Bupa is a prominent health insurance provider offering a range of plans tailored
to individual, family, and corporate needs. Known for its extensive network of
hospitals, clinics, and healthcare professionals, Bupa provides policyholders
with swift access to medical consultations, treatments, and procedures, often bypassing long NHS waiting times.
Bupa’s philosophy is centered on putting the customer’s health and wellbeing at the
heart of everything it does. As a healthcare company without shareholders, Bupa reinvests
its profits to continuously improve services, extend access to care, and support innovation
in health delivery. This reinvestment model reflects its overarching purpose:
"Helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world."
Bupa (Originally British United Provident Association) was founded in 1947 by 17 UK provident associations to offer private medical insurance alongside the newly established NHS. With no shareholders, Bupa has always reinvested its profits to enhance healthcare services. Over the decades, it expanded from a UK health insurer into a global healthcare leader, offering services across insurance, aged care, dental, and direct medical care in countries such as Australia, Spain, and Chile. Through strategic acquisitions and a strong focus on innovation, prevention, and sustainability, Bupa now serves over 38 million customers worldwide. Its enduring purpose is to help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives by delivering high-quality, ethical, and customer-focused care.
Bupa offers two health insurance options in the UK to suit different healthcare needs and budgets. Both policies provide full cover for private hospital treatment and full cancer care. The Bupa By You Comprehensive policy covers both diagnosis and treatment, offering complete private healthcare. For those seeking a more cost-effective option, the Treatment and Care policy allows individuals to use NHS services for diagnosis while receiving private treatment—ensuring faster access to high-quality care when it matters most.
Bupa is a leading UK health insurer known for its extensive network of hospitals, clinics, and healthcare professionals. It offers swift access to medical consultations, treatments, and procedures, often bypassing long NHS waiting times. As a company without shareholders, Bupa reinvests its profits to enhance healthcare services and support innovation in health delivery.
Here's a concise summary of the most important facts that you need to know about Bupa health insurance if you are considering a Bupa Health Insurance policy.
🌟 Bupa are highly rated earning 5-star ratings from Defaqto and recipient of multiple awards, including Provider of the Year and Best Individual Health Insurance Provider at the Health & Protection Awards 2024.
💷 Bupa's health insurance pricing varies based on factors like age, coverage level, and excess options. Insured Health offers free, impartial advice to help you find the most cost-effective policy tailored to your needs.
📋 Bupa offers two UK health insurance plans - Comprehensive: Covers private diagnosis and treatment and Treatment & Care: Uses NHS for diagnosis, with private treatment. Both include Bupa's full cancer care.
📦 Bupa provides 24/7 Digital GP access, Discounts on fitness, nutrition and relaxation, and outdoor activities, a £300 dental allowance per policyholder and Bupa claim to cover more mental health conditions than any other leading UK insurer.
📞 To explore Bupa's health insurance options and receive a personalized quote, you can call 0800 131 0400 or get a quote now.
My Bupa: Save time with our digital appointments where you can speak to GPs, nurses, physiotherapists and mental health practitioners face-to-face or virtually.
Dental care: Everyone on your policy can get one Bupa Dental Care appointment and a £300 dental allowance each, every year. Including children.
Mental Health: Bupa claim to cover more mental health conditions than any other leading UK insurer.
Rewards: Rewards from brands you know and love. Fitness, nutrition, relaxation, getting outdoors. Whatever works for your wellbeing, Bupa want to save you money on it.
Bupa won the Provider of the Year at the Health & Protection Awards 2024.
Winner of the Best Individual Provider Year at the Health & Protection Awards 2024.
Bupa By You Comprehensive rated 5 star by independent rating service Defaqto.
Awarded Above and Beyond for Customer Service at the Cover Customer Care Awards 2024.
