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Losing your workplace health insurance and not sure where to start?

Usay Compare can help you move onto a personal policy with confidence, keeping the level of cover you need, finding a competitive price, and handling all the paperwork for you.

Whether you’re losing your cover due to retirement, a job change, or a change in benefits, we’ll guide you throughout the whole process. We’ll make sure you don’t miss out on important cover, valuable benefits, or potential savings.

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Your Options When Switching to Individual Health Insurance

An expert health insurance adviser can help you to ensure you get the right policy for your needs, at the right price. You can benefit from:

  • Getting clear, personalised advice and guidance
  • A better understanding of policies and what they include
  • Saving time trawling through multiple policies, all the hard work is done for you
  • Having full confidence in your cover

You have options avalable if your corporate health insurance cover finishes and you want to stay protected.

Option 1: Continue with
the same insurer

Some insurers offer a continuation or “switch” option when leaving a corporate scheme, turning it into an individual policy. This might mean:

  • Being able to keep the same or similar cover
  • Usually being arranged in a set timeframe, such as within 30-120 days
  • Maintain coverage for pre-existing conditions, without the need for new underwriting

Option 2: Take out a
new individual policy

You can choose a new policy based on your needs and budget. This can give you more flexibility and you could benefit from:

  • More control over your cover levels
  • A wider choice of insurers
  • More flexibility over your budget
  • Opportunity to review your needs and what's important to you

 

What to Consider Before Switching to an Individual Health Insurance Policy

There are a number of things worth checking before deciding to switch from a corporate policy to an individual policy.

Medical History  
Your medical history can affect what a new policy covers, as health insurers use it to assess your application. Considering it early helps you understand your options and avoid any surprises or exclusions later on.
Types of Underwriting 
Different types of underwriting can affect what is covered on your policy and when. Understanding the differences helps you choose an option that best fits your situation and avoid unexpected exclusions or waiting periods.
Level of Cover
The level of cover you choose affects what your policy includes, such as the types of treatment, hospital access, and additional benefits. Choosing the right level helps you balance the protection you need with a cost that works for you.
Budget 
Your budget affects the type of cover you can choose, including the level of benefits and protection. Considering it helps you find a policy that feels affordable while still giving you the reassurance you need.
Future Needs 
Your future needs can change over time, so it’s important to choose a policy that can adapt as your circumstances change. Considering this helps you avoid outgrowing your cover or needing to make major changes later on.

 

Common Questions When Leaving a Group Health Insurance Scheme

There may be questions you have around leaving a group health insurance scheme, and you're not alone. Here are some common questions, answered.

Will my pre-existing conditions be covered?

 This depends on the type of policy, the underwriting you choose, and the circumstances surrounding why you are leaving your group scheme.

Is there a deadline to take out new cover?

In many cases, yes, especially if you want to continue with the same insurer. Acting quickly can give you more options. If you choose to change insurers or compare with an intermediary, the sooner you do, you can ensure you stay protected.

Will my cover be more expensive?

Individual policies can differ in cost compared to employer schemes, but comparing your options can help you find a policy that suits your needs and budget. You may find you want more cover and want to be more specific about what is covered when the individual policy is in your own hands.

Can I switch to a new insurer?
Yes, you’re not limited to your employer’s provider once you leave a corporate scheme. You can switch to any insurer that offers a policy suited to your needs and compare options to find the right level of cover for you.
 

What's available in an Individual Health Insurance Policy

What's included in an individual health can vary depending on the insurer and type or level of cover each individual needs. They key elements include:

Core Cover

Optional Extras

This typically includes:

  • Inpatient - hospital accommodation charges, specialist fees, diagnostic tests such as scans, CT, PET or MRI and X-rays.
  • Day patient - cover for when you're admitted to hospital and discharged the same day.
  • Outpatient  - can cover the cost of consultations, diagnostic scans/tests, some minor surgical procedures. You can choose to have a fully comprehensive option which includes out-patient cover in full, remove the cover or limit it.
  • Cancer cover - some insurers offer comprehensive cancer cover.

