How Much Is Private Health Insurance? Instant Guide Price

posted 20th July 2026

Posted 2 weeks ago

By Darren Lewis

Knowledge Hub
Knowledge Hub · Cost Guide

How Much Is Private Health Insurance In The UK? 2026 Guide

Updated July 2026 7 minute read By Darren Lewis, Health Insurance Specialist

With ongoing pressure on the NHS and longer waiting times in many parts of the UK, more people are considering private health insurance for quicker access to diagnosis and treatment.

Use our free guide price calculator for an instant idea of what you would pay, then read on for a full breakdown of what actually drives the cost.

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Working out the cost of private health insurance
The Short Answer

Private health insurance in the UK costs a 40 year old outside London £35 to £60 a month for core hospital cover, or £65 to £160 a month for full outpatient cover, according to SmartQuote, our 2026 guide price model built from per-insurer pricing across our panel of leading UK insurers. Age is the largest single factor, with a 50 year old paying roughly 40% more than a 40 year old for the same level of cover.

£40-£95
Age 30, mid-level cover
£50-£130
Age 40, mid-level cover
£75-£170
Age 50, mid-level cover

SmartQuote guide prices for a single adult outside London taking out cover for the first time. Mid-level cover means hospital treatment plus a yearly budget towards consultations, scans and diagnostics.

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Intelligent Health Insurance Comparison

Compare Health Insurance In 3 Simple Steps

Answer three quick questions and SmartQuote will show you a guide price in seconds.

1About You
2Your Situation
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Enter your age, then tell us your location and smoker status to get started.

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Before we compare...

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Preparing your comparison

We're tailoring the next step based on your answers.

Reviewing your details
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What matters most to you?

Most people your age pay between £-- and £-- a month. Where you land depends on how much you want covered.

Your guide price, keeping costs down
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a month
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Who picks your consultant and hospital?
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Why the range is so wide

Insurers price the same person very differently. Some rate your postcode heavily, one on our panel ignores it completely. Good-health discounts run from nothing to 15%, and each takes its own view on your medical history. Two people with identical details can be hundreds of pounds a year apart depending purely on who they applied to. That is what a comparison is for.

Guide prices are based on 2026 UK market pricing for a single adult taking out cover for the first time, on moratorium underwriting with a £250 excess. The lower figure is the most competitive insurer at your age on a guided consultant list. The upper figure is the most expensive insurer where you choose your own consultant and hospital. Figures for the fullest level of cover are modelled from that pricing rather than quoted directly, and figures above age 70 are estimated. Your own premium depends on your postcode, chosen excess, insurer, medical history and the level of cover you select.

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Are you currently claiming?
Current claims

Current claims may affect which insurers are available for comparison.

Would you like to continue your existing medical underwriting?
Continuing your existing medical underwriting

To compare insurers that allow you to continue your existing medical underwriting, we may need to ask a few additional questions before preparing your comparison.

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Great news.

There's a strong chance your current policy can be improved on.

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We're now putting together your personalised comparison.

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If your medical history needs clarifying before your comparison is prepared, one of our FCA-regulated broker partners may give you a quick call.

We will not use your information for any other reason than for the purpose of this comparison.

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Intelligent Health Insurance Comparison

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We compare quotes from leading UK insurers, including

Aviva Health
AXA Health
Bupa
Freedom Health Insurance
National Friendly
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Vitality
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New-customer guide prices are indicative only. Existing policyholders receive a renewal review because prices can vary depending on current insurer, underwriting, medical history and renewal terms.

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What Your Estimate Includes

What Does This Price Actually Cover?

The monthly figure shown in the calculator is designed to give you a realistic idea of what a core private health insurance policy could cost. In most cases, this means private treatment for eligible, treatable conditions once you've been referred by a GP or specialist.

