8 best private healthcare providers in the UK
The landscape of the UK’s health insurance industry is constantly evolving as providers innovate in response to customer demand.
Researching each insurer can leave businesses in a complete muddle and lose sight of why they are searching for Business Health Insurance in the first place!
Though you can find many different market comparison sites online, most of them won’t allow you to easily search for the various providers without filling out a tonne of information and having to sift through marketplace jargon.
According to data from the Association of British Insurers, around 5.8 million people in the UK are covered under private health insurance, with 4.4 million being covered through a company plan. And this is only going to keep growing as we progress through 2024!
We’ve taken a look at 9 of the best health insurance providers in the UK. This blog includes brief descriptions of each insurance company and an overview of what is covered under their plans.
If you’d like one-to-one guidance, contact one of our friendly experts. Hooray Health & Protection provide FREE quotes and impartial advice. Give us a call on 01273 222805.
I. Allianz
Allianz is a German multinational insurance company that is one of the biggest providers worldwide. It differs from the other insurers in this list in that its plans are focused on international medical insurance policies, provided in the UK and many other countries worldwide.
Allianz Care offers International Health Insurance for UK businesses, offering a network of 1.9 million providers worldwide! Health plans typically include some of the following services:
- In-patient & day-patient cover
- Optional out-patient cover
- Emergency treatments
- Medical evacuations
- Private hospital rooms
- Expat Assistance Programme
- Travel security services
- Rehabilitation treatment
- Nursing at home
- Online health portal
The healthcare options are accessible for both employer and employee support through its online portal.
The company has also done substantial work in supporting environmental initiatives, reducing their carbon emissions and through the pursuit of low carbon investments and sustainable working solutions for the future.
II. Aviva Health
Aviva is a multinational insurance provider and is one of the biggest players in the UK health insurance scene. Providing various forms of insurance to over 33 million customers worldwide, most predominantly in the European and Asian markets.
Some of its recent offerings include: extensive cancer cover, dedicated mental health support with its ‘Mental Health Pathway’ and a ‘BacktoBetter’ musculoskeletal initiative. Aviva’s customisable health plans means there’s the option of relatively simple plans, or the complex detailed plans.
Cover offered by these plans include:
- Out-patient cover
- Acute conditions
- Access to 100s of hospitals in the UK
- Cancer care cover
- Hospital charges & specialist fees
III. AXA PPP
AXA is a French multinational insurance company, and the second-largest health insurer in the UK. It primarily operates in Western Europe, North America and also in the India Pacific region. AXA’s plans can be easily tailored with added-value services such as mental health cover, travel insurance, and dental care.
AXA’s core cover extends to: 
- Full in-patient & day patient cover
- Optional outpatient cover
- Access to over 250 hospitals
- Fast Track Appointment service
- Access to specialist cancer drugs
- Unlimited GP consultations held online or by telephone
- Second Opinion Service
- Access to free online Health Centres
AXA have committed £250 million to 650 research products, through the AXA Research fund and also run a number of events every year to support various charities.
IV. Bupa
Bupa is a not-for-profit healthcare group and insurance provider based in the UK, with over 80,000 employees and 31 million customers internationally. It specialises in support and insurance for mental health conditions, but also offer extensive health insurance options with products such as Bupa Global.
Bupa’s primary health insurance cover includes:
- In-patient & day-patient cover
- Optional out-patient cover
- Option to choose your own private doctor
- Private rooms in hospitals
- Mental health & wellbeing therapies
- Private dental care after six months
- Specialist cancer treatment
- Private physiotherapy & other treatments
Bupa arguably has more comprehensive mental health coverage than any other health insurance provider in the UK, offering extensive options for treatment and support for depression, anxiety and addiction, among many other conditions.
Looking to buy health insurance, but not sure who turn to? Ask the expert brokers at Hooray Health & Protection. As members of the AMII, we’re sworn to providing the best advice for our customers. Drop us an email at [email protected].
V. Freedom Health Insurance
Freedom is an award-winning UK private health insurance company offering innovative products and services. They are specialists in providing affordable and flexible health insurance.
Freedom’s SME Health Insurance is offered in two options: Freedom Essentials and Freedom Elite.
