Who has private medical insurance?

kerrieberry2

kerrieberry2

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as above, I've been thinking about getting it before I back my horse, you know, just in case!

I work with a lady who broke her back 6 yrs ago, she was riding a horse, got chucked off into the side of in indoor school wall but walked away fine, a month or so later slipped down a few stairs at home, then goes her back. she is mid 30s, wont ever ride again, has had numerous operations and has one option left, which they are trying next week, which is an injection straight into her spin or something, whatever it is it sounds nasty! she's in loads of pain constantly, has been told that she will be in a wheel chair by the time she is 40!

So I know she didn't do it directly from riding but being friends with her makes me really aware of how something like this could easily happen and how much better it would be if something did happen, if you could get treatment quicker than you would on the NHS?

so if you have it? who do you have it with? Ive looked at the obvious AXA and Bupa but don't really know what I'm looking for and what is a good price?
 
I'm with pru health, me and hubby have a joint policy with them. Thankfully haven't had to claim yet but it's good to know I will be able to go private if I need to at no huge cost
 
Me and other half have bupa... He's claimed one them before and they were great (my dad also had a knee op wiv them and they were v goof)
 
Both my parents work for the NHS, and neither would go private (they do private work too). I think you're paying for speed of service- the consultants, the radiographers, the physios are all the same.

However, they both know how it all works and how to push for answers and things, and who to speak to, because they are both involved. If you're an outsider looking in, I suppose it's very different.
 
I have it with BUPA and having used it recently for the first time I was impressed with them and how little hassle everything was. I had to go for a scan so booked in with the private hospital, got an appointment within 2 days and didn't pay a penny until the bill came 2 weeks later and I had to pay my excess.

However..... I did have a real problem getting the ball rolling and BUPA couldn't help with this as their policy is not to authorise anything until they have a GP referral letter. So despite having private medical insurance I still had to wait 3 weeks for a doctors appointment and then a further week for them to do a referral letter because my problem had been diagnosed at A&E and they had put on my notes that they referred me back to my GP. Ludicrous!! If A&E had been able to do me a referral letter I would have been able to book the scan straightaway. However once I got the letter BUPA authorised everything immediately over the telephone so I can't fault them.

The other thing was that when I got my bill for the scan it was actually only £80 more than my excess so it did make me wonder if it was worth it financially - probably not in this instance but I guess that won't be the case everytime.
 
Lolo said:
Both my parents work for the NHS, and neither would go private (they do private work too). I think you're paying for speed of service- the consultants, the radiographers, the physios are all the same.

However, they both know how it all works and how to push for answers and things, and who to speak to, because they are both involved. If you're an outsider looking in, I suppose it's very different.
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oh yeh I know you tend to get the same docs looking after you but there is a lot less waiting time and if its something horrible Id rather be seen sooner rather than later! I used to have cover with an old job but my current company don't have that as a benefit, shame!
 
We have a policy with axa. It covers the whole family and worth every penny.
I needed an op, but would have had to wait months on the NHS. I was referred by my GP, had an appointment within the week, and booked in for the op the following week. The hospital was fantastic, the care and speed of service was first class. Had plenty of physio too, after car accident. Never had a bill or excess. My children have used the service too, total peace of mind, as your in seeing a specialist straight away.
 
OH and I have a joint policy with AXA through work. They've always been great when we've had to make a claim and definitely gives us peace of mind when riding or skiing.
 
My parents have BUPA and to be fair my mum has had her fair share of treatment......2 shaved shoulder joints, 2 replacement shoulders, 3 injections directly into hip in operating theatre, 1 replacement hip, 1 removed varicous vein and 1 removed big toe joint (she has bad artheritis) have to say BUPA have paid up without query each time even when she had a new surgeon (wasn't on their register but when they enquired he was one of the leading pioneer shoulder surgeons!) I am also with BUPA through work but haven't had to claim as yet. Can't fault them so far.
 
