Your quick guide to self-employed health insurance

What is self-employed health insurance?

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

It works in just the same way as private medical insurance for members of company-funded plans or for individuals who pay for their own policies.

If you need tests and treatment for a condition that starts after you’ve taken out self-employed health insurance, you can skip NHS waiting lists and get booked straight in to see a private specialist, as long as it’s eligible on the cover you’ve chosen.

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 are preventing you from working, self-employed health insurance is a way to get things investigated promptly and avoid unnecessary delays in treatment.

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 to help if you can’t work due to illness, but you’ll still want to get back to full health as soon as possible if your business can’t run without 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 out-patient 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 in-patient 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 and chemotherapy are also normally included.

You won’t be able to make a claim for any disease, illness or injury that you’ve experienced symptoms of, or sought advice or treatment for, in a specified number of years before you take out your policy.

This exclusion period for pre-existing conditions varies between insurers – it’s three years for Saga Health Insurance customers.

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

There are basic, medium and comprehensive levels of cover and it’s important you compare these and choose the one that offers you the range of services and support you feel comfortable with.

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.

Some, like Saga’s, also include a 24-hour GP service so you’ll never have to wait long to speak to a professional about your own, or a loved one’s, health concern.

What type of policy do I need?

So, what insurance should the self-employed have? If you’ve previously had a company health insurance policy through an employer, you’ll know that this is a great benefit for staff.

And if you’re thinking of setting up a scheme for your business to cover yourself and your own employees, this would count as a tax-deductible expense.

But can the self-employed claim for private health insurance?

If you’re switching health insurance from a company policy to an individual policy or you’re taking out private health insurance for yourself for the first time, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to offset the cost against tax. And you won’t be able to add any of your employees to an individual policy.

Cost may be the main consideration for you and most providers offer a range of health plans for different needs and budgets, which can be tailored further if required.

Things that will affect the price of your health insurance are how much out-patient cover you choose, where you live, which hospital option you select and how much excess you choose to pay.

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 out-patient provisions. So you can choose a plan with the level of out-patient 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.