Can Self-Employed Health Insurance Work For You

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Published - 2 Jan 2024 | Updated - 12 Sep 2025

What is self-employed health insurance?

It’s health insurance that gives self-employed people, freelancers and contractors access to private medical care.

It gives freelancers and self-employed people the same peace of mind as members of company-funded plans or for those who pay for their own policies.

If you need tests or treatment for a new condition, health insurance can help you see a private specialist sooner, provided it’s covered by your policy.

In most cases, you’ll need a GP referral to start with and a call to your health insurance provider to check you’re covered. Then the rest should follow quickly.

So, if you become ill or develop new symptoms that stop you from working, health insurance can help you get the care you need more quickly, so you can get back to your freelance commitments.

Health insurance isn’t a replacement for the NHS though. It doesn’t cover emergency medical care and it doesn’t provide long-term treatment for chronic conditions.

But it works well alongside the NHS by providing fast access to diagnosis and treatment of common non-urgent problems such as hip or knee replacements.

Some private medical care can span longer periods of time too, such as treatment for cancer or a heart condition.

Why would I need self-employed health insurance?

Working for yourself means you won’t qualify for sick pay in the same way as people in employment. You may have income protection if illness stops you working, but you’ll still want to recover quickly if your business depends on you.

That’s where private health insurance for the self-employed can really help.

If you develop new symptoms after you’ve taken out health insurance that are eligible for treatment on your type of policy, you can:

see a specialist fast once you’ve got a referral from a GP
get sent for tests and scans and get results back quickly
have treatment promptly at a private hospital that’s convenient for you
recover in a private room in peace and comfort
receive outpatient support, such as physio, if your health plan covers that.

What does health insurance cover?

Private health plans vary between providers, but all insurance policies are designed to cover the cost of inpatient and day-patient treatment for ‘acute’ medical conditions.

These are usually short-term problems that are likely to respond quickly to treatment and get you back to normal as opposed to long-term and chronic conditions.

In the case of a new diagnosis of cancer, eligible radiotherapy, chemotherapy and biological therapies are also normally included.

You can’t claim for pre-existing conditions you’ve had symptoms of, or sought advice or treatment for, before taking out your policy. This exclusion period for pre-existing conditions varies between insurers.

Policies vary in the amount of outpatient cover they offer, such as visits to clinics for diagnostic scans or tests or specialist consultations, therapies such as physio and counselling.

There are basic, medium and comprehensive levels of cover so it’s important to compare them and choose the one that offers the services and support that best meets your needs.

Your policy will normally come with a variety of well-being tools, apps and advice lines too, so you can keep on top of your health.

Can the self-employed claim for private health insurance?

If you take out personal health insurance, you’re unlikely to qualify for tax relief and can’t add employees to your policy. And you won’t be able to add any of your employees to an individual policy.

Cost may be your top priority and most providers offer a range of health plans for different needs and budgets, which can be tailored further if required. The cost of health insurance depends on your outpatient cover, location, hospital choice and excess.

What cover does Saga offer for self-employed workers?

Saga offers a choice of four health plans for people over 50, each providing eligible inpatient and day-patient treatment with a choice of outpatient provisions. So you can choose a plan with the level of outpatient consultations, tests, scans and treatment that feels right for you.

All Saga HealthPlans also provide:

a choice of private hospitals from our extensive countrywide list
24/7 Saga GP Service – unlimited access to GPs by phone or app
cash benefits for up to 20 nights spent in an NHS hospital
cancer care team to support you and your family following a diagnosis
health information line – for confidential 24-hour help and support.

Discover other ways in which you can tailor your policy, including extras to improve your cover and options to reduce your premium.

Who underwrites Saga Health Insurance?

Saga Health Insurance is a unique product designed by us specifically for our customers and it is only available through us. Together with our underwriter, Bupa Insurance Limited, we are committed to providing high levels of quality, service and choice. That’s why we offer a range of policies that can be tailored to suit your needs and budget.