I am with BUPA. After years of problems with the nhs I thought it was worth a shot. They are very quick and efficient.

The hospital I was in in lovely rooms with private full bathroom and a spare bed. Fantastic food. And the added bonus of visiting times when ever you like.

Personally I think it's without a doubt worth it. I hate the waiting!

Just to add. People BUPA cover, was you aware that if you for what ever reason stay overnight in an nhs hospital they pay you £100 per night?!!!... I was shocked to find this out
 
We've been with BUPA for years. However, when I had my riding accident about 10 years ago, I was in an NHS hospital for the majority of my time as my injuries were considered too serious for admission to a BUPA (or other private) hospital. I eventually got in to a private hospital after around 4 weeks, but they were very reluctant to take me as they're used to dealing with hip replacements, gall bladders etc., and we had a bit of a fight to get me in there. Once I was in, it was just brilliant and my (erstwhile) NHS Consultant, visited me twice a day and they organised all my physio etc.

I was relieved that we did have private cover, but please be aware that serious stuff, they're not very keen on! It could be different if you live in London or in/near a large city. We're in East Anglia so it could be different...?!
 
I have medical insurance with Pruhealth but more importantly I have an Income Protection policy with UNUM which pays 75% of your salary if you are unable to work through sickness or injury. I am very lucky I have this as I had a neck injury from a horse related accident and was given painkillers which I had a near fatal allergic reaction to. Ten years on I have major health issues as a result and haven't worked for four years. If I hadn't got this policy I wouldn't be able to pay my mortgage let alone keep my horses.
I did use the private medical cover to start with but apart from speed I find I get much better care on the NHS than I do privately. I'm not knocking private medical insurance but from my experience I would say income protection is more valuable.
 
We are insured with BUPA. There's no question that having private insurance confers on the policy-holder a fast-track to professional medical care in the UK. For my OH and I, being seen by medical practitioners sooner than later is worth every penny of the cost of private care.
 
I think it depends what you need them for. I've nursed a number of palliative cancer patients who had paid their premiums for years but found that when they proved too costly for on going care, the admission door was shut and they ended up back with the NHS.

For acute, straight forward procedures they are pretty useful but having also worked on a private wing for adult mental health, I'd say the NHs wards offered more complete care and for chronically ill patients they seemed to have a limit of how long they'd pay for treatment.
However, as far as room service went, it was extremely good but if you like a nice supper with a glass of wine go to a hotel for value for money. Many NHS hospitals are happy for you to dine out for supper.
 
LynH said:
I have medical insurance with Pruhealth but more importantly I have an Income Protection policy with UNUM which pays 75% of your salary if you are unable to work through sickness or injury. I am very lucky I have this as I had a neck injury from a horse related accident and was given painkillers which I had a near fatal allergic reaction to. Ten years on I have major health issues as a result and haven't worked for four years. If I hadn't got this policy I wouldn't be able to pay my mortgage let alone keep my horses.
I did use the private medical cover to start with but apart from speed I find I get much better care on the NHS than I do privately. I'm not knocking private medical insurance but from my experience I would say income protection is more valuable.
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I think you're probably right there, especially if self- employed.

I don't have medical insurance (though I could get it at a discount through my employer) but I do have private dental insurance - Denplan - which really is good. Always get seen very quickly and looked after well.
 
I live in North America, I would be a fool not to :) I am sorry I can't help with British companies.
 
