Compare My Health Insurance

Not necessarily. A broker will talk you through the underwriting options available, but will generally try to continue your medical history from your previous insurer to the new policy, meaning you'd still be able to claim for the same conditions as before. This is called Continued Personal Medical Exclusions, and it's the most common approach when switching rather than starting fresh. It's worth confirming this specifically with your adviser before you commit to a new insurer, rather than assuming it's automatic.

Almost certainly, most major UK insurers use overlapping networks of private hospitals and specialists, so if you're comparing among the top providers, the chances are strong they'll include your preferred facility. It's worth discussing your specific hospital access requirements with your adviser so they can confirm the right hospital list option for your new policy before you commit, since some tiers of cover offer a wider list than others.

Yes, all insurers will take on clients with a claims history. Most ask for a 5-year snapshot, so if your claims are further back than that, you're generally considered claims-free. Even claims within the last 5 years aren't necessarily a problem, and some insurers don't ask about claims history at all, worth comparing if a recent claim has pushed your current premium up.

Before cancelling, it's worth reviewing first. Often you can scale back the core product to reduce cost while keeping the major protection, hospital stays, cancer cover, scans, and rely on the NHS or self-funding for smaller things like routine outpatient consultations. That's usually a better outcome than losing cover entirely and starting from zero later, since rebuilding cover after a gap often means fresh underwriting and losing continuity on any existing conditions.

Cancer, like any medical condition, generally needs to be disclosed to a new provider when switching. Depending on severity and how long ago treatment and sign-off occurred, it can often still be accommodated, for example, a cancer treated and signed off many years ago would generally be fine with most insurers. A broker will ask some medical questions and refer your answers to the underwriters properly.

Not with the right support, this is exactly what a broker handles for you. Once you've chosen an option, they manage the entire switch, from the new application through to cancelling your old plan, and most offer ongoing support afterwards too, helping with claims and queries throughout the life of the policy rather than disappearing after the sale. That ongoing relationship is genuinely worth having, not just a one-off transaction.

No, there are no financial charges or early exit fees for switching before your renewal date with a standard monthly-paid policy. This is exactly why comparing doesn't have to wait until your renewal notice lands, if you find a better option earlier in the year, there's no cost to acting on it sooner, and you could be saving money or improving cover for several extra months rather than waiting.

No, a health insurance broker doesn't charge you a fee directly. They receive commission from the insurer they introduce you to, for arranging and looking after your policy going forward, so comparing and switching through a broker costs you nothing extra on top of the premium itself. The price you pay is the same whether you go direct to an insurer or compare through a broker first.