Health Insurance Glossary

See below for a list of conditions and specific private healthcare terms explained

Browse through the A-Z health insurance glossary

A

Acute condition

An illness or injury that is diagnosed as curable based on the assumption that any subsequent medical treatment will restore you to full health.

Annual renewal

The anniversary of the day you began your policy on which your insurance is due for renewal. Before your renewal UK Health Insurance will contact you to make sure your current policy meets your needs and if not find suitable alternatives by performing a market review for you.

C

Chronic condition

An illness or disease that is diagnosed as requiring ongoing treatment or management, continues indefinitely or has no known cure. Some health insurance policies may help stabilise a chronic condition but not manage it continually.

Claim

A request to your insurer for payment for medical expenses in accordance with your insurance policy.

Co-payment

An initiative designed to reduce the cost of your health insurance policy where you agree to pay a percentage of any claim.

CPME

Continued Personal Medical Exclusions – If you change insurers, you can, subject to meeting certain criteria take your current exclusions with you. This can influence the premium you pay.

CT Scan

A medical diagnostic tool to take detailed internal images of body structures using a rotating x-ray beam.

D

Day Patient

A patient who is admitted to hospital or a medical centre for treatment but is not required to stay overnight.

Diagnostic tests

A series of investigations such as CT scans, MRI scans, blood tests and x-rays to determine the cause of health symptoms.

E

Excess

A method of reducing the cost of your health insurance by agreeing to pay a set amount of money towards any claim.

Exclusion

Anything that is not covered in your health insurance policy, for example medical treatment for injuries or illnesses sustained from drug abuse.

F

Full medical underwriting (FMU)

A policy that is underwritten based on evidence regarding your medical history whereby any pre-existing conditions can be excluded.

G

General Practitioner or GP

A doctor who is on the GP register of the General Medical Council and has a Licence to Practise. In non-emergency cases your GP is the first person to see regarding your symptoms.

H

Hospital Lists

This is a list of hospitals that you are entitled to use, however they vary from plan to plan, so make sure the hospital you want is covered by your plan.

I

Inpatient

Any patient who is admitted for treatment and is required to stay in hospital for one night or longer.

M

Moratorium or Mori

An Underwriting term for an insurance policy without medical disclosure. Typically, any conditions you have had in the past five years will be excluded. However, you can regain cover for these conditions if you remain symptom, treatment, advice and medication-free in the first two years of your policy.

MRI Scan

A medical tool used to diagnose symptoms by using magnets and radio frequency waves to capture cross sectional images of the body.

O

Outpatient

Any patient who needs to go hospital usually for consultations or tests but not classed as a day-patient or inpatient. Usually refers to diagnosis or treatment as opposed to day surgery.

P

Policy

A contract of insurance between you and your insurer.

Pre-existing conditions

Any injuries, illnesses or diseases that you have previously suffered from, sought advice or diagnostics about or received treatment for.

Premium

The amount of money paid to your insurer in order to be covered for private healthcare. It can be paid monthly or annually.

S

Six-week wait

A process which can reduce your insurance premiums by opting to agree that if you can be treated by the NHS in six weeks you will be. If you are not treated within six weeks by the NHS you will be treated privately.

Switch/Switching

A process of moving insurers but keeping the same underwriting as the original policy. You can remain covered for conditions that arose since taking out your original policy.

T

Treatment

Any medical diagnostics, surgery or services that are needed to relieve or cure an injury or illness.

W

Whole-of-Market

Brokers who are whole-of-market are not tied to any insurance provider and can offer polices from every available insurer and often cover needs that are not standard such as International PMI, Cash Plans.

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