Looking for private health insurance for your family? Family health insurance can give you and your eligible family members access to private diagnosis and treatment for covered conditions. The right level of cover will depend on your family’s needs, the benefits you want and the budget you have available.
Heath Crawford is an independent insurance broker. Our advisers compare family private health insurance options from a range of UK insurers and explain the differences clearly, helping you understand the cover available before choosing a policy.
Find the Right Health Insurance for Your Family
Family medical insurance can cover one parent, a couple or eligible children, depending on the insurer’s terms. Tell us who you want to insure, along with any preferences around hospitals, treatments and budget. We can then compare suitable policies and explain what each one includes, so you can make an informed decision about the cover you need.
Why Consider Private Cover for Your Family?
Private family healthcare can give your family more choice of eligible specialists and hospitals and provide another option for arranging covered treatment. What you can access will depend on your policy, medical needs, available providers and any referral or pre-authorisation requirements.
Private health insurance for families works alongside NHS care, so you can continue to use NHS where appropriate. The aim is to give your family additional choice and flexibility where your policy provides cover.
Compare Policies Side by Side
Two policies with similar premiums can provide very different levels of cover. Looking beyond the price can help you understand what is included, where limits apply and what you may need to pay yourself.
The comparison below provides a useful starting point, but you should also read the insurer’s policy documents and individual underwriting terms before choosing. The best family private health insurance will depend on the trade-offs your family is willing to make.
| What to Compare | What to Look For | Why It Matters for Families |
| Inpatient cover | Eligible hospital stays, surgery and treatment | Provides cover for potentially significant private hospital treatment costs. |
| Outpatient cover | Consultations, tests and outpatient treatment | More comprehensive outpatient cover can provide greater choice when a family member needs specialist investigation or treatment. |
| Waiting times and benefit limits | Whether treatment is subject to waiting periods, such as a six-week option, and any financial or treatment limits | A policy with a waiting period may require you to use NHS treatment where it’s available within the specified timeframe, while benefit limits can affect how much the insurer will pay. |
| Diagnostic cover | Scans, tests and investigations | Check which diagnostic services are covered and whether financial limits apply. |
| Hospital list | Private hospitals available to your family | Having access to suitable hospitals can be particularly important when arranging treatment for children. |
| Excess | Amount contributed towards eligible claims | A higher excess may reduce premiums but can increase what you pay when you need treatment. |
| Policy limits | Financial or treatment limits | Understand how limits apply and whether they’re shared, per person or linked to particular benefits. |
| Mental health & therapies | Mental health treatment, physiotherapy and therapies | Compare whether these benefits are included and what limits or restrictions apply. |
| Health support services | Helplines, virtual healthcare and other services | Additional services may provide convenient support for everyday healthcare concerns. |
| Exclusions | Conditions and treatments not covered | Understanding exclusions helps you see exactly what the policy does and does not cover. |
What Can Family Cover Include?
Family private health insurance can provide different levels of cover depending on the policy you choose. Benefits vary between insurers and may be affected by policy limits, medical underwriting, provider networks and pre-authorisation requirements. The benefits available to one family member may also differ from those available to another.
Inpatient and Day-Patient Treatment
Where included, a policy may cover eligible hospital, nursing and surgical costs when an insured person is admitted to hospital overnight or receives treatment as a day patient. The level of cover may vary, so it’s important to understand which hospitals and treatments are included and whether any limits apply.
Outpatient Treatment
Some policies cover eligible specialist consultations and other outpatient care without the need for hospital admission. This may be included as standard or available as an optional benefit, and can have an annual financial limit. A policy with a lower premium may provide less outpatient cover, potentially leaving you to pay some costs yourself.
Diagnostic Tests and Scans
Tests and scans may be covered when they’re needed to investigate an eligible condition. Depending on the policy, you may need a referral or prior authorisation before treatment takes place. Diagnostics may also fall within an outpatient limit or be subject to separate terms.
Medication and Treatment Costs
Medicines provided as part of eligible treatment may be covered under your policy’s terms. However, routine prescriptions, long-term medication and drugs that fall outside the insurer’s terms may be excluded. If a particular medication or treatment is important to your family, ask about it before relying on the policy to meet the cost.
Mental Health and Therapies
Mental health services, physiotherapy and other therapies are covered differently by insurers. They may be included within the policy or offered as optional benefits, with limits on the number of sessions, the amount payable or the providers you can use. Consider the needs of each family member when comparing this type of cover.
