Private health insurance with high BP and cholestrol

[NishitaD]

Hi I am 65 and on statins due to high bp and cholestrol and looking to take out private health insurance but have been informed that any complications that may arise and are linked to high BP or cholestrol may not be covered. I have never had any heart isuees before and the medication I am on is more preventative. I have been on the statins for c.5 years. Does anyone have any advice on how to secure health insurance with high BP / cholestrol?

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Statins treat cholesterol issues so I imagine you are on other medication(s) for BP. Some years ago the company I worked for decided to offer staff private medical cover. Two of us had pre-existing medical conditions which caused issues. Basically there were so many exclusions that it made the cover barely worth having. I then looked around. One company would cover me but at a vastly increased premium. The second offered standard premiums subject to one having six monthly blood tests and consultations - the cost was prohibitive!

I decided not to bother...

[Hidden]

I used to work in the private medical insurance field. Taking into account your age and statins/BP issues, I would say that any company which would cover you, which is unlikely, for any related issues would offer sky high premiums and a huge excess. It might be worth having a look on one of the comparison sites. To be honest I think you would be just as well putting what you can comfortably afford into a savings account. Remember that if you were admitted for say a heart attack the NHS would be the ones to treat you in an NHS hospital regardless of your I insurance situation

[IanMK]

It’s not in the insurance company’s interests to insure people with a higher risk that they may have to pay out. Ideally, they only wan to take your money. As GillMac1 suggests, put an amount similar to what you would be prepared to pay into a savings account. If you fall ill you can use some of this for an initial private consultation and avoid the initial delays in diagnosis that are often the most anxious time. You will know the urgency (or otherwise) of your condition sooner rather than later and then be able to make an informed decision whether to continue down the Private route or take the NHS route.