Over 50 Health Insurance

Health Insurance Over 50 

The amount of money that the NHS spends per person rises very sharply after age 50, for obvious reasons. As people age they’re more likely to develop high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, muscular issues, skeletal issues, arthritis, heart conditions and respiratory disorders, and an individual’s risk of developing cancer increases once they hit their 50s as well. 

With many of these conditions and diseases, the individual will have a better outcome if it is diagnosed and treated early. That’s why it might be a good idea to consider private health insurance if you’re in your 50s since this type of insurance policy can dramatically reduce waiting times for patients.  

Compare health insurance for over 50s now 

Are there specific health insurance policies for the over 50s? 

No, not exactly. 

There are one or two private health insurance companies that specialise in insuring older people, such as Saga Insurance, but most other providers will offer private health insurance to people in their 50s as well. Your age will simply be one of the risk factors providers take into account when they’re calculating your premium. 

What are the advantages of private health insurance for people in their 50s? 

Private health insurance is arguably a better investment for people aged 50 or older than it is for policyholders in their 30s or 40s since a wide range of medical conditions and diseases are much more likely to arise amongst the 50+ demographic than it is for younger people.  

You will likely be aware that the NHS is dealing with a growing number of patients and waiting lists for some conditions can run to many months, so if you are in your 50s the main advantage of this type of insurance policy is that it can help speed up the treatment if you do develop a medical condition. 

Are there any drawbacks with over 50s health insurance? 

The main one is obviously the cost of the policy. NHS treatment is open to everyone living in the UK and is free to the patient at the point of need, so this type of private health insurance policy comes with costs that aren’t actually obligated to fork out for.  

Of course, many people in the UK do decide that this insurance is worth the cost for the peace of mind it gives them, and as you get older there’s a greater likelihood that you might actually use your private medical insurance at some point.  

How much does over 50s health insurance cost? 

Well, your age is just one of the risk factors that insurance providers are likely to use when they’re calculating your premium, and although how old you are when you sign up for the policy is a pretty big factor, the truth is there’s no one-size-fits-all premium for over 50s health insurance. 

Your lifestyle, medical history, smoking habits, vaping habits and drinking habits can all influence the cost of this insurance, so the best way to check how much it’s likely to cost you is to compare real quotes that take your own risk factors into account. 

Is it worth the cost of it? 

Again, that’s going to vary quite a bit from one individual to the next, and will be very much a personal decision based on your attitude to risk, your concerns about the possibility of developing conditions as you age, and the premium you’re quoted for this insurance policy. 

We’d recommend comparing real quotes that take your individual risk factors into account and then weighing up that fixed cost against your own attitude to your current state of health.  

Will the cost continue rising as I progress through my fifties and into my sixties? 

Yes, since your age is a pretty big risk factor when it comes to private health insurance, and since that level of risk continues to increase as you continue to age, there’s a good chance your premium will continue to rise as you get move through your fifties and into your sixties and seventies.  

The increase might not be as big as you think though, and if you don’t have to claim on your insurance for a number of years you could clock up a ‘no claims bonus’ on your health insurance policy, which could offset some or all of this increase. 

Does this type of policy exclude age-related ailments? 

That largely depends on when the ailment was first diagnosed.  

If you have sought medical treatment or been referred to a specialist for that ailment before you took out your health insurance policy then that condition will almost certainly be excluded from coverage. 

But for anything that is newly diagnosed during the term of your policy, including age-related ailment that you have never suffered from in the past, you’re likely to be covered. 

Does health insurance for over 50s cover routine screenings? 

That will depend on the insurance provider you go with and the level of coverage you opt for from that insurer. 

With most providers, if you opt for the most comprehensive level of coverage, which will include cover for tests, scans and diagnosis in addition to treatment, then there’s a good chance routine medical screenings will be covered since that is part of the diagnostic process. 

Can I add my spouse to this policy once they turn 50? 

Yes, most private health insurance providers will allow you to take out a joint policy that covers both you and your spouse, and in fact you don’t have to wait until your partner turns 50 before you add them to your insurance. 

What kind of emergency care is covered by this type of policy? 

Most private health insurance policies, including private health insurance for the over 50s, won’t cover emergency medical treatment, so if you do suffer an emergency you will usually have to use the NHS’s emergency services even if you do have this insurance in place at the time of that medical emergency. 

Is it true that some types of surgical procedures may be excluded from coverage when I take out health insurance for over 50s? 

Yes, the two main scenarios where surgical procedures will likely be excluded from coverage are when: 

• The surgery relates to a medical condition that was diagnosed before you took this insurance policy out 
• The surgery is considered to be elective and non-essential, such as breast augmentation, a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) or a nose job (rhinoplasty).