HEALTH INSURANCE FAQS

We calculate the basic cost of your cover based on your chosen Saga HealthPlan, hospital access, and any family members added to the policy.

Additionally, we consider statistical factors such as the age of the eldest person covered and your geographical region.

You can reduce the cost by adding an excess to your policy or selecting our unique 4-week or 6-week wait option.

You should be aware there are a number of exclusions that are commonly applied to most private health insurance policies. Common exclusions include treatment of incurable long-term illnesses (chronic conditions), pre-existing conditions and cosmetic surgery.

Full details of these exclusions can be found in the ABI Guide to Buying Private Health Insurance.

Like other private health insurance policies in the UK, Saga HealthPlans cover the costs of treating medical conditions that arise after you join. Our Policy Books explain how we assess pre-existing conditions and outline the three methods of underwriting we use.

Generally, we exclude treatment for any medical condition or specified conditions you (or anyone you wish to cover) have experienced or had symptoms of during the three years before joining. Regardless of the underwriting method you choose, you’ll be covered for new, eligible conditions that arise after the policy starts.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition and want to discuss available cover options, please call our friendly health insurance team on 0330 094 6361

When considering health insurance, it’s crucial to explore all available options. Our insurance offerings include three underwriting methods:

• Moratorium: We cover new medical conditions that arise after the policy begins. However, any pre-existing conditions or symptoms experienced during the three years before the policy starts will be excluded.
• Full Medical Underwriting: Like Moratorium, this option relies on answers provided during our comprehensive medical history assessment. Exclusions for pre-existing conditions are based on this assessment.
• Continued Personal Medical Exclusions: These are available if you already have coverage with another health insurance provider. Eligibility depends on your medical history over the past 12 months.

Depending on your choice, we may cover pre-existing medical conditions. For those who completed an online quote, the Moratorium method applies – no medical declaration is necessary. We’ll exclude treatment for any condition and specified conditions experienced in the three years prior to joining.

If you have pre-existing medical conditions and want to discuss Full Medical Underwriting or Continued Personal Medical Exclusions, please call our friendly health insurance team on 0330 094 6361

Learn more about our health insurance underwriting methods.

Yes, choosing to add No Claim Discount protection allows you to make one claim without adversely affecting your No Claim Discount. If you remain claim-free you still go up the No Claim Discount scale until you reach the maximum. It is available for an additional premium to all customers on our moratorium or full medical history underwriting terms.

Saga HealthPlans Super, Secure, and Saver Plus all provide cancer coverage and access to the latest drugs and treatments. This includes chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments as standard, with up to 18 months of coverage for biological therapies.

For customers who want total peace of mind, our Extended Cancer Cover option completely removes the time limit for cancer drugs that are used within the terms of their licence.

For more information about our cover for cancer, call our friendly UK-based team on 0330 094 6361

Alternatively, you can get a quote online in minutes.

Health insurance covers the cost of private healthcare when you've been referred by a GP for an eligible condition. If you're self-employed or work as a freelancer, fast access to a specialist for diagnosis and treatment can be a great help if you need to get back to work as soon as possible.

Private healthcare also gives you plenty of flexibility – with the option to choose a specialist who works close to your place of work and appointment times that suit you and the needs of your business, you're in control.

Saga Health Insurance gives you fast and easy access to specialists for medical investigations and hospital treatment for eligible conditions, so you can get back to work more quickly. Plus, our range of health plans can be tailored to suit your specific needs and budget.

The Saga GP Service gives you the added convenience of being able to consult a doctor as soon as you have any health concerns, whatever the time and wherever you are in the world.

All our health plans (except support) also include MSK Direct Access, enabling you to access physiotherapy services quickly if you have musculoskeletal problems.

As soon as your GP refers you to a specialist, call our claims team on:

• Policies with a start/renewal date on or after 1 December 2023 – 0330 018 0778
• Policies with a start/renewal date before 1 December 2023 – 0800 027 1331

One of our advisers will be able to assist you regarding your cover and forward a claim form to you, if required.

When you have received your treatment we usually make payment directly to your hospital or specialist so you do not have to pay any bills yourself.

Visit how to make a claim to see a simple step by step guide.

If you need to be admitted to an NHS hospital for a condition covered under your plan, your Saga HealthPlan will pay you £100 for every night you spend as an NHS in-patient, up to a maximum £2,000 every policy year.

If you select our Super HealthPlan we will pay you £150 for every night you spend as an NHS in-patient, up to a maximum of £3,000 every policy year.

You have 14 days to change your mind from the date you purchase your policy or receive your membership pack, whichever is the later.

There are many ways you can reduce your premium whilst maintaining a great level of cover, including:

• 4-Week Wait and Guided Care Options: By selecting these unique features, you can enjoy a reduced premium.
• Adjust Your Excess: Opt to increase the excess you pay when making a claim. This adjustment helps lower your overall premium without impacting your chosen coverage level.

Explore our options to reduce your premium to find out more.

We will contact you by post at least 21 days prior to the date your policy is due for renewal.

You can renew your policy by calling 0800 056 9271

If you pay by Direct Debit, your policy will automatically renew without you having to do anything.

Like other health insurance providers, we regularly review our policies and their cost to ensure that we can continue to give you fast access to diagnosis and treatment. There are a number of factors taken into account when calculating your renewal price, including:

Increased use of health insurance

This year, the main impact on our pricing is the overall cost and increase in the number of health insurance claims.

The additional financial challenges facing our NHS has put further pressure on services resulting in longer waits, with operations being cancelled or delayed causing backlogs for hospital treatment. This means health insurance customers are more likely to use their private cover to avoid increasing NHS waiting times for in-patient treatment and non-urgent operations such as joint replacements or cataract surgery.

People have been relying more and more on their health insurance to provide these important procedures and help lighten the load on the NHS. As a result, we’ve had to increase our prices.

Medical advances

New drug therapies, treatments and procedures are becoming increasingly expensive and as a result some may not be available on the NHS. Health insurance generally gives patients access to more expensive treatment options if they're proven to be effective, and this again leads to increased use of health cover and increased costs for us.

Age-related changes

As people grow older, they are more likely to require medical treatment, so this is also reflected in our renewal prices.

Your claims

Your premium could also be affected if you make a claim, which reduces your No Claim Discount. Saga policies begin with a No Claim Discount that can increase to 60% over time, but each time you claim your discount is reduced until you reach zero. You can find full details in your Policy Book. However, for an additional payment and subject to your recent claims history, you can take advantage of our optional No Claim Discount protection, which allows you to make one claim without reducing your discount.