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Health Insurance, or often referred to as private health insurance, is insurance that covers the costs of private health treatments for acute conditions that start after your policy begins. Additionally, it means you do not have to use public health services like the NHS for treatments or appointments. There is a range of health insurance policies available, each one with different levels of coverage, each designed to meet the needs of each individual.
When you think you have a health problem, usually you would visit your GP to see if they can diagnose the issue. If you let them know that you have private cover, they can refer you to a specialist if needed. With health insurance, you might be offered the choice of choosing private hospitals or specialists that are not available by the NHS.
Following this, you will need to speak to your insurer to say you want to make a claim. They will then confirm whether or not the treatment needed is covered by your current policy. For treatments that are covered, your insurer will then approve the claim, allowing your GP to book the appointment, whilst the cost is sorted by your insurance provider.
Know The Ways To Get The Best Deal
It can be overwhelming looking for the best insurance policy. With what seems like endless options to choose from, it can be easy to get confused and lost in the choices available. If you take a look here, Switch Health can provide you with some of the best health insurance quotes available on the market today, including ones that are not available anywhere else. This means that even if you spend hours searching through comparison sites and reading the policies of insurance companies, there will be some hidden policies that you could be missing out on. In particular, ones that would suit your needs and requirements perfectly.
The Benefits Of Health Insurance
It might sound like an unnecessary investment, especially as there is access to free healthcare through the NHS. However, many benefits can come from investing in health insurance, some of which you might know and ones you may not have been familiar with.
- Reduced Waiting Times– The most popular reason why people invest in health insurance is NHS waiting times. Having health insurance means that you are likely to have appointments and receive treatments far quicker than you would on the NHS.
- Choices Available– With health insurance, you can choose a time and place that is best suited for you and your schedule. Often with NHS appointments, you will have limited choice on when and where to go for treatments, meaning that you will have to either re-arrange your schedule to attend the appointment or reschedule till a date more suited for you is available. In addition to a choice of time and place, you may also be able to choose who provides your treatment. Being a health insurance policyholder, you will be able to request a particular specialist or consultant. Assuming that they are available at the desired time and date, then they will perform your treatment.
- Private Rooms– During hospital stays, one of the downsides is the lack of privacy. Often you are in a ward with other patients, where you can be disturbed by them or their visitors. One of the biggest benefits of health insurance is the access you have to private healthcare and hospitals in the UK. Following your treatment, you will be able to rest and recover in a private room, without the worry of any intrusions or disrupted sleep. In addition to this, health insurance also offers you the option to stay in a private hospital or access a private patient unit with an NHS trust.
- Virtual Services – If you are someone who still feels a little apprehensive about being in public spaces, especially somewhere like a waiting room, the option of virtual appointments will be appealing. Many health insurance providers, even some of the ones with the lowest costs, will provide policyholders with the option of using a virtual GP service. This means that you will be able to speak with a GP over the phone or during a video call, often 24/7. Having this option can be a great benefit, especially during uncertain times such as these.
- Specialist Treatment – Unfortunately, not all treatments and medicines are available on the NHS. Often they are too expensive, other times it is because they have yet to be approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Being a health insurance policyholder, this is not an issue as you will be able to access some of these treatments – if your specialist has approved them as being an appropriate treatment for you and your condition. This means that you will have more treatment options to choose from, as well as medicines not currently available on the NHS.
Depending on your situation and your lifestyle, you may find that health insurance is perfect for you, especially if you seek medical help frequently. The benefits alone are enough reason for some to switch to health insurance, especially if they live a hectic lifestyle or prefer a bit of privacy if they were to stay at a hospital.
