Health Insurance in the United Kingdom | England - Scotland - Wales - Northern Ireland

Think about your health insurance in the UK! Whether you're an expatriate, student, retiree or traveler, think about your health.

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The UK, with its varied landscapes, iconic cities like London, Edinburgh and Manchester, and rich historical heritage, is a destination of choice. Students benefit from world-renowned universities and a dynamic academic life. Expatriates appreciate the cultural diversity, professional opportunities and efficient public services. Holidaymakers are captivated by historic sites, museums and the beautiful English, Scottish and Welsh countryside. Retirees enjoy a peaceful lifestyle, high-quality health services and an abundance of cultural activities.

For a carefree stay, our UK health insurance offers you comprehensive cover. Study, work, explore or enjoy your retirement in the UK with complete peace of mind. With health insurance cover, you can stay in the UK with complete peace of mind. Whether you’re planning to live in the UK for an extended period as an expatriate, an international student, or simply an occasional traveler, you’ll be able to benefit from cover tailored to your situation. Health cover will help you meet medical and hospital costs, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

Student insurance United Kingdom

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The insurance that covers your stay for your studies in the UK.

From

27€

/ month
  • Worldwide coverage
  • Maximum age: 35
  • Covers emergencies and accidents
  • Covers hospitalization and routine medical care
  • Up to €250,000 per year
  • Standard dental and optical expenses up to €550
  • Contraception coverage + vaccines
  • Maternity care
  • Covers pre-existing conditions
  • Repatriation assistance
  • Civil liability
  • Individual protection
FREE QUOTE

Expatriate insurance United Kingdom

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Health insurance to cover your expatriation to the UK.

From

93€

/ month
  • Worldwide coverage
  • Minimum age: 14
  • Maximum age: 65
  • Covers hospitalization and routine medical care
  • Up to €1,500,000 per year
  • Maternity coverage up to €4,000
  • Coverage of assisted reproduction up to €1,500
  • Covers pre-existing conditions
  • Coverage of pharmaceutical costs up to €370
  • Optional dental and optical care
  • Maternity plus option
  • Prevention and well-being as an option
  • Optional repatriation assistance
  • Optional third-party liability
FREE QUOTE

Travel insurance United Kingdom

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Health insurance to cover your trip to the UK.

From

30€

/ trip
  • Worldwide coverage
  • Maximum age: 85
  • Covers emergencies and accidents
  • Up to €500,000 per trip
  • Covers loss, theft or destruction of baggage
  • Repatriation assistance
  • Travel assistance
  • Civil liability
FREE QUOTE

Any questions? Need some advice?

Information on health insurance in the UK

Health insurance in the UK

Political system: Constitutional Monarchy
Capital: London
Surface area: 244,820 km²
Population: 67 million
Languages spoken: English
Currency: Pound sterling

The UK healthcare system

Firstly, with almost 5% of its working population employed in the healthcare sector, and ranked among the top 10 healthcare systems in the world, the UK’s healthcare system is efficient but complex. There is a non-mandatoryNational Health Service (NHS) to which any legal resident of the country can join. In fact, this universal coverage is generally free of charge, and is largely funded by taxation. In practice, health services are decentralized from England. This means that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are free to organize their health services as they see fit. The UK boasts some excellent public health establishments, such as Guy’s hospital in London and the Lothian hospital in Scotland.

How does the UK healthcare system work?

As an expatriate, you can benefit from the NHS if you are employed in the UK. All you need to do is register. Universal NHS cover is the public health insurance scheme that enables the majority of the population to protect themselves against a proportion of medical costs. It is tax-funded, and is available to all legal residents of the UK who use the public services of the National Health Service, covering part of the cost of :

  • Consultation with a general practitioner or specialist;
  • Hospitalization and rehabilitation;
  • Dental care ;
  • Eye care;
  • Glasses and contact lenses;
  • Prescription drugs;
  • Ambulance costs;
  • Preventive care;
  • Long-term care.

Despite very good management of vital emergencies, most British people face problems accessing other care. Indeed, claims are processed very slowly. What’s more, there are many terms and conditions to be taken into account in order to be covered by the NHS. This is one of the reasons why some people in the UK take out private health insurance to supplement their NHS cover.

