If you’re looking for a new credit card, your credit history plays a role in whether or not you’re accepted and what interest rate you pay. Health insurance is no different, though the history that is considered when you apply is the one that your doctor keeps.

Health insurance companies are protecting a risk and, like any insurance company, they try to keep the risk’s they insure as low as possible. So, the better your medical history is, the less likely they are to have to pay out a claim on your policy and the lower your premium will be.

Your medical history may also determine what type of private medical insurance you’ll be eligible to get. If you have diabetes, asthma or another chronic, incurable condition, for instance, most private insurers will exclude coverage for anything related to treatment. Some, taking into account the number of other conditions and illnesses for which those are a risk factor, will refuse to insure you at all. In general, that means that if you know you are ill, or that you’ll require medical treatment in the next six months because of a medical diagnosis, you may have trouble finding private health insurance to cover your needs.

There are many private health insurers who do not require a medical history, or only require a very basic one. In general, their policies will exclude coverage for any condition for which you have been treated in the past five years, or another specified period of time. If you remain free of symptoms and require no treatment for that condition for the specified period of time after you become insured, that condition may become eligible for cover again.

If your prospective insurer does ask for a medical history, you should always be truthful and declare everything you are aware of at the time. Any errors, omissions or outright lies in your application could negate your policy entirely. It’s better to have coverage for unrelated illnesses and conditions than to have no coverage at all.

So, should you bother with private medical insurance if you have a pre-existing chronic condition? Most experts would say yes. The NHS is designed to provide care and treatment for chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes. Your private medical insurance would still provide cover for you for illnesses, injuries and conditions that do not arise from your pre-existing chronic condition. In addition, if you have been treated for an illness in the past five years – ulcers, for instance – and have remained symptom free for five years, most policies will cover treatment for that condition if it recurs.

Interestingly, a number of UK private medical insurance providers do offer chronic conditions cover for UK expatriates. Most continental insurers do not exclude chronic conditions in their policies, and UK companies doing business overseas are beginning to follow suit. If you are seeking medical insurance for a period of time abroad, shop around to find one that will cover all of your needs during your time away.

Private Health insurance, long considered a luxury for those of more than modest means, has become more and more affordable over the years. UK medical insurers have devised a wide variety of health insurance policies that can help you cut your health care costs and take advantage of private medical care.

Private medical insurance can make it possible for you to choose your own doctor or treatment centre, opt for treatments that aren’t covered under the NHS and avoid waiting for months when you need medical care that isn’t urgent. While none of these things are necessary for your medical health, they can make it far easier to deal with medical concerns if and when they arise.

There are many types of private health cover available to suit a wide range of needs. The key to making private medical insurance affordable is to compare costs of the various plans and choose the ones that are most necessary for your family or individual situation. You can choose from dozens of insurers offering many different packages, levels of cover and policy options to find the best mix to suit your medical needs and budget. Here are some suggestions for finding the best, most affordable private health insurance for your needs.

1. Set your priorities.
Before you even begin looking at the different types of cover available, decide why you want private health insurance. Which medical needs are a priority? A young couple planning a family might decide that maternity cover is vital. Once you have a list of your priorities, you can start looking at a package of cover that is specific to you without paying for cover you don’t need.

2. Check out packages first.
Most insurers offer at least one health cover package, and many offer a variety of them in different price ranges. The most savvy are starting to package their insurance according to family need – one package that includes the insurance they recommend for a young family, one that addresses the needs commonly faced by an individual in their twenties, etc. Go over each package to see if your priorities are included – and that the package isn’t overloaded with cover that you’ll never use.

3. Look at the cost of non-packaged cover.
Take your list of priorities and check out the insurers that offer a menu of options. Go through and add up all the options that you want covered and get a total cost. Compare that against the most suitable package to see which will cost you less.

4. Consider specialised insurance.
More and more companies are offering specialised private medical insurance that’s aimed at specific groups. The most common of these are medical policies that cover the procedures most commonly faced by people over 50. There are also policies specifically for athletes or those involved in sports who are prone to particular types of injuries, policies specifically designed for families with young children and policies that cover young adults whose medical needs are typically fewer.

5. Consider cost saving measures.
There are many ways to cut costs on private health insurance. You may choose a higher excess which requires you to contribute a fixed amount towards the overall cost of a claim in return for a lower premium. Or you could choose a policy with more limitations – ones that specify the hospital’s or clinics that you can use are common. The more limits you are willing to accept, the less expensive your premium will be.

To learn more about http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/private-medical-insurance-1.html

Health Insurance and pre-existing conditions is a question that is often asked. So what is the answer? Well, health insurance providers will offer 2 types of underwriting. The first is called “full medical underwriting” which nearly all providers will offer and the second is called “moratorium”. With FMU you will be asked to submit details of your medical history, normally over the past 5 years. This will include details of visits to your GP or whether you have had any further treatment, consultation, advice or symptom during the 5 year period. This then will go in front of the underwriters of the new provider. The will make the decision on whether to exclude cover for anything you may of submitted on your application form.

The second is “moratorium” and with this type of underwriting you do not have to fill out a medical history questionnaire. You will need to sign a declaration that any treatment, consultation, medication and advise that you have received normally within the previous 5 years will not be covered for the first to consecutive years of the policy. After that period it may well be allowed to come back on to cover.

For any advice or free obligation free quotes on health insurance please contact www.privatehealthservice.co.uk