Recently the number of health insurance companies providing private medical insurance has increased dramatically, as has the range of cover and plans available. Private health insurance is often advertised in newspapers and doorstep flyers and the choice can often be overwhelming.

Questions to ask when buying health insurance

When choosing a health insurance policy, it is important to remember that no private medical insurance policy covers the cost of every possible type of private health treatment.
Before you buy into a medical insurance policy, you need to be very clear about what you are buying and especially what the policy will not cover you for.

You should find out the answers to these questions:

• Does the policy cover you for all the illnesses and/or types of treatment that you think you might need?
• If you have a pre-existing condition, after what length of time will the policy cover you?
• Are you happy with the choice of hospitals?
• Will you have to wait for a certain period of time before the policy pays out for treatment?
• Is there an overall limit on the amount the policy will pay out?
• Are there individual limits on certain types of treatment?
• Are you limited to a certain number of days’ treatment per year?
• Will the policy meet the costs of treatment directly, or will you have to pay initially before claiming the money back?
• Will you have to pay anything towards your claim in the form of an excess?
• What discounts are available?
• Can your partner and/or children get health insurance cover?
• If you want to be able to stay overnight while a member of your family is in hospital, does the policy cover the costs?

Read the health insurance buyers guide produced by the Association of British Insurers

What you will need to provide for a health insurance quote

Some insurers require you to have a medical examination or fill in a detailed questionnaire about your medical history before they will agree to insure you.
However, most do not. Instead, you are likely to be insured on a moratorium basis and asked to sign a declaration like the one below:

An typical example of a health insurance declaration as found on a proposal form on online acceptance form.

I understand that the Policy excludes the costs of any investigation and/or treatment of any medical condition for which I or any of my insured dependants underwent treatment, sought medical advice, were aware existed or were aware of the symptoms thereof existing within the five-year period prior to the Policy inception date.
I also understand that following two years’ continuous cover, I and my insured dependants will be eligible for any benefit for any such pre-existing medical condition, provided the condition is not chronic or long-term and that a two-year period has expired without consulting a medical practitioner for treatment, medication or advice for the medical condition.