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| In-patient treatment | Bupa By You Comprehensive and Bupa By You Treatment and Care provides full cover for specialist consultations and all hospital charges, including surgeon and anaesthetist fees. Diagnostic tests including MRI, PET and CT scans are covered in full. |
| Out-patient treatment | Bupa By You Comprehensive pays for all eligible out-patient diagnostics and treatment in full. Bupa By You Comprehensive offers different levels of out-patient cover to choose from. With a combined limit for consultations, diagnostics, and therapies you can select either £500, £750 or £1000. MRI, PET and CT scans as an out-patient are covered in full on all Bupa By You Comprehensive plans regardless of your out-patient limit. Bupa By You Treatment and Care only provides out-patient consultations, diagnostics, MRI, PET and CT scans when directly related to eligible in-patient or day-patient treatment and is limited to within 6 months of discharge. Therapies are paid in full under Bupa By You Treatment and Care. |
| Cancer cover | Full cancer cover provides diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy along with access to all the latest cancer drugs. The cover is for every stage of a cancer journey including palliative care. |
| Mental health support | Coverage for up to 28 days per year for in-patient or day-patient mental health treatment. |
| Dental Benefit | One Bupa Dental Care appointment every year, for everyone on your policy. Everyone covered on the policy has a £300 allowance each towards restorative treatments, which includes things like crowns, fillings or bridges. |
| Anytime HealthLine | Access to Bupa Anytime Healthline, our 24-hour phone line. You can call day or night and talk to our GPs and nurses. And there’s no limit to the number of times you can call. |
| Additional Benefits | All Bupa By You policies include NHS cash benefit, NHS cancer cash benefit, home treatment for certain eligible treatments, private ambulance and parent accommodation. |
As with most health insurers Bupa have three options you can choose from for how your policy is underwritten:
Moratorium: No requirement for detailed medical history upfront, a moratorium period of two years is in place for any condition for which you have experienced symptoms or received treatment for in the last five years.
Full medical underwriting: Full medical underwriting means you disclose your full medical history when applying, allowing the insurer to assess and confirm which conditions are covered or excluded from the start.
Continued medical exclusions (Switch): You will need to answer a few questions regarding your medical history in the last five years and some questions on specific health conditions. The underwriting will transfer from your previous insurer rather than being re-underwritten. This option is only available to those with an existing health insurance policy with another insurer.
For more definitions of terms, please see our glossary.
An excess is the amount you will pay towards a claim, the higher the excess you choose the lower the premium will be. Bupa offer the following excess options:
£0, £100, £150, £200, £250, £500, £1000, and £2000.
The excess is per person per year if you claim and not per claim, so multiple claims can be made without paying the excess again.
Choosing the right hospital list ensures you have access to facilities you require, Bupa have three hospital lists:
Essential Access, Extended Choice and Extended Choice with central London.
Guided Care:
With Guided Care, members need an ‘open referral’ from a GP, specifying the consultant type, not a name. Bupa then offers a choice typically three suitable consultants and access to facilities within their hospital network.
Health insurance does not cover accident and emergency situations. Most leading health insurers do not cover treatment overseas, self-inflicted injury and professional sports related injuries are also not covered on a health insurance policy.
As with most health insurers Bupa's exclusions are very standard, they do not routinely cover:
Allergies, allergic disorders or food intolerances.
Birth control, conception, sexual problems and gender reassignment.
Chronic Conditions.
Contamination, wars, riots and some terrorist acts.
Cosmetic Surgery.
Fertility treatment and infertility.
Pre-existing conditions.
Pregnancy and childbirth.
Navigating health insurance especially understanding what’s covered can be complex, but our expert advisors are here to guide you in choosing the right policy and underwriting option for your needs.
Like all health insurance providers, Bupa considers a range of factors when calculating the cost of your private health
cover—some of which you can influence, and others that are fixed.
Bupa offers two core policy options: “Treatment and Care”, an entry-level option that covers private treatment following NHS diagnosis,
and “Comprehensive”, which provides broader access to private diagnosis and treatment.
In addition to your policy choice, here are several key factors Bupa takes into account when generating your quote:
Age: Age is one of the most significant factors—the older you are, the higher your premium tends to be. Taking out insurance early is a smart way to control future costs.
