Private medical insurance is seen as an increasingly important cover by many people, as concerns about the efficiency and safety of the NHS continue to escalate. Recent media scare stories about the MRSA bug in NHS hospitals, for example, add to the general feeling of anxiety and UK medical insurance is seen as a solution to them.

And it’s true to say that with private medical insurance UK these fears are to some extent allayed, as the cover allows you to claim for private treatment for curable, short-term medical conditions.

Generally, private medical insurance UK will cover the cost of consultations with specialists, surgery, a bed, and nursing bills in a private hospital, or a private ward of an NHS hospital.

However, it is important to note the exclusions to these policies as private medical insurance is not always cheap. You will not be covered, for example, for the treatment of incurable, long-term conditions such as asthma, multiple sclerosis, or any pre-existing medical conditions of this type. Other exclusions include treatment for alcoholism or drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, infertility and normal pregnancy.

The costs of the medical health insurance depend entirely on the sort of plan you choose and whether or not you have other family members on the policy.

Bear in mind too that if you want treatment in the top private hospitals, or the London teaching hospitals, the cost will increase. Policies generally come in three classes, and that depends on your choice of hospital. Ways of keeping premium costs down, and getting cheaper private medical insurance, include paying a larger portion of any claim or by agreeing to attend a limited range of hospitals should you require treatment.

It is also vital that you are scrupulously honest about your previous medical history if the insurer wants to know this as a precondition to signing you up. Failure to disclose anything may lead to your private medical insurance provider refusing to pay out in the event of a claim.