Compare our best health insurance for over 65s

Health insurance for over 65s pays out for private treatment if you fall ill, are injured or diagnosed with an acute medical condition during your policy’s term. 

Acute conditions are ailments that come on quickly, require urgent attention, and can be resolved through treatment. 

Health policies, which are also known as private medical insurance or PMI, typically exclude chronic conditions that require long-term care or are incurable. If your claim is covered by the policy, you could be able to get faster treatment than the NHS can provide.

Private medical insurance isn’t essential because the UK has an excellent health service. The NHS offers free treatment to everyone, which is a major plus as not everyone can afford to pay for private healthcare. 

But, if you can afford it, health insurance offers the reassurance that you’ll be seen promptly if your health takes a turn for the worse. You might decide that the greater choice of treatments, shorter waiting times and pleasant settings make it worth every penny.

The benefits of health insurance when you’re 65, 70 or older are similar to those of health insurance at any age, and can include:

• Greater choice when it comes to tests and treatments, including some that aren’t available on the NHS

• Shorter waiting times 

• Access to private hospitals

• A private room

• Your own television and ensuite bathroom if you stay overnight

• More choice and control over when and where you’re treated

Providers of medical insurance for seniors sometimes set an upper age limit, such as 70,75 or even 85. 

According to the British Medical Association most insurers will only offer over 75s a fully underwritten policy, meaning they’d take a closer look at your medical history and need to contact your GP. 

If you find a particular policy that has an age 75 cut-off, you couldn’t apply for cover if you’re 76. 

But, if you're 75, you could get this policy even if you’d turn 76 during the term. All you need do is be prepared to switch to another one at the end of the cover term.

Other policies have no upper age limit, so you can keep renewing them annually for the rest of your life.

Remember that the price of health insurance usually goes up as you get older. Work out what level of cover you want, then compare policies that fit the bill. From those, you can choose the cheapest.