 

Some common optional extras include:

  • Dental cover - cover for general dental treatments, such as, crowns, fillings, accidental damage and dental emergencies.
  • Optical cover - cover to help pay for the cost of eye tests, glasses or contact lenses.
  • Mental health cover - covers you for the diagnosis and treatment of most mental health issues.
  • Therapies cover - covers the cost of physiotherapy, osteopathy and chiropractic treatment.
  • Travel cover - cover for standard travel insurance features, such as, missed or delayed flights, loss of passport or winter sports.
Find out more about individual health insurance cover in our full guide.

 

 

Why Get Advice When Leaving a Corporate Health Insurance Scheme? 

Leaving a company health insurance scheme can feel uncertain, especially when you’re faced with choosing a policy on your own for the first time. With different insurers, cover options, and underwriting types to consider, it’s not always clear what’s right for you.

Speaking to an expert can make this process much simpler and more straightforward. An adviser can take the time to understand your situation, explain your options in simple terms, and help you make an informed decision based on your needs.

They can also help you compare policies beyond just price, looking at what’s covered, what’s excluded, and how a policy would work in practice, so you feel confident in your choice.

Using an advised service like Usay Compare, means comparing the UK's leading insurers such as: Aviva, AXA, Bupa, Freedom Health Insurance, The Exeter, Vitality and WPA.

Individual Health Insurance Underwriting

When you take out a Health Insurance policy there are various ways the policy can be underwritten. It is important to consider which works best for you.

Full medical underwriting

Full medical underwriting (FMU) requires you to provide your complete medical history – and that of all policyholders – when you take out your policy. The information you provide may mean the insurer excludes certain conditions from cover for the lifetime of the policy.

Moratorium underwriting

Moratorium underwriting doesn’t require you to disclose your medical history at point of sale. However, for the first two years of your policy you won’t be covered for anything you’ve had symptoms, treatment, medication, diagnostic tests or advice on in the five years before your policy start date.

If, after a two-year consecutive period, you meet certain criteria (usually this includes remaining symptom, treatment, medication or advice free from that condition), then it will become eligible for cover.

Moratorium underwriting offers the potential for pre-existing conditions to be covered after a two-year period. Usay Compare can set up a moratorium policy over the phone to provide you with immediate cover.

Continuation of cover

Continuation of cover means when you are already covered and switch to a different policy, your existing personal medical exclusions are carried over. It can be a simple way to switch from a group policy to individual cover without needing to go through underwriting or losing the coverage you already have for existing conditions.

More on underwriting.

Renewing Your Health Insurance Policy

After 12 months, your policy will come up for renewal. You can renew with the same provider, or switch to another insurer. We compare our panel of the UK’s leading insurers to find you the best deal, even if you didn’t take your original policy out with us.

Switching Your Health Insurance Policy

If you already have health insurance, you may be able to switch your policy to a new provider to save money without compromising on cover. Each insurer has its own switch eligibility criteria, which generally include: no claims in the past 12 months, no ongoing symptoms, treatments, or diagnostics, and nothing planned or pending. Some insurers have other criteria, but we can guide you through the switching process.

Switching means any conditions covered by your existing policy may also be covered by your new policy, ensuring continuous cover.

Why Compare Health & Life Insurance with us?

Here at Usay Compare, we can help you to compare prices and cover from the market leading UK health and life insurance companies such as Aviva, AXA and Bupa. Our service is completely free of charge and we are totally independent and impartial.

Our unparalleled team of friendly, expert advisers are on the end of the phone, ready to guide you easily through the whole process. They will get to know your unique individual requirements, do all the hard work comparing prices and policies for you; then advise on the best and most cost-effective quote.

Secure the perfect policy at the best price.

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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 UK Health Insurance Providers

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

VitalityHealth is a UK based company specialising in private medical insurance with over 1 million UK customers. The Vitality brand is well-known for its incentive-based model encouraging healthy living in exchange for rewards.

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AXA Health have been covering people with private policies since before the formation of the NHS. AXA Health headquarters are in Tunbridge Wells, in Kent and they are a part of the global AXA Group.
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Freedom are a family run company, based in Poole, passionate about providing a caring and compassionate service and first class health insurance for their clients.

 
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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.
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Bupa is a household name, synonymous with healthcare and health insurance, with over 31 million customers and around 83,000 employees across the globe.
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AVIVA PLC is the largest general insurer in the UK and a multinational insurance company with about 33 million customers across 16 countries.
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