronic/long-term conditions
    • Cosmetic surgery
    • Gender reassignment
    • HIV/AIDS
    • Pregnancy and childbirth

    If You Have Family Health Insurance, Can You Still Access the NHS? 

    Absolutely. Health Insurance works in conjunction with the NHS to complement it and maximise your health care. As a nation we are lucky to benefit from a publicly funded health service, giving everyone access to treatment at little to no cost. However, the NHS is under increasing pressure and many people now face long waiting lists and delayed or cancelled treatments.  

    Access to private medical care means you can avoid the long waiting lists for treatment, in fact you are likely to be seen within a week or so. Health Insurance offers you and your family access to a choice of hospitals and treatment times that suit you, with overnight stays normally in a private, en-suite room. Some policies will provide allowance for parents to stay in nearby accommodation as well if necessary. More about how the NHS and health insurance complement each other.

    Definition of Dependent Child for Family Health Insurance 

    The age at which a child is defined as a dependent on your family Health Insurance policy can vary between insurers. Some will class any child still living at home as a dependent, whereas others will have a maximum age, often 21 years. Some policies will allow children up to 24 to be covered as a dependent if they are still in full time education. It is important to consider the terms and conditions regarding this – as it could have a considerable impact on overall value.   

    Most policies allow newborn babies to be added to the policy straight away from their date of birth. Usually they are not required to be medically underwritten.  

    How Much Is Family Health Insurance? 

    Policy prices vary depending on some key factors – these fit into two categories:  

    1. Circumstances (your postcode, ages and current health)
    2. Level of cover (the optional benefits you choose - for example level of outpatient cover) 

    These variables mean premiums can vary, but for a quick, no obligation quote, you can fill in the form below.  

    Health Insurance Guides

    Below are our in-depth guides to help you decipher the various Health Insurances available and learn more about how they work. Don't forget our advisers are always at the end of the phone to offer free, expert advice should you prefer to speak to someone in person.

    Compare Other UK Health Insurance Providers

    For more expert advice on the top UK Health Insurance companies, click below.

    Vitality offer a £100 cash benefit on the birth (or adoption) of a child. They include parent accommodation cover to stay with the child while they are receiving eligible treatment. They also include pregnancy complications in their core cover for things like miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
    Find out more

    AXA offer free cover for new-borns and enhanced family and children’s health insurance (available until the next plan renewal and cover limitations may apply). Support from qualified midwifes with Health at Hand before or after your baby is born.
    Find out more

    Freedom offer a maternity cash benefit of £150 per child. They offer accommodation for a parent accompanying a child under 18 years of age and they cover pregnancy complications miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and emergency C-section.
    Find out more

    The Exeter are one of the largest friendly societies in the UK with over 90,000 members and more than 100 employees. Their headquarters is in the city of Exeter.
    Find out more

    Bupa will pay for each night a parent needs to stay in hospital with their child - if the child is covered under the health insurance policy and is under 16 years of age.
    Find out more

    AVIVA PLC is the largest general insurer in the UK and a multinational insurance company with about 33 million customers across 16 countries.
    Find out more

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