What is private health insurance?

Hospital cash plan insurance image

Private health insurance, often called private medical insurance or PMI for short, is cover that will help you to get medical treatment outside of the National Health Service (NHS) should you need it.


People often choose private health insurance because it may enable them to get faster treatment or may enable them to enjoy more choice about how they are treated.

There are many different kinds of private health insurance to choose from. General PMI may cover you for the cost of specialist consultants, tests, X-Rays and admissions to private medical establishments and could cover an individual or family. Health insurance may also cover employees. Known as group health insurance you might get this through your employer as part of your remuneration package.


Other types of cover include: personal accident cover, which provides financial assistance if you or a member of your family is injured; hospital cash plan that may provide cash while you or a member of your family is in hospital, up to an agreed limit; plans that may cover female-specific cancer; accidental death cover that may provide financial assistance to your family in the event of your death.


At Barclays, we offer a range of health insurance products for you and your family. Health insurance information and online quotes are all available in the health insurance section of this website.

At Barclays we offer...

A wide range of health insurance options for families and individuals. Take a look at our Insurance section now.

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