How do I consult a GP or specialist in the UK?

First of all, in the UK, you’ll be affiliated to an NHS-approved GP close to where you live. In the UK, GPs fulfil three functions:

  • Firstly, they are the first line you should consult in case of medical need;
  • Secondly, they must provide continuous access to care;
  • Thirdly, they are the only ones who can refer you to specialist doctors on prescription.

You’ll find GPs in private practices where the medical professions of doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists and ophthalmologists are grouped together. The cost of a consultation with a private GP is £80 to £110 (between €93 and €128) for a 15-minute consultation, and up to £440 (around €510) for a 1-hour consultation.

In most cases, you can only consult a specialist if your GP has prescribed it. A standard consultation with a specialist will therefore cost you between £100 and £250 (€115 and €290).

Some examples of average consultation costs in the UK:

  • Functional medicine consultation: £500-£750 (between €580 and €875);
  • Acupuncture (30 minutes): £200 (about €230);
  • Physiotherapist (60 minutes): £100 (approx. €115);
  • Psychotherapist (60 minutes): £190 (about €220) ;

How do I see a dentist in the UK?

You’ll be able to book an appointment with an NHS-registered dentist, which means you’ll benefit from cheaper treatment than at a private dentist. However, you will face extremely long waiting times of up to several years before you get a consultation. On the other hand, if you see an NHS doctor to have stitches removed, if your mouth is bleeding or if your dentures need repairing, you won’t be charged for the treatment. For other dental operations, here are some examples of the prices you will be charged:

  • Emergency dental treatment: £24 (approx. €28)
  • Standard examination, diagnosis with X-ray: £24 (approx. €28)
  • Tooth filling, root canal treatment or extraction: £27 (approx. €31)
  • Crowns, dentures, dental bridges and other laboratory procedures: £282 (approx. €330)

Dental treatment by an NHS dentist is completely free only if:

  • Children under 18
  • Women who are pregnant or have had a baby in the previous year
  • Be treated in an NHS-approved hospital and have your treatment carried out by the hospital dentist (however, any dentures or dental bridges will be at your expense)
  • You receive low-income benefits.

Not all cosmetic dental treatments are included in the NHS.

Why is going to a private dental practice cheaper than going to a public one?

First of all, it’s important to know that private dental practices have real advantages over NHS-registered dental practices. In fact, consulting a private dentist includes virtually non-existent waiting times for appointments, much more developed medical structures leading to a much higher quality of dental care. But also the possibility of obtaining last-minute appointments, a wider choice of dental treatments and dentists recognized for their expertise and the quality of their treatments.

In the public sector, patients have had to wait more than 2 years for a consultation with an NHS dentist. This is because the vast majority of the population has access to treatment, which results in a high volume of patients.

The UK emergency system

In the United Kingdom, there are several telephone numbers you need to know:

  • 999 is the emergency number.
  • le 112 is the emergency number throughout Europe.
  • Le 111 is the NHS contactYou will then be taken to an NHS emergency department by ambulance. You will be put in touch with a service that will ask you what type of emergency you are experiencing and which service (police, fire, ambulance) you wish to contact.

Hospitals in the UK

There are three main types of hospital in the UK:

  • General hospitals : among the general hospitals, you can go to NHS-approved general hospitals, in other words public hospitals. In these hospitals, you will receive free treatment. However, some NHS hospitals also offer private care with access to better facilities within the hospital in order to finance themselves. You can also go to independent hospitals run by private companies or charities offering better-quality care, but with charges that patients have to pay. These hospitals include emergency, maternity and surgical services.
  • Specialized hospitals : these are smaller facilities offering specialized care in a particular area of health, such as pediatrics, psychiatry or orthopedics.
  • Tertiary care hospitals : these offer more specialized but also more expensive care than general hospitals. They are generally located in major cities, not far from medical schools and university hospitals. These hospitals treat patients with rarer diseases, for example.

For example, free services in NHS hospitals include medical treatment for emergencies, infectious diseases, family planning and physical and mental disorders.

To undergo hospitalization, you will need a prescription from your attending physician indicating the need for hospitalization.