Basic Cover Typically Includes

  • In-patient treatmentTreatment where you need to stay in hospital overnight, such as surgery or a planned hospital procedure.
  • Day-patient treatmentTreatment where you go into hospital for a procedure but return home the same day.
  • Cancer coverMany policies include private cancer diagnosis and treatment, though the level of cover differs between insurers.
  • Specialist feesCover towards eligible consultant and specialist treatment when it forms part of an approved claim.
  • Scans and testsDiagnostic tests such as MRI, CT scans, X-rays and blood tests, usually when linked to eligible treatment.

Private Health Insurance Does Not Cover

  • Emergency treatment or A&E visits
  • Routine GP appointments, unless added separately
  • Long-term chronic condition management
  • Pre-existing conditions, depending on underwriting
  • Claims that haven't been authorised by the insurer

You can often add mental health, therapies, dental & optical or travel cover, usually at extra cost.

Cover varies a lot between insurers, see exactly what's included on a real policy.

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Cost By Age

What Does Private Health Insurance Cost At Different Ages?

Age is the single biggest driver of cost, a 70-year-old typically pays around six and a half times more than a healthy 20-year-old for equivalent basic cover.

AgeCheapest Available Basic Cover (Monthly)
20From £16.03
30From £29.19
40From £37.90
50From £52.71
60From £74.26
70From £105.28

Cheapest available basic cover at each age, based on recent independent UK market pricing research covering over 11,000 quotes. Comprehensive cover typically costs more, expect roughly £75-£85 a month for an individual in their 30s or 40s on comprehensive cover, rising further at older ages.

What Does It Cost For A Couple Or Family?

These are market averages across a wide age range, blended across thousands of comprehensive-cover quotes, rather than tied to one specific age.

Household TypeTypical Monthly Premium (Comprehensive)
Individual, average across all agesAround £75-£85
Couple, average across all agesAround £136-£158
Family of four, average across all agesAround £159-£181

Based on a cross-section of recent UK market pricing analysis covering thousands of quotes across ages 20-70. Use the guide price calculator above for a figure based on your own details.

Why Prices Vary

What Factors Affect Individual Cost

There's no single price for private health insurance. The cost depends on your personal circumstances, the cover you choose, and how different insurers calculate risk.

Individual Factors

Your age, location and personal circumstances all influence the cost. Premiums can vary significantly from person to person, even when the level of cover is similar.

Cover Choices

Your hospital list, excess, out-patient cover and optional benefits can all affect the monthly premium. Small changes can often reduce the cost.

Insurer Differences

Each insurer assesses risk differently, which means prices can vary considerably between providers for similar levels of cover.

Worth knowing

Our guide price calculator is designed to provide a guide, not an accurate quote. It shows how common pricing factors affect cost, but underwriting and insurer pricing still matter, use it as a starting point before comparing tailored quotes.

Why Comparing Matters

The Biggest Factors That Affect The Cost

Same age, same postcode, same cover level, still a different price depending on the insurer. These are the areas that usually make the biggest difference.

Age

Premiums usually increase as you get older because the chance of claiming tends to rise.

Postcode

Where you live affects pricing, private hospital costs vary across the UK.

Out-Patient Cover

Full out-patient cover usually increases the price, it can include consultations, scans and diagnostics.

Hospital List

A wider hospital list, especially one including Central London, usually costs more.

Policy Excess

A higher excess can reduce the monthly premium, but you'd pay more towards a claim.

Underwriting Type

Moratorium and full medical underwriting affect how pre-existing conditions are assessed.

Optional Extras

Adding mental health, therapies, dental or optical cover increases the monthly cost.

Who's Covered

Adding a partner or children changes the total premium, see our family health insurance guide.

Broker Insight

Reduce The Cost Without Damaging Cover

The cheapest policy isn't always the best one, trim what you won't use, keep what you will.

Raise Your Excess

Raising your excess from £100 to £500 typically cuts your premium by 15-25%, provided you can afford that amount at claim time.

Add The 6-Week NHS Option

Agree to use the NHS if it can treat you within 6 weeks, cutting many plans by 20-30%.

Right-Size The Hospital List

A focused local list often beats a nationwide one you won't use.

Review Before Auto-Renewing

Renewal prices can change, see our renewal and switching guide to check your insurer is still competitive.