Who's covered: Including family members on your policy will result in higher premiums. Insurers do offer varying discounts for couples and familys.
Location: Where you live can impact pricing. Health insurance tends to be more expensive in London and the South East, where private treatment costs are typically higher.
Level of Cover: Comprehensive cover (e.g., private diagnosis and treatment) costs more than basic or treatment-only options. Extras like mental health cover, dental, and optical benefits increase the overall premium.
Excess Level: The higher the excess (the amount you agree to pay toward a claim), the lower your monthly premium will be. Choosing a high excess can reduce upfront costs.
Lifestyle and BMI: Most insurers now offer discounts based upon health and lifestyle. Your body mass index (BMI), fitness level, health conditions, and other lifestyle choices can affect your premium.
Smoking Status: Nearly all insurers charge higher premiums to smokers, reflecting the greater risk of illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory conditions.
Hospital and Consultant Access: Choosing a wider hospital network or the ability to select any consultant usually costs more. Guided care or restricted networks lower costs by limiting provider options.
No-Claims Discount: Bupa policies have a no-claims discount that increases each claim-free year. Claims on your policy could negatively impact your renewal price.
Understanding the key factors that affect your premium can help you take control of your health insurance costs. At Insured Health, we’re committed to supporting you throughout the life of your policy—helping you preserve the valuable benefits of private healthcare. We offer some the most competitive prices on the market, guaranteed not to be beaten elsewhere. Ready to take the next step? Get your personalised quote today.
What are the benefits of health insurance?
The main benefit of health insurance is that it gives you access to private healthcare. You can often bypass long NHS waiting times and receive prompt diagnosis and treatment getting you back to health sooner.
How does private health insurance work?
You’ll usually pay monthly or yearly for your cover. Then, if you become unwell or are injured, you can make a claim. Your insurer will then pay some or all of the cost of any private healthcare that you need.
How do you make a claim on health insurance?
Most insurers require a GP referral before you access private treatment. Some offer online GP appointments or allow direct access to specialists through a triage process. In most cases, you’ll need authorisation before seeing a specialist. The insurer usually pays the provider directly, though you may cover any excess or costs beyond your policy limits.
Will my premium increase every year?
Premiums can rise annually due to age and inflation in medical costs. Making a claim on your policy can impact your premium. If you've noticed an increase, speak to one of our advisers today.
I have medical history can I get cover?
Yes, you can still get health insurance if you have a medical history, but it may affect what’s covered. Some conditions you’ve had treatment or symptoms for may not be included right away. Depending on the policy, these conditions could be covered later if you don’t need any treatment for them. Speak to one of our advisers who can help find the right policy for your needs.
How much does private health insurance cost?
Costs vary based on factors such as your age, health, location, level of cover, and excess amount. Policies can range from under £30 per month to several hundred, depending on these variables. For an accurate price speak to one of our advisers today.
At Insured Health, we help you compare prices and cover from top UK health insurance providers like Aviva, AXA, and Bupa. Our service is completely free, and we remain fully independent and impartial to ensure you get the best advice for your needs.
Our expert, approachable advisers are here to guide you through every step with ease. They’ll take the time to understand your personal needs, compare prices and policies on your behalf, and provide clear, honest advice to help you find the best and most affordable cover.
Whether you're exploring health insurance options or already have cover and want to ensure you're getting the best deal, Insured Health is a trusted health insurance broker
We offer the most competitive prices available from insurers, you will not get a cheaper price for health insurance elsewhere.
Our service is entirely free, and we pride ourselves on being independent and impartial.
Based in Sheffield, our team of expert advisers is just a call or click away, ready to guide you through the process with ease.
At Insured Health, our customers trust us to make finding the right health insurance simple and stress-free. They consistently praise our knowledgeable, patient advisors who take the time to understand individual needs and provide clear, pressure-free guidance. Reviewers value our competitive pricing, better coverage options, and annual policy reviews that ensure lasting value. By comparing top UK providers, we deliver transparent, personalised service that gives customers confidence, peace of mind, and exceptional care.
