Basic
The cheaper option for family health insurance, which will cover you for hospital stays, surgery and some outpatient treatment. The amount you can claim for outpatient treatment is usually capped.
Compare family health insurance quotes from our trusted providers
When it comes to health cover for you or your family, it’s important to shop around and find the right policy to suit your needs and budget. We search across leading health insurance providers to show you our best deals tailored to your requirements.
What is family health insurance?
Family health insurance provides private health insurance for your whole family. With this type of insurance, you and your loved ones will receive financial support to cover the cost of private healthcare in the event they fall ill and need medical treatment.
Essentially, the benefit of taking out family medical insurance is that it allows you to insure multiple people with one policy. It can even work out cheaper than getting a cover for each individual family member.
Does my family need private health insurance?
Although in the UK, we’re fortunate to have the NHS, many people in Britain still opt for private health insurance cover to seek additional support from private health professionals and advisers. Here are some of the benefits:
NHS waiting times: It can take a long time to get treated on the NHS, with cover you can bypass this and be promptly treated for any issues
More privacy: Another plus of going private is that you can get private rooms, which can be beneficial for pregnancy scans or parents who want to accompany their children receiving care
Medication: You could also benefit from access to medication that’s not available on the NHS.
However, even with private health insurance policy, you’ll still have to go to an NHS A&E in an emergency if you have an injury or require emergency treatment.
What types of family health insurance are available?
There are different types of health insurance policies to suit your family, including:
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Comprehensive
This type of policy can be more expensive because it covers a greater range of treatments and conditions, including mental health and physiotherapy. This policy can also include hospital accommodation for parents, as well as a private ambulance, home nursing and dedicated medical helplines
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Family health cash plan
Cash plans contribute towards your family’s routine healthcare costs and will pay out a cash lump sum for costs such as family visits to the dentist or optician. Because these plans are more limited than family health insurance plans, they are cheaper
What is and isn’t included in family health insurance?
What your policy will exactly cover will depend on your provider. But here’s what you can expect to be covered and not:
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Inpatient treatment
You should be covered for any overnight hospital stays and diagnostic tests
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Cosmetic surgery
You won’t be covered for any cosmetic surgery you wish to have
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Outpatient treatment
This will cover you for when you don’t need to stay overnight as well as any treatments and tests you undergo
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Giving birth
You won’t be insured for giving birth or post-natal care
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Extras
You can also choose add-ons to your cover such as dental care and physiotherapy
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Chronic diseases
You won’t be covered for any chronic conditions you suffer from such as heart disease and diabetes
How much is family health insurance?
A family health insurance policy will vary in cost depending on the policy you choose. It's hard to give you an exact figure of what you’d pay right now. But our data shows that the average costs are £1,460 per year, or £121 per month.
Number of children | Average annual premium | Average monthly premium |
|---|---|---|
0 | £1,223.06 | £101.92 |
1 | £1,322.21 | £110.18 |
2 | £1,568.91 | £130.74 |
3 | £1,552.81 | £129.40 |
4 | £1,633.20 | £136.10 |
Data based on MoneySuperMarket health insurance cover sold between May 2023 and May 2024 with no pre-existing health conditions for everyone in the family.
What can increase the cost of family health insurance?
There are a few factors that can contribute to higher costs on your family health insurance. It all depends on the policy, but they can include:
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Size of your family
Simply put, the more people you insure the more you should expect to pay. However, keep in mind this could work out cheaper than taking out individual policies for each of you.
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Your medical history
Having a history of some health conditions will push up your premiums, but it’s important to be honest about this, as you won’t be covered for ailments you haven’t disclosed.
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Your policy
The level of cover you opt for will contribute to how much you’ll pay. Basic cover will be cheaper but will offer limited protection in comparison to comprehensive cover which will be more expensive but more wide-ranging.
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Your location
Where you’re based can affect how much your cover will cost, because in different areas private hospitals may charge more for treatment. For example, private healthcare is the most expensive in London.
How can I keep my family health insurance costs down?
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Add an excess
You can lower your premiums by adding an excess, because by doing this you’re paying the initial part of any claim
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Pay annually
This can usually work out cheaper than paying monthly
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Reduce your hospital list
If you choose a shorter list of hospitals to be treated at can also lower the cost
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Add a waiting period
By agreeing to be treated by the NHS if the waiting time is six weeks or less can reduce your premium
How to compare family health insurance
To find the right quote for you, you’ll need to give us some information about you, including:
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Personal details
This includes letting us know whether you’re a smoker, if you are recovering from any long-term medical issues and how many family members you would like to add to your policy.
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Your policy
Let us know the level of cover you would like in your policy and which extras you want to add to your cover.
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We will search the market
We will browse the market for deals from leading UK health insurance providers to find the best policy for you at the cheapest possible price.
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Guides and expert tips
Keep up to date and find out all you need to know with our latest guides.
Can I put non-family members on your health insurance?
You’re only able to add dependents to your family health insurance policies. Meaning you can only add family members such as your children or spouse even if you live at different addresses.
Can we get health insurance as a couple?
Yes, you’re able to get joint health insurance for couples.
Do I need family health insurance if I get health insurance through my employer?
If your workplace provides you with private health insurance, it’ll most probably only cover you, not your family members. You might have the option to extend your policy to your family. If you’re able to do that, you won’t need family health insurance.
If you’re unable to add your family to your workplace’s policy, you could consider getting cover for them. You should also remember that if you leave your job, you’ll no longer receive health insurance from your employer.
Will my family still be able to use the NHS?
Yes, even if you have private medical cover, you can still use the NHS. You’ll also be able to use the NHS for any treatment your policy doesn’t cover, such as emergency care.
Do my family need a medical to access cover?
If there are no pre-existing medical conditions, your family won’t need medicals to be insured. You will just need to complete a family medical history form.
Will my family health insurance cover sports activities?
It is unlikely that your family health insurance will cover you for sports whether its extreme sports such as surfing or skydiving or less riskier activities such as football. Before you buy any cover, have a look at the terms and conditions. You might be able to add specific sports-related cover, but you’ll unlikely be insured for any pre-existing injuries.
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Reviewed on 17 Dec 2025 by