Pharmacies in the UK

Firstly, if you are admitted to an NHS-approved hospital, the medicines you need will be free, even if you are not insured. However, you will have to pay a deductible when you collect these medicines. This deductible does not apply to all drugs, however, as certain categories are exempt, such as contraceptives, anti-cancer drugs and drugs to combat sexually transmitted diseases.

Examples of average costs for medical operations in private hospitals in the UK :

  • Removal of wisdom teeth: £1400 – £2200 (between €1,640 and €2,580)
  • Hip replacement: £8200 – £12700 (between €9,610 and €14,900)
  • Knee replacement: £8500 – £13500 (between €9,970 and €15,830)
  • Appendicitis operation: £3500 (approx. €4,100)
  • Maternity with vaginal delivery: £5000 (approx. €5,860)
  • Maternity with Caesarean delivery: £6000 (approx. €7,030)

What vaccinations should I have before moving to the UK?

The vaccinations you’ll need to have before you expatriate to the UK are the standard ones, to ensure your immunization record is complete and up to date. Reminder of recommended vaccines :

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, influenzae b
  • Hepatitis A & B
  • Pneumococcus
  • Meningococcus
  • Measles, mumps, rubella
  • Papillomavirus
  • Flu
  • Zona

Some vaccines need to be administered in several doses, starting at an early age. The cost of the hepatitis B vaccine is £45 (approx. €53), while the average cost of the diphtheria, tetanus and polio vaccine in a private hospital is £35 (approx. €41).

Maternity in the UK

Wondering what it’s like to have a baby in the UK? What is the Birth Plan? Read our article on maternity in the UK.

The average cost of a vaginal delivery in the UK is £5000 (approx. €5,860). A caesarean delivery, on the other hand, costs £6000 (€7,030). Similarly, the price of a blood test is around £50 (about €59). Finally, a pregnancy ultrasound costs around £350 (approx. 410€). So it’s vital to be insured if you want to give birth privately, as the follow-up is much more qualified and will generate much less stress for you.

Is it necessary to take out private international health insurance in the UK?

As an expat in the UK since Brexit, you’ll be able to benefit from the NHS system. This will give you access to free care in the public sector. However, there are many drawbacks to this system, which on the one hand requires you to take out supplementary insurance in addition, and on the other hand has a cost of around £1,000 a year (around €1,170). The healthcare available through the NHS is very limited, particularly in terms of quality and choice of practitioner, and the main drawback of this system is the waiting time for a consultation. Some patients, for example, have had to wait two years for a consultation with an NHS dentist.

Private care is more expensive, but much more accessible: you’ll benefit from last-minute appointments with a wide choice of some of the UK’s most experienced practitioners. What’s more, the quality of care is much better, as private clinics and hospitals benefit from better medical technology and treat more illnesses and infections than public hospitals. Emergency departments in private hospitals are accessible much more quickly than those in public hospitals, where the doctors working there are overwhelmed by the number of patients. We recommend that you take out private health insurance to cover private-sector healthcare costs, so that you can access healthcare as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

What’s more, the NHS only covers you within the UK. This means that if you wish to return to your country of origin or travel, you will no longer be covered at all, and will have to take out additional private insurance.

Which health insurance is right for the UK and for whom?

Whatever your profile, our health insurance plans will suit your plans to expatriate or stay in the UK.

  • If you’re an expatriate employee or contractor heading for the UK, we strongly recommend that you take out private international expatriation insurance, which will cover you better than local insurance in view of your status. With a private international health insurance policy, you’ll benefit from coverage in the UK’s private health sector, as well as international health cover and medical repatriation cover if necessary to another country or your home country.
  • Depending on the plan you choose, our private insurances will cover 100% of your hospitalization costs and up to 90% of your outpatient medical costs. It is imperative that you are covered for outpatient treatment, as NHS-registered doctors only work on weekdays. To see a doctor at the weekend or on a weekday evening, you’ll need to go to a private doctor. The cost of a GP consultation is extremely high – you could be charged up to £100 for a 15-minute consultation – so private health insurance is essential if you want to treat yourself without breaking the bank.

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