Use A Free Broker Service

A broker can compare insurers, explain trade-offs and help you avoid cutting benefits that may matter later.

Watch out

Cutting cover too aggressively can make the policy look cheaper initially, but it can make things difficult when you actually need to claim.

Talk To A Free Broker
Jargon Explained

Private Health Insurance Glossary

Private medical insurance can feel full of technical language. Here are the terms you'll see most often when comparing policies and prices.

Out-patient cover
Covers consultations, scans, diagnostics and specialist appointments where you don't stay in hospital.
Hospital list
The group of private hospitals your policy allows you to use. Wider hospital access usually increases the premium.
Policy excess
The amount you agree to contribute towards a claim. A higher excess can reduce the monthly premium. See our full excess guide for more.
6-week option
If the NHS can provide your eligible treatment within six weeks, you use the NHS instead of private treatment. Choosing this can reduce the premium.
Moratorium underwriting
A simpler underwriting method where recent medical conditions are temporarily excluded unless you remain symptom and treatment free for a set period.
Full medical underwriting
You provide your full medical history upfront and the insurer confirms what will or won't be covered from the start.
Switch underwriting
Allows you to move from one insurer to another without completely restarting underwriting, depending on eligibility and insurer rules.
GP referral
Most PMI claims begin with a GP referral before the insurer authorises private consultations or treatment.
Pre-existing condition
A medical condition you had symptoms, advice, medication or treatment for before starting the policy. See our pre-existing conditions guide for the full picture.

Compare Quotes From The UK's Leading Insurers

Aviva
AXA Health
Bupa
Freedom Health Insurance
National Friendly
The Exeter
Vitality
WPA
Free, FCA-regulated broker support, comparing policies from leading UK insurers, so you can weigh up real value, not just the cheapest premium. Read our full insurer-by-insurer reviews for a deeper breakdown of each provider.
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Related Guides

Explore More Health Insurance Guides

Compare cover based on your circumstances, whether you're comparing for your family, business, age group or renewal.

Health Insurance Renewal

Already covered? See our renewal and switching guide.

Best Health Insurance Reviews

See how the UK's leading insurers compare on cover, value and service.

Families

Family health insurance can help parents and children access private treatment faster.

Self-Employed

Self-employed health insurance can help protect your ability to work.

Over 50s

Senior health insurance guidance on hospital lists and excess options.

Pre-Existing Conditions

See how underwriting affects a condition you already have.

FAQs

Common Questions About The Cost

Is private health insurance worth the cost in the UK?

It depends on your priorities. Some people value faster access to treatment, while others prefer to rely on the NHS.

What is the average cost of private health insurance in the UK?

Around £75-£85 a month for an individual on comprehensive cover, based on recent UK market pricing data, rising to roughly £136-£158 for a couple and £159-£181 for a family of four. Your own price depends on age, location, cover level and excess.

Does the cost increase every year?

Often, yes, due to age, medical inflation and insurer claims experience. See our renewal guide for how to manage this.

Is private health insurance cheaper with a higher excess?

In many cases, yes, raising your excess from £100 to £500 typically cuts your premium by 15-25%, but only choose an excess you could realistically afford at claim time.

Why do insurers quote different prices for similar cover?

Each insurer prices risk differently and structures cover in their own way. This is why it's important to compare each insurer rather than rely on one quote.

Can switching insurer reduce the cost?

Sometimes, many people save money by switching, but pre-existing conditions need careful consideration. It's advisable to seek advice from a broker where possible.

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Sources & Disclaimer

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

Sources: Publicly available pricing context and example pricing published by major UK health insurers including Bupa, Aviva and AXA Health, independent UK market pricing analysis from multiple insurance comparison specialists, and NHS England data on waiting times.

Compare My Health Insurance works with FCA-regulated broker partners and may earn a fee when you take out a policy through our service. This does not affect our editorial analysis above. Any information on this page is for general information only and should not be considered financial advice, regulated advice or a personal recommendation. Suitability depends on your individual circumstances, needs and budget.

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