Health Advice and Support
Some insurers provide additional services such as health advice lines or virtual healthcare alongside their main insurance policy. These services may vary in availability, hours, clinical scope and age restrictions. They’re intended to provide support and don’t guarantee that a treatment will be covered or replace urgent medical care.
Flexible Cover for Different Stages of Family Life
Family circumstances can change over time, and your health insurance may need to change with them. Family private health insurance in the UK may vary in terms of who can join, when a dependant can be added and how long a child can remain covered. Review the policy when your family’s circumstances change to make sure the cover still meets your needs.
Health Insurance for Couples
Couples may compare a shared policy with separate policies, depending on what each insurer offers. Individual medical history, preferred benefits and budgets may all affect which arrangement is suitable. An adviser can explain the practical differences between the options without assuming that one approach will always cost less.
Private Health Insurance for Children
Children may be included on a parent’s policy or covered through another arrangement, depending on the insurer’s terms. Check the minimum and maximum ages, covered services, hospital choices and any requirements around who can arrange or consent to treatment.
Adding a Baby to Your Health Insurance
If you’re expecting a baby, it’s worth finding out in advance how and when they can be added to your policy. Ask about notification deadlines, eligibility and any underwriting requirements for newborns. Don’t assume a newborn will be automatically covered, or that pregnancy, childbirth or congenital conditions are included, as terms vary between insurers.
Cover for Older Children and Dependants
Insurers have different age limits and definitions of who qualifies as a dependant. As your child gets older, check if they can remain on your existing policy and whether the terms of their cover will change. In some cases, a separate policy may be more appropriate.
Complete the enquiry form for a family quote.
Cover for Different Budgets
A private health plan for families can be tailored through different benefit levels, excesses and hospital networks. However, a lower premium may mean less cover, so consider what you would be giving up before choosing a lower-cost option.
What Affects the Cost?
Several factors can affect the cost of family health insurance, including the number and ages of the people insured, where you live, the selected benefits, outpatient limits, the hospital network and the excess. Medical underwriting can also affect the price of a policy.
Some insurers offer family or child pricing arrangements, but these vary between providers, so a personalised comparison is more useful than relying on an average price.
How Can You Manage the Premium?
There are several ways to manage the cost of your cover. You could consider a higher excess you’re comfortable paying, a different hospital network or more focused outpatient benefits. It’s also important to understand whether policy limits apply to each person or are shared across the family.
The best family private health insurance for your household isn’t necessarily the policy with the most benefits. Look for a cover that meets your family’s healthcare needs and fits your budget, while making sure you understand any exclusions and limits.
Extra Health and Well-Being Benefits
Additional health and well-being services may be valuable, but it’s important to compare the core medical cover first. Routine healthcare costs and everyday support aren’t necessarily included within private health insurance, so check exactly what each policy provides.
Health Advice, Discounts and Wellbeing Benefits
Some insurers include additional services such as health advice, virtual appointments or discounts as part of their policies. What’s available may vary between insurers and plans, and some services may have eligibility or age restrictions.
Check the terms before placing too much importance on these extras when comparing policies. Private family healthcare services offered alongside a policy may also have their own limits and conditions.
How to Choose a Cover for Your Family
1. Decide Who You Want to Cover
Start by considering who in your family needs insurance. A private health plan for families may include parents, partners and eligible children, although insurers have different rules around who can be covered and at what age. The adviser can compare a joint family policy with individual policies where available.
2. Choose the Level of Cover Your Family Needs
Decide which benefits are most important to your family. Inpatient and day-patient treatment may be a priority, while you may also want outpatient consultations, tests, scans, mental health treatment and therapies. More comprehensive cover will often cost more and may have separate limits for certain benefits.
Some family policies also allow different levels of cover or optional benefits for individual members, depending on the insurer and plan. This can be useful where family members have different healthcare needs, but it’s best to check how the policy applies benefits, limits and excesses to each person before choosing.
3. Set a Budget That Works for Your Family
Consider how much you can comfortably spend on premiums each month or year. A lower-cost policy may have a more restricted hospital list, a higher excess or lower limits for outpatient treatment. When comparing quotes, make sure you’re checking policies with similar levels of cover rather than looking at the premium alone.
