Exeter Friendly Society - Choosing the right private health insurance cover

Choosing the right cover

When looking at cover it is useful to know that treatment is categorised in the following way:

In-patient treatment which, for medical reasons, means you have to stay in hospital overnight or for longer.
Day-patient treatment: treatment which, for medical reasons, means you have to go into hospital or a Day-patient unit for a period of clinically-supervised recovery but do not stay overnight.
Out-patient consultations and diagnostic tests: visits to a specialist and tests such as x-rays, blood tests, scans etc.
Hospital charges: the cost of private medical care such as accommodation, theatre fees, drugs and dressings and tests as an In-patient.

There are a large variety of schemes available - from low cost schemes, offering limited cover, to those which offer wide-ranging benefits or cover in multiple countries.

It is also adviseable to check that the plan you choose is designed to offer cover in your chosen country/countries of residence, as needs and regulations may differ.

What your policy does not cover

Private medical insurance is not designed to cover treatment for incurable long-term illness or injury (known as chronic conditions) or for pre-existing conditions.

Instead cover is provided for the diagnosis of new conditions and planned admissions into hospital, to offer private healthcare to get you back to yourself again as quickly as possible.