Comparing Health Insurance: Mental Health Cover
Comparing Health Insurance: Mental Health Cover

Comparing Health Insurance: Mental Health Cover

Mental health is increasingly recognised as a crucial aspect of our overall well-being, making it essential to secure the right private health insurance cover. With the NHS facing significant pressures and longer waiting times, having private health insurance can offer timely access to vital mental health services.

In this article, we will look at seven leading UK health insurers, including Aviva, AXA, Bupa, Saga, The Exeter, WPA, and Vitality, to help you understand your options and make the most of your health insurance policy benefits.

Help and Support
If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health condition, here are five links to resources for support:

Mind
A leading UK mental health charity, offering advice and support for those experiencing mental health issues.

Rethink Mental Illness
Provides expert advice, information on mental health conditions, and support services for individuals and families.

Samaritans
A confidential listening service available 24/7 for anyone in emotional distress.

NHS Mental Health Services
Information on various mental health services and how to access local support and crisis services.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
Offers guidelines for the treatment and care of mental health conditions, ensuring evidence-based support.

What is Mental Health?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Mental health is about feeling good emotionally and mentally. It helps people handle stress, recognise their potential, learn effectively, and work to contribute to their communities. It's an important part of being healthy overall and affects how we make decisions, build relationships, and interact with the world around us.

The Situation in the UK

A survey conducted in 2023 highlighted the significant challenges faced by individuals experiencing serious mental health illnesses, revealing that 55% of respondents encountered difficulties in accessing crucial support, such as consultations with their GP. Many reported waiting months for appointments and were unable to obtain essential medication during this time. This alarming statistic underscores the inordinate strain the NHS is currently under, as those severely affected by mental health issues struggle to receive the timely care they desperately need.

Why Might Private Mental Health Cover be Important?

Private mental health cover offers numerous advantages over relying solely on NHS services. As highlighted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the demand for mental health services has surged, and the NHS is struggling to meet this growing need.

Opting for private health insurance may allow individuals to benefit from:

  • Faster Access to Treatment: Private insurers often provide quicker access to mental health professionals, ensuring you receive support when you need it most.
  • Broader Treatment Options: Private health insurance usually offers a wider range of treatment modalities, including innovative therapies that may not be available through the NHS.
  • Personalised Care: With private cover, you can choose practitioners and treatment plans that best suit your individual needs, leading to a more tailored approach to your mental health.

Understanding Mental Health Cover in Health Insurance

Cover for mental health varies by insurer, but generally includes:

  • Standard Treatment Cover: Some insurers provide some level of mental health treatment cover as part of their standard offerings.
  • Add-On / Upgrade Options: Customers typically have the option to enhance their cover, particularly for hospital treatments and specialised care.
  • Value-Added Benefits: Many insurers now include additional benefits such as talking therapies, access to a private GP, and fitness benefits, which have been shown to significantly enhance overall well-being and provide a substantial boost to mental health. The value-added benefits can be accessed without affecting no claims bonuses and are available regardless of pre-existing medical conditions.

What Mental Health Conditions Are Covered Under Health Insurance?

Here’s a quick overview of the common conditions generally included:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Bipolar
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Eating Disorders
  • Personality Disorders
  • Schizophrenia
  • Stress-Related Issues

Important Notes

  • Value-added benefits are often non-contractual agreements, which means they could be withdrawn or altered at any time.
  • If mental health treatment is required normally this will be subject to medical underwriting and therefore pre-existing conditions are likely to be excluded.
Aviva Health logo

Aviva Health Mental Health Cover

What's Covered as Standard?

  • Outpatient Treatment: Cover of up to £2,000 for GP-referred mental health treatment.

Aviva Health Add-On Option (Mental Health Upgrade)

  • Inpatient Treatment: Cover for up to 28 days for inpatient care, ensuring necessary support for those requiring specialised treatment.
  • Day Patient Treatment: Included within the same add-on, providing coverage for day patient care.

Aviva Health Value-Added Benefits

  • Informative articles on mental health topics.
  • A dedicated stress helpline for immediate support.
  • Digital GP Service: Available 24/7, providing immediate access to medical advice and mental health support.
  • Aviva members have GetActive which offers fitness discounts.
AXA Health logo

AXA Health Mental Health Cover

What's Covered as Standard?

  • There is no standard mental health coverage included in core product of AXA Health plans.

AXA Health Add-On Option (Mental Health Option)

  • Psychiatric Treatment as an inpatient or day patient:
  • Comprehensive cover for accommodation, diagnostic tests, and medications, fully covered at hospitals or day patient units within their network.
  • No yearly limits on specialist fees for psychiatric treatment.
  • Unlimited outpatient specialist consultations for psychiatric treatment.
  • Unlimited access to psychiatric treatment provided by psychologists and cognitive behavioural therapists, provided the specialist is recognized overseas.

AXA Health Value-Added Benefits

  • Health Support: 24/7: Health Support Line: Access to advice and assistance at any time.
  • Articles and guides available to help members maintain their health and well-being.
  • 24/7 Private GP Service: Accessible through a smartphone app, powered by Doctor at Hand, allowing members to consult with a GP anytime.
  • Discounts to gyms and fitness centres via Hussle.
Bupa logo

Bupa Mental Health Cover

What's Covered as Standard?

  • Inpatient and day patient Mental Health Treatment: Limited to 28 days per benefit year.

