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What Exactly Is Private Medical Insurance (PMI)?: Private Medical Insurance (or Private Health Insurance as it is sometimes known) insures you against the costs of private medical treatment for curable short-term or ‘acute' medical conditions.
How Do I Buy Private Medical Insurance?: You can buy private medical insurance from a variety of sources, there are now at least thirty four Insurance companies and many more brokers who specialise in Private Medical Insurance.
How does private medical insurance work?: Private Medical Insurance is exactly like car insurance or home insurance. It is only there in case you need it. Once you have chosen your policy, you will pay your premiums on a yearly, quarterly or monthly basis, whichever suits you best.
Who Do I Ask For Advice On Where To Buy My Private Medical Insurance?: When you are looking for private medical insurance it is well worth doing thorough research – not only to get the cheapest deal but to make sure that PMI is right for you.
What Happens If I Want To Move To Another Insurer?: If you have a current private medical insurance plan but wish to change to another insurer then it is possible to ensure that you receive a plan on "no worse terms.” This is known in the trade as a CPME plan.

Will My Premiums Increase As I Get Older?

Your private medical insurance premiums will increase with age because you are more likely to make a claim for medical treatment.

Here are some examples of general comparisons, provided by the Association of British Insurers.

If you are aged 45 you will pay 25% more than if you were 35
If you are 65 your policy will cost double the amount than if you were aged 45

Exact figures vary according to the insurer, but these figures give you a general idea. To see what your policy will be in 5 or 10 years time, you can ask your insurer to provide a quotation.

You may find if you are aged 65 or over you won't be able to get a medical insurance policy. However some insurance companies stretch to the age of 75 years for new policy-holders.