Insurer Reviews · National Friendly

National Friendly Health Insurance Review 2026

★★★★ Defaqto 4-Star (Level 4) Updated August 2026

National Friendly is a Bristol-based mutual founded in 1868, and it has built My PMI around two things the rest of the market largely ignores: accepting people other insurers won't, and not punishing them for claiming.

It accepts new members up to age 85 on any underwriting type, doesn't load premiums for smokers, BMI, treated hypertension or treated cholesterol, and won't look at your claims history for five years. That last point is often described as a five-year price freeze. It isn't quite, and the distinction matters, so we've set it out properly below.

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The Differentiator, Explained Precisely

What The 5-Year Guarantee Actually Guarantees

This gets misdescribed a lot, including by sources that ought to know better, so it's worth being exact.

Your claims history is ignored for five years. Your premium is not frozen.

National Friendly's own adviser material puts it plainly: it won't look at a customer's claims history for five years, no matter how many claims they make. That's the guarantee, and it's a real one.

What it doesn't mean is that your premium is fixed for five years. My PMI terms run in five-year blocks but carry annual premium reviews, so your price can still move for the reasons that move everyone's: your age, and medical cost inflation across the market. What's removed is the claims penalty.

Why it still matters

On most policies a single significant claim can trigger a sharp renewal increase on top of the normal rise. Aviva drops you three no-claims discount levels above £250. Saga drops two levels on a claim of any size. National Friendly applies neither.

5 years
Of claims made without any effect on what you're charged.

If you expect to claim, or you're at an age where claiming becomes more likely, that removes the single largest source of unpredictability in private medical insurance pricing. Just don't buy it expecting a frozen premium, and ask our broker partners what the annual review has typically looked like in practice.

At A Glance

National Friendly At A Glance

1868

Founded

A mutual friendly society with over 150 years of history, based in Bristol, regulated by both the FCA and the PRA.

85

Max Joining Age

New members accepted up to 85 on all underwriting types, one of the most generous entry ages in the market.

4

Cover Levels

My PMI runs from a GP-focused entry level up to comprehensive cover including unlimited cancer treatment.

✓

No Loading

Premiums aren't loaded for smokers, BMI, medically treated hypertension or medically treated cholesterol.

Cover Detail

What Does My PMI Cover?

Benefits vary by level, so treat this as what's available across the range rather than what every level includes.

Unlimited

GP Consultations

Level 1 covers unlimited face-to-face GP consultations, provided they lead to a specialist referral. Unusual as an entry-level proposition.

£1m

Annual Treatment Limit

Levels 2 and 3 carry an annual in-patient and day-patient limit of £1,000,000, which in practice functions as effectively unlimited for most claims.

Unlimited

Cancer Treatment

Level 4, the most comprehensive tier, includes unlimited cancer treatment and carries National Friendly's highest Defaqto rating.

24/7

Friendly GP+

Virtual GP access alongside physiotherapy, counselling, legal advice and a wellbeing resource hub, available any time.

£100

NHS Overnight Benefit

Paid per night for NHS stays, up to 20 nights and a £2,000 annual maximum, if you choose NHS treatment instead of claiming.

10

Children Per Policy

Up to ten children can be added, and babies join with no medical questions if added within three months of birth.

The underwriting is where National Friendly is strongest

Premiums are the same whether you're on moratorium, continued personal medical exclusions or full medical underwriting, which is unusual. Historic exclusions can be reviewed after just two years of cover. On CPME, only two years of medical history is considered, and conditions that tend to attract exclusions elsewhere are often accepted. If your medical history has made comparison difficult before, this is worth a conversation.

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How It's Built

How A My PMI Policy Is Put Together

Three decisions, and unusually, the second one doesn't change your price.

Step 1 · The big one

Your Level

Level 1 for GP-led cover, Levels 2 and 3 adding in-patient and day-patient treatment up to £1,000,000 a year, Level 4 for comprehensive cover with unlimited cancer treatment.

+
Step 2 · No price effect

Underwriting Route

Moratorium, continued personal medical exclusions or full medical underwriting. National Friendly currently prices all three the same, so choose the one that suits your history rather than your budget.

+
Step 3 · The levers

Excess & Treatment Route

Set your excess, with options running as low as £0, and choose between guided treatment on an open referral or picking your own provider under standard or extended options.

Worth Knowing

Built For Switchers And Older Applicants

Moving to National Friendly is more straightforward than with most insurers. There are no lifetime "have you ever" medical questions, and if you're switching after previous cancer treatment, cover won't automatically be excluded where that treatment was more than ten years ago, even if you still have routine follow-up checks.

Combined with the age-85 joining limit and the absence of loading for smokers, BMI or treated hypertension and cholesterol, this makes National Friendly one of the more realistic options if mainstream underwriting has been a problem for you. It also accepts group leavers with medical history disregarded terms on CPME pricing.

Family considering National Friendly health insurance, which accepts members up to age 85
At A Glance

Core, Optional Or Excluded

The same three-way split we use on every insurer review, so you can compare like for like.

Across The Range

  • Claims history not reviewed for five years
  • Friendly GP+, 24/7 virtual GP access
  • Physiotherapy, counselling and legal helplines
  • NHS overnight benefit, £100 a night up to 20 nights
  • Joining accepted up to age 85
  • No loading for smokers, BMI or treated hypertension

By Level Or Choice

  • In-patient and day-patient cover, Levels 2 and above
  • Unlimited cancer treatment, Level 4
  • Guided treatment or your own provider
  • Excess level, from £0 upwards
  • Up to ten children added to a policy

Not Covered

  • Pre-existing conditions, subject to underwriting
  • Chronic, long-term conditions
  • Accident and emergency treatment
  • Cosmetic procedures
  • Treatment above your level's annual limit
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Worth Knowing

Independent Ratings

Defaqto 4-star on Level 4

National Friendly's top My PMI level carries a 4-star Defaqto rating, with its policies rated at least 2-star across the range. An independent 2026 review scored the provider 72.7%, a four-star result, citing simplicity and premium stability as particular strengths. It also holds a platinum service award from Feefo.