Covered under Comprehensive policies only

  • Mental health therapies included for those with full outpatient cover (paid in full).
  • If outpatient cover is limited to £1,750 or £500, the total allowance includes therapies, applicable only to the Comprehensive policy, not the Treatment Care policy.

Bupa Add-On Option

  • No option to add Mental health cover on to either policies as the mental health cover dependent on which policy you take.

Bupa Value-Added Benefits

  • Access to the BLUA Health App:
  • Anytime HealthLine: 24/7 access to chat with a nurse.
  • 24/7 GP access via video call through the BLUA app.
  • Family Mental HealthLine: Support for discussing child well-being.
  • Articles, tips, and health tricks available within the BLUA app.
  • Discounted fitness memberships, powered by Hussle.
Saga logo

Saga Mental Health Cover

What's Covered as Standard?

Specialist Consultations for Mental Health Treatment:

  • Saga Health Plan Super: Coverage up to £2,500 per policy per year.
  • Saga Health Plan Secure: Coverage up to £2,000 per year.
  • Saga Health Plan Saver Plus: Coverage up to £1,500 per year.

The three above plans also provide

  • Up to 28 days of inpatient or day patient cover for treatment of mental health conditions.
  • Counselling is available through Mental Health Direct Access, which is not subject to the maximum limit for mental health treatment. Sessions can be arranged face-to-face or via telephone with a counsellor, based on clinical appropriateness as determined by the Mental Health Direct Access service. This service is available for individuals aged 18 and over.

Saga Add-On Option

  • The is no mental health add-on with Saga. Your cover is dependent on which policy you take with them.

Saga Value-Added Benefits

  • Available with all policies except Saga Support:
  • Saga GP Service: Unlimited telephone or video GP appointments from anywhere in the world.
  • Anytime Health Line: 24/7 access to advice from a specialist healthcare professional, aside from your GP.
Comparing Health Insurance: Mental Health Cover

The Exeter Mental Health Cover

What's Covered as Standard?

  • No cover for mental health treatment is included within the Health+ policy core product.

The Exeter Add-On Option (Mental Health Upgrade)

  • Inpatient Treatment: Cover for up to 28 days of inpatient care.
  • Day Patient Treatment: Cover for day patient care.
  • Outpatient Specialist Consultation Fees: Cover for psychiatric treatment, including consultations with psychiatrists, psychologists, and cognitive behavioural therapists.

Value-Added Benefits (HealthWise)

  • Mental Health Support: Up to 6 consultations each year with fully trained specialists through video consultations.
  • Emotional and behavioural support tailored to individual needs.
  • Access to a digital GP service within the app for additional health support.
  • Lifestyle and nutrition consultations
WPA logo

WPA Mental Health Cover

What's Covered as Standard?

  • Based on clinical assessment, a brief course of structured therapy or counselling may be prescribed, allowing for up to 6 sessions.
  • GP Service
  • Health and Wellbeing Helpline

WPA Add-On Option (Mental Health Treatment)

  • Mental Health Hospital Treatment: Cover for up to 28 days/nights.
  • Outpatient treatment and therapy option, with allowances ranging from £1,000 to £2,500 (must have outpatients cover).
  • Extended Therapy: Structured counselling included for more complex health conditions, providing up to 20 sessions for individuals aged 16 and over.

WPA Value-Added Benefits (Health and Well-Being Benefits)

  • Remote GP Services: Access to a GP via phone or video, easily booked online through the WPA or WPA Health App.
  • Mental Health Support available in the Health and Well-Being Hub.
  • 24/7 Health and Well-Being Helpline
Vitality logo

Vitality Health Mental Health Cover

What's Covered as Standard?

  • Access to talking therapy: Up to 8 sessions per year of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or counselling.

Vitality Health Add-On Option (Mental Health Cover)

  • Inpatient Mental Health Treatment: Cover for up to 28 days per year.
  • Outpatient Mental Health Treatment: Covered up to £1,500.
  • In-Network Talking Therapy: Fully covered.

Vitality Health Value-Added Benefits (Vitality Programme)

  • Annual subscription to Headspace, providing guided meditations and mindfulness exercises to help reduce stress and enhance mental well-being.
  • 24/7 Private Digital GP: Access to a private GP at any time, enabling members to make appointments and receive medical advice without delay.
  • Mental Health Workshops: Educational workshops focused on mental health topics to support overall well-being.
  • Health and Fitness incentives and discounts such as gym discounts and well-being freebies.

Key Takeaways

Dealing with any insurance can be overwhelming, let alone navigating the intricacies of mental health cover. However, understanding your options is crucial for ensuring you have the support you need. Here are some key insights to consider:

  • Value-added benefits offer support even if you have an existing condition.
  • There are different cover Levels with different insurers, so seek advice from a broker if required.
  • Importance of timely care.
  • Access to support services below if needed.

Remember, if you or someone you know is struggling, various mental health support resources are available, including Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Samaritans, NHS services, and NICE.

How We Can Help?

Compare My Health Insurance is committed to enhancing your understanding of health insurance, ensuring you make informed decisions about your cover.

Working in partnership with our network of award-winning brokers, we are here to assist you with:

  • Comparing policies.
  • Getting free, regulated advice.
  • Getting the best prices on the market.
  • Staying Informed of any changes in the market.

What are our users saying?

Sources: World Health Organization, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Headspace, Aviva Health, AXA Health, Bupa, The Exeter, Saga, WPA, Vitality

Please note that any information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Accurate as of 5/25.

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