4. Choose an Appropriate Excess
An excess is the amount you agree to pay towards eligible claims. Choosing a higher excess may lower your premium, but it’s important to check how the excess is applied before selecting it. Depending on the policy, it may apply per person, per claim or per policy year. Make sure the amount would be affordable if you needed to claim.
5. Check Your Family’s Hospital Options
Consider which hospitals and specialists are available in locations that are convenient for your family, whether that’s close to home, work or school. Hospital and provider lists vary between insurers and policies, so check the relevant list and any authorisation requirements before assuming a particular hospital or specialist is covered.
6. Compare the Full Policy, Not Just the Premium
When comparing private family health insurance, look at the full range of benefits and terms rather than choosing based on price alone. Our advisers can lay out premiums, benefits, annual or per-person limits, excesses, provider networks, underwriting and exclusions. It’s also worth understanding how claims are authorised and whether anything can change when the policy renews. Check the wording that applies to each insured person, as well as the overall shared premium.
Request a tailored comparison through the enquiry form.
Private Healthcare Alongside the NHS
Private health insurance for families can provide an additional option for accessing eligible private healthcare. It doesn’t replace your entitlement to NHS services, and having a policy doesn’t mean every condition or treatment will be covered privately. You can continue to use NHS services whenever you need them.
Can Your Family Still Use the NHS?
Yes. Having a private health insurance policy doesn’t prevent you, your partner or your children from using NHS services. The choice between private or NHS care for a particular health need may depend on the treatment required, what your policy covers and your family’s personal preferences.
Compare Cover With Heath Crawford
Comparing private family health insurance involves more than looking at the monthly premium. Heath Crawford can help you compare factors such as hospital access, outpatient limits, excess, medical underwriting and exclusions, so you can understand what you’re paying for. We can also review your cover when it’s time to renew.
Get A Family Health Insurance Quote
If you’re interested in Family Health Insurance, please fill in the form below with your contact details and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Let Us Find Cover That Works for Your Family
Tell us who you want to insure and what matters most to your family, whether that’s access to particular hospitals, mental health support or a premium that fits your budget.
Our advisers can compare suitable options from the insurers available to us, explain the key differences and help you understand how claims work under each policy. You can also read our private health insurance guide for a broader view of individual cover.
Family Health Insurance FAQs
These answers are general guidance. An adviser can check the relevant insurer’s eligibility, underwriting and policy wording for your family.
Can I Get Private Health Insurance Just for My Child?
Possibly. Some insurers offer policies or arrangements specifically for children, while others require a parent to be insured too. Minimum ages, eligibility requirements and available benefits vary between providers. An adviser can check which options may be available for your child.
Can I Add My Partner or Children to My Existing Policy?
You may be able to add a partner or child to an existing policy, depending on your insurer’s rules and any underwriting requirements. Before making a change, compare any revised premium and benefits with other available options. Find out when the additional cover would begin and whether any exclusions or different terms would apply.
Are Pre-Existing Conditions Covered?
Having a pre-existing condition doesn’t necessarily prevent someone from getting private health insurance, but the condition and related treatment may be excluded from cover. The way insurers assess existing conditions varies, and some conditions may be subject to longer-term restrictions. Always provide accurate medical information when requested and check the written terms that apply to each person insured.
Does Cover Include Dental and Optical Treatment?
Routine check-ups, glasses and dental treatment aren’t automatically included in private medical insurance. Some policies offer these benefits as optional extras, while a separate health cash plan may contribute towards eligible routine costs up to specified limits.
Can I Choose Which Hospital My Family Uses?
You can generally choose from hospitals within your insurer’s applicable network, subject to the policy and treatment rules. If a particular hospital is important to your family, check that it’s included before taking out cover. You may also need authorisation from the insurer before arranging eligible treatment.
Can I Change Providers?
Yes, you can compare alternative policies, including when your existing cover is due for renewal. However, switching insurers can affect how your medical history is assessed and may result in different exclusions or restrictions, particularly for existing or ongoing treatment. Review the replacement policy carefully before cancelling your current cover.
Compare Private Health Insurance Quotes Today
Heath Crawford can compare options for family private health insurance in the UK based on who needs cover, the benefits you value and your budget. Complete the enquiry form to discuss suitable options with an adviser and understand any important limits or exclusions before choosing your cover.
Get your family quote by completing the enquiry form, or call 0208 421 7030.