Trustpilot scores move, so check the current figure directly rather than relying on any number quoted in a review, including older sources online that cite a materially lower score than the current position. The review base is smaller than the major insurers', so read a spread of recent feedback rather than the headline average.

How It Compares

National Friendly vs The Rest Of The Market

How National Friendly stacks up on the areas that separate one policy from another.

InsurerEffect Of ClaimingMax Joining AgeStandout Strength
National Friendly Claims history not reviewed for 5 years 85 Accepts applicants others decline, no lifestyle loading
The ExeterClaims under £300 don't affect NCDAppliesSmall-claims protection, four underwriting routes
AvivaDrops 3 NCD levels above £250NoneUnlimited out-patient as standard
SagaDrops 2 NCD levels on any claimNone, but 50+ to joinBupa-underwritten, cheapest in Which? over-50s testing
BupaSmall-claims allowance appliesAppliesMental health cover, network breadth, dental as standard

See our full insurer-by-insurer reviews for a deeper breakdown of each provider.

Cost

What Does National Friendly Cost?

Independent 2026 market research covering My PMI Levels 3 and 4 found an average monthly premium of £133.61, based on a 50-year-old policyholder used consistently across that study's insurer comparisons. That's a like-for-like benchmark rather than a quote.

National Friendly also reports paying out on around 96% of claims on average, though that comes from the insurer's own reporting rather than an independently audited source. Your own price depends on age, cover level, excess and treatment route, though notably not on your underwriting type or whether you smoke.

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24/7 Friendly GP video consultation included with National Friendly cover
Where the value sits

National Friendly won't usually win on headline price against the big names. What it offers instead is acceptance where others decline, no lifestyle loading, and five years without claims affecting what you pay. If none of those apply to you, compare it against cheaper mainstream options. If any of them do, it may be the only realistic quote you get. For wider context see our health insurance cost guide and free price calculator.

FAQs

National Friendly Health Insurance FAQs

What is National Friendly's 5-year guarantee?

National Friendly won't look at your claims history for five years, however many claims you make. That means claiming doesn't push your price up the way it does with most insurers. It's worth being precise though: this isn't a five-year price freeze. My PMI terms run in five-year blocks with annual premium reviews, so your price can still move with your age and with medical cost inflation. What's removed is the claims penalty specifically.

What does My PMI cover?

Four levels. Level 1 covers unlimited face-to-face GP consultations that lead to a specialist referral. Levels 2 and 3 add in-patient and day-patient treatment up to £1,000,000 a year. Level 4 is the most comprehensive, including unlimited cancer treatment. All levels include Friendly GP+ with 24/7 virtual GP access, physiotherapy, counselling and legal helplines, plus an NHS overnight benefit of £100 a night up to 20 nights.

What's the maximum age to join National Friendly?

85, on all underwriting types, which is one of the most generous entry ages in the UK market. Several insurers stop accepting new customers well before that.

Does National Friendly load premiums for smokers or high BMI?

No. National Friendly doesn't load for smokers, BMI, medically treated hypertension or medically treated cholesterol. It also prices moratorium, continued personal medical exclusions and full medical underwriting the same, so your underwriting route doesn't change your premium.

Is National Friendly switcher-friendly?

Generally yes. There are no lifetime "have you ever" medical questions, and previous cancer treatment won't automatically be excluded where it took place more than ten years ago, even with ongoing follow-up checks. Historic exclusions can be reviewed after just two years of cover, and on CPME only two years of medical history is considered.

Can I add children to a National Friendly policy?

Yes, up to ten children per policy. Babies can be added with no medical questions provided this happens within three months of birth.

Is National Friendly a well-known insurer?

Not a household name like Bupa or Aviva, but it's a mutual society founded in 1868 with over 150 years of history, based in Bristol and regulated by both the FCA and the PRA. Its top My PMI level holds a 4-star Defaqto rating and it carries a platinum service award from Feefo.

Related Guides

Explore More Health Insurance Guides

Pre-Existing Conditions

See how underwriting affects a condition you already have, and why National Friendly is worth a look.

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Senior Health Insurance

Broader guidance for over-50s and over-60s comparing cover across the market.

Compare National Friendly Against The UK's Other Leading Insurers

Aviva
AXA Health
Bupa
Freedom Health Insurance
National Friendly
The Exeter
Vitality
WPA
Saga
Our free comparison service makes it easy to compare health insurance from the UK's leading insurers, helping you compare cover, benefits and prices in one place.
Compare Health Insurance Quotes
★★★★★
4.6 · Rated Excellent on Trustpilot

Sources & Disclaimer

Written by: Darren Lewis, health insurance specialist and founder of Compare My Health Insurance. Last reviewed: August 2026. Next scheduled review: February 2027.

Cover levels, benefit limits, underwriting terms and pricing benchmarks are based on published information reviewed at the time of writing and are indicative only. The five-year guarantee relates to claims history not being reviewed, and does not fix your premium, since My PMI terms carry annual premium reviews. Products and terms change periodically, so always confirm current details with our broker partners before buying.

This guide is for general information only and is not regulated financial advice. Compare My Health Insurance is a comparison service and works with FCA-regulated broker partners, who may pay a referral fee.

Sources: National Friendly My PMI product and adviser documentation, Defaqto, Feefo, and independent 2026 private medical insurance ratings and product reviews.

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