Private health insurance

We had private medical insurance when working and continued it into retirement but the cost just went up too much so we cancelled it a couple of years ago just when we need it now 🤷‍♀️ My advice if you can afford it is to put the £350 away in an account and use it to self fund private consultations and any procedures you need. The insurance companies will guide you to see new less experienced consultants as they are cheaper and tied into their contracts to be fee assured. I found the experienced consultants I wanted to see were not fee assured and you had to pay extra to see them. Also they do not allow you to always use the hospitals you want to. Private insurance is not what it used to be. Consider the options very carefully. I would say Bupa is probably the best having had experience of a few. Maybe use a broker to get you the best deal.

We have gone with Benenden Healthcare, not the same level of cover but does include private GP phone consultations, diagnostics and minor surgery procedures. Cost is £15 per month each. It supplements the NHS, but does not cover joint replacements or more major healthcare or on going treatment but we thought it good value for the cost imvolved.

We were the same Judy54 when DH took early retirement in 2006 - with BUPA, we felt the cost was excessive, especially as it was years before we got our DWPensions.
Actually, we didn’t regret our decision not to proceed and when DH was diagnosed with lymphoma 10 years later, I suspect a little t of his medical costs wouldn’t have been fully covered anyway.

We had private medical insurance when we were working so that we could choose when and where to have treatment. Cost a fortune and never needed to use it. Could do with it now in retirement but agree that it can be tricky if you have existing health conditions. Needs a lot of thought if it is going cost over £4,000 pounds a year.

Also, private health insurance doesn’t cover emergencies.

In the unfortunate event of you requiring emergency treatment at A&E, you’d be attending the NHS A&E department with everyone else.

If you have any existing health issues - which most older people do - then insurance is not likely to cover those conditions.

It might depend what level of cover is chosen and provided, but for us Bupa is far superior to AXA PPP who were very picky about tests requested.
Also check out which hospitals in your area are used on the plan, not all are.