I get it with work and am about to use it for an op I very much doubt the NHS would have cared about. The above point about the income protection is also very valid, if I had to have one or the other I'd go with that.
 
mga4ever said:
My parents have BUPA and to be fair my mum has had her fair share of treatment......2 shaved shoulder joints, 2 replacement shoulders, 3 injections directly into hip in operating theatre, 1 replacement hip, 1 removed varicous vein and 1 removed big toe joint (she has bad artheritis) have to say BUPA have paid up without query each time even when she had a new surgeon (wasn't on their register but when they enquired he was one of the leading pioneer shoulder surgeons!) I am also with BUPA through work but haven't had to claim as yet. Can't fault them so far.
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This is my experience with bupa aswell - all four of my family are on bupa and we've never once had any queries about paying out even though my brother is constantly having to go to hospital in an ambulance, stay overnight, see specialists ect. Ect.
They paid with no hesitation for my physio when I broke my foot aswell.
When we move to the UK we're definately keeping our bupa cover and what's even better is that our premiums will go down because we won't need the international cover! :D
 
I had bupa with my last job, and have had for 18 years with all my last jobs, have even claimed once, successfully and with minimum fuss, then last year i tried to get treatment for some fingers that suddenly went numb, bupa wouldnt allow me to use them as they said it was a previous condition, which it wasnt, so ended up using nhs, took just over 6 months to get to see someone, have tests, as a result still having problems and not impressed with bupa, tried every way to get out of using them :(
 
I have Bupa, I got it because when I was self employed I had a kidney stone. The whole episode was a disaster, I ended up with septisemia, the hospital said the scanner was closed for the weeked :eek:in the end I was transferred and had an emergency procedure. to top it off they then lost my notes so I had to wait 6 weeks before I could have the treatment I needed, I had a baby a few weeks old and a tube into my kidney, there was no waiting list just no notes so no treatment. it made me think that if I hadn't had plans in place due to having a young baby then those 6 weeks off work would have been terrible and costly.
I have used bupa twice, it was fast, easy and I had checks that I would have had to wait 6 months for if not. The NHS is great but if I can add to it then great. there was no excess and except for needing a GP referral I have not had to wait, my GP I can get an apt in a couple of days
 
Medical insurance doesn't bother me, I pay my taxes & get my fair use out of the NHS but as has been pointed out income protection & also critical illness cover (usually offered as part of life insurance policies) are what I would consider to be more vital for paying the bills for what happens after you've been sorted/while you're being sorted!
 
I've been with Bupa and now with Aviva cos its cheaper. Both excellent. My mum would've died this year had she not had private health care. NHS hospital sent her home. NHS said she was fine, just needed rest. A week later she was admitted to NHS renal unit by ambulance - thanks to private consultant's insistence. Unfortunately no private renal unit. She had excellent care in renal unit. Local hospital was shocking :(
 
Ours is with PPP it's paid a fortune to fix my leg which I am afraid to say would have been left crippled on the NHS .
it has literally given me the ability to ride again .
They are fab to deal with you can get help and advice quickly to deal with any health issue .
 
I have Aviva health insurance and its great. Not using it at the moment though using the NHS as forgot to tell my GP I had insurance and can't be bothered to change it. I find the only issue with the NHS is the time to wait. Have been private before and had x rays, MRIs and CT scans done the same day and results the next. It would take 6 months with the NHS!
 
As per PS, I'm with BUPA. They've been great in the past and I have a number of issues that need ongoing care so wouldn't want to be without.
 
If you need serious healthcare then the NHS is the best. Only think of private as being a way of jumping the queue for non serious stuff. For instance a friend of mine went private for colon cancer and they nearly killed him because they didn't have the back up facilities in the hospital to cope for when it all started going wrong during the operation. He had to be transferred mid operation to the nearest NHS hospital to save his life.

If you want to improve your chances from a riding accident then donate money to the air ambulance!
 
Joint medical insurance on hubby's employers. Totally forgot about it to be honest. Was very ill for 8 months, NHS were rubbish, my GP wasn't interested. NHS totally missed a tumour, I was rushed in and out and discharged and told it was all in my head. Realised we were insured, booked an appointment at Private Hospital and within 5 days had had a colonoscophy, fully body scan, 4 hour operation and diagonised with a huge cancerous tumour. I was looked after fantastically throughout the next 9 months of chemo, and still in remission and have yearly scans and colonoscophys under the private care. I truly believe that I wouldn't be alive now if we didn't go through the private route.
 
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