Freedom Essentials: 
- In-patient and day-patient treatment
- Cancer cover
- MRI, CT, PET scans
- Pregnancy complications
- Dental surgery procedures
Freedom Elite:
- Specialist fees
- Hospital fees
- Dental surgery
- Home nursing
- Pregnancy complications
- Maternity cash benefit
The Corporate Health Insurance cover is flexible and can be tailored to fit with unique business needs. The level of cover can vary, but most schemes will include:
- In-patient and day-patient cover
- Comprehensive cancer cover
- Mental health cover
- NHS cash benefit
- Private GP, dental, optical
- Alternative therapies cover incl. osteopathy, chiropractor, acupuncture, homeopathy
- Home nursing
- Private road ambulance
- Pregnancy complications
- Maternity cash benefit
VI. Vitality
Vitality is a private health insurance firm based in London, making waves particularly in the growing digital space and helping more and more UK businesses with accessible health plans. It is a subsidiary of Discovery Limited, who are a South African financial services group.
Vitality offers a digital app, Active Rewards Scheme, allowing your staff to log their healthy activities such as step-count, gym workouts and runs. Members earn points to unlock discounts on products and perks with partner companies.
The core cover includes: 
- Primary care
- Mental health support
- In-patient and day-patient treatment
- Out-patient surgical procedures
- Physiotherapy
- Advanced cancer cover
- Mental health support
- Vitality Menopause support
- Access to online GP consultations & a 24/7 helpline with Vitality GP
VII. WPA
Western Provident Association is a not-for-profit health insurance provider in the UK, offering flexible health and wellbeing plans. WPA offers healthcare solutions for businesses of all sizes, with a wide range of flexible plans for smaller businesses.
Enterprise Flexible Benefits (2-14 employees):
- Essential cover: core health insurance benefits
- Cash extras: Therapy, Overseas Emergency Treatment, Structured Counselling, GP Services, Dental, or as a separate Health Cash Plan
Precision Corporate Healthcare (10+ employees):
- Choose ‘base’ cover: Health insurance, cash benefits, or a mixture of the two.
- Add Optional Extras: e.g., mental health treatment, out-patient benefits and Cash Plan benefits e.g., health screening, GP charges, NHS car parking.
- Add Health & Wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programmes can be added with a Structured Counselling option.
- Manage your premium: Various options including Shared Responsibility (co-payment), Excess, Group Deductible.
NHS Top-Up Corporate Plan (3-49 employees):
- Money back on routine healthcare e.g., prescriptions, dental, opticians, and more.
- Access to therapeutic treatments e.g., chiropractor, physiotherapist and advanced cancer drugs.
WPA also offers a wide choice of options for larger companies (150+ employees), these are:
- Absolute Health: designed for typically 150-1000 employees.
- Corporate Deductible: alternative to a traditional insured arrangement.
- Corporate Healthcare Trust: a more cost-effective way to provide private medical benefits to staff.
- Precision Corporate Healthcare: a scheme combining private medical insurance, cash, dental plans in a single, flexible group scheme.
- LifeStage Health: tailored health packages to suit company needs and the needs of employees.
- Digital Health: digital platform for employees to manage their physical and mental health.
VIII. Benenden Health
Benenden Health is a not-for-profit organisation offering private healthcare that complements NHS services. Although Benenden’s healthcare services aren’t as in-depth as other well-known providers, it can be a great option for businesses operating on a lower budget but still seeking to support staff with health and wellbeing needs. For example, Benenden’s lowest-cost private healthcare is £12.80 per employee, per month!
Benenden Health’s services include: 
- Private diagnostic tests
- Private treatments
- 24/7 virtual GP
- Mental health support
- Physiotherapy
Benenden operates as a ‘mutual’ society. This means it is run both by and for its members with members having a say in the organisation’s running and key decisions.
How to find the best private healthcare in the UK
Each insurer operating in the UK offers different health insurance products with a range of additional features and unique T’s&C’s. It is possible to research for yourself – but it takes a lot of time and effort! Ideally, you should get advice from someone with expertise. An independent insurance broker can find the best private healthcare policy for you, without the stress of scouring the internet for the desired information.
Hooray Health and Protection offers free professional advice to businesses seeking employee benefits and health insurance policies. Our friendly and award-winning team of experts take the time to listen to your specific needs and answer any query you might have.
Contact us at [email protected] or call 01273 222805 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.