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?
Private health insurance isn’t essential in the UK, as you can access healthcare through the NHS. However, having private cover can offer some additional benefits, such as:
-
Potentially shorter waiting times
Private health insurance can give you access to private healthcare and may mean you’re seen or treated sooner than you would be through the NHS
-
More choice and privacy
Going private can give you more choice over hospitals and specialists, as well as access to private rooms in some circumstances
-
Access to treatment and medicine
Private health insurance may cover certain treatments, drugs or medicines that aren’t routinely available through the NHS
What types of family health insurance are available?
There are different types of health insurance policies to suit your family, including:
-
-
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
-
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?
Family health insurance can cover a range of treatments but often comes with exclusions too:
-
What’s typically covered?
Inpatient treatment: Cover can include eligible treatment that requires you to stay overnight in hospital, such as surgery, hospital stays and diagnostic tests
Outpatient treatment: You may be able to claim for eligible consultations, treatments and diagnostic tests that don’t require an overnight hospital stay
Specialist consultations: Your policy may cover appointments with specialists, such as consultants, when you’ve been referred for an eligible medical condition
Diagnostic tests: You may be covered for eligible tests and scans needed to diagnose a medical condition, subject to the terms of your policy
Physiotherapy and other treatments: Some policies include physiotherapy and other therapies, while others offer them as optional extras or with limits on how much you can claim
-
What’s not typically covered?
Cosmetic surgery: Cosmetic surgery carried out purely to change your appearance is generally excluded. (Some policies may cover reconstructive surgery following an illness or injury)
Pregnancy and giving birth: Routine pregnancy, giving birth and postnatal care are generally not covered. (Policies may offer limited maternity benefits, subject to specific terms and waiting periods)
Chronic and pre-existing conditions: Private health insurance is generally designed to cover acute conditions rather than ongoing chronic conditions
Weight-loss treatment: Treatments intended primarily for weight loss, including weight-loss surgery, are often excluded from private health insurance
High-risk sports injuries: Injuries caused by certain high-risk sports or activities may not be covered. Which activities are considered high risk will vary between insurers
What add-ons can I get with family health insurance?
Common optional add-ons and extras for family health insurance include:
-
Dental cover
Can help towards the cost of routine dental check-ups and treatment
-
Optical cover
Can contribute towards eye tests, glasses and contact lenses
-
Physiotherapy and therapies
May provide cover for physiotherapy and other recognised therapies
-
Mental health cover
Some policies offer enhanced cover for mental health treatment and support
-
Travel insurance
Some insurers offer travel insurance as an additional benefit or separate policy
-
Health screening
Optional cover may provide access to health checks and screenings
-
Alternative therapies
Some policies may cover treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic treatment or osteopathy, subject to limits
What age limits apply to family health insurance?
There isn’t one standard age limit for family health insurance, but children can often be included on a family policy until they’re around 18.
Some insurers extend this to 21 or 25 if the child is in full-time education or financially dependent on their parents. Check your policy, as the rules vary between providers.
For adults, some insurers have an upper age limit for taking out a new policy, which can be around 65 to 80, although some providers have no upper age limit.
Your premium is also likely to increase as you get older, as age is one of the factors insurers may consider when calculating the cost of cover.
Do my family need a medical to get cover?
Usually, no medical examination is needed to take out family health insurance in the UK.
Insurers will normally ask you to provide information about your family’s health and medical history instead.
You may be asked about pre-existing medical conditions, previous treatment and current symptoms, which can affect what’s covered or the price of your policy.
Some insurers may require further medical information from your GP, but a physical medical is not normally part of the application process.
What can affect the cost of family health insurance?
There are a few factors that can contribute to the cost of your family health insurance. It all depends on the policy, but they can include:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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?
-
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
-
Pay annually
This can usually work out cheaper than paying monthly
-
Reduce your hospital list
If you choose a shorter list of hospitals to be treated at can also lower the cost
-
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
-
Compare providers
Prices and levels of cover can vary between insurers, so comparing different policies can help you find a deal that suits your family and budget
-
Review your level of cover
You may be able to reduce your premium by choosing a lower level of outpatient cover or removing benefits you don’t need. Make sure you’re comfortable with what you’ll lose before making changes
-
Check your employer benefits
If you or your partner has private health insurance through work, check whether you can add your family to the scheme and whether this works out cheaper than taking out a separate policy
-
Consider family medical needs
Think about how likely each family member is to use the policy. Choosing additional benefits you’re unlikely to need can increase your premium unnecessarily
-
Review your policy at renewal
Don’t automatically renew without checking the price and cover. Your circumstances may have changed, and comparing your options at renewal could help you find a more suitable or affordable policy
How to compare family health insurance
To find the right quote for you, you’ll need to give us some information about you, including:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
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.
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.
Does family health insurance cover me abroad?
Family health insurance doesn’t usually provide comprehensive cover for medical treatment abroad. However, some insurers offer overseas medical cover as an optional extra, which you may be able to add to your policy for an additional cost.
This type of cover can help with eligible medical treatment while you’re travelling, but the level of protection and exclusions will vary between providers.
It’s also important to remember that overseas medical cover isn’t necessarily a replacement for travel insurance, which can provide additional protection for things such as cancelled trips, lost luggage and repatriation.
Check your policy carefully before travelling to make sure your whole family has the cover you need.
Can I get digital GP appointments with family health insurance?
Many family health insurance policies include access to a digital GP service, allowing you to arrange a video or telephone appointment with a GP without visiting a surgery. This can be particularly convenient for families, but digital GP access isn’t included with every provider or policy, so check what’s available before you buy.
Will I lose cover if I switch health insurance providers?
You won’t necessarily lose cover, but switching provider can affect what you’re covered for.
Your new insurer may apply different exclusions, limits or underwriting terms, particularly for medical conditions you’ve developed since taking out your existing policy.
Always compare the terms carefully before switching and make sure your new policy is in place before cancelling your current one.
Until what age are children covered on family health insurance?
The age limit for children varies between insurers. Children may typically be covered until 18, while some providers extend this to 21 or 25 if they’re in full-time education or financially dependent on their parents.
Check your policy, as the age at which children need to leave a family policy can differ between providers.
Does the type of underwriting affect my health insurance cost?
Yes, the type of underwriting you choose can affect both your premium and what you’re covered for. Full medical underwriting requires you to provide more information about your medical history before the insurer decides what it will cover.
Moratorium underwriting generally involves less information upfront, with cover for certain pre-existing conditions restricted for a set period. The best option will depend on your circumstances, so compare the cover as well as the price.
Super save with MoneySuperMarket
You work hard to earn your money, and we don’t think you should waste a penny of it paying over the odds on your household bills. That’s why at MoneySuperMarket, we’re on a mission to save Britain money.
Whip your credit score into shape with Credit Score
Super save over and over again with Energy Monitor
There are always more ways to save with MoneySuperMarket
So how do we make our money? In a nutshell, when you use us to buy something, we get a reward from the company you’re buying from.
You might be wondering if we work with all the companies in the market, or if our commercial relationships with our partners might make us feature one company above another. We’ve got nothing to hide, and we want to give you clear answers when it comes to questions like these, so we’ve pulled together everything you need to know on this page.
Reviewed on 9 Sep 2026 by
