Private medical insurance is available to individuals, families and companies to help provide fast and convenient medical care for people who would otherwise not receive the same type of care under the NHS.
Waiting lists have been a big focus for the NHS over recent years but the waits continue and people are looking for ways to speed up their treatment. Taking out private medical insurance or PMI can mean they will be looked at more quickly if their treatment can be carried out privately.

Faster care is not the only benefit of private medical care. Another important advantage is choice - the ability to choose where you are treated, who treats you and potentially how you are treated. Secondary benefits such as private rooms, unrestricted visiting hours and choice of food also contribute.

Of course private medical care is not appropriate for all conditions. For some urgent and very serious illnesses there is no better care than that provided by the NHS and indeed private hospitals are often not equipped to deal with more critical or urgent conditions. But for the majority of non-urgent conditions, short-term, curable illnesses or for periods of rehabilitation, then private hospital care has the advantage.

As with many other types of insurance, the type and levels of cover provide by different policies varies and naturally cost varies too. Any existing medical conditions and family history of illness needs to be declared in the initial application process and this will determine whether you are insurable and at what price. Often existing conditions are excluded to keep costs acceptable.