What is self-employed health insurance?

When you’re self-employed, your health is your business’s most valuable asset. Being unwell can be a double blow, with no income and no one to take over. But self-employed health insurance can give you faster access to private healthcare to help you recover quickly and get back to work.

Your health insurance plan can help ensure that you’ll get the tests, consultations and treatments you need. Often that’s done faster, without the wait times that come with the NHS.

Self-employed health insurance options typically fall under a business health insurance plan. Small business policies are typically available for businesses with 1-250 employees, so you can take out a policy just for yourself.

Alternatively, you can go for individual health insurance, which is open to everyone. It all depends on which insurer and policy works best for you.

Why choose self-employed health insurance?

We’re very fortunate in the UK to have the NHS to look after us. But despite the best efforts of its hard-working staff, you can face a long waiting list when you need medical attention. And sometimes, the treatment you need might not be readily available on the NHS.

A self-employed health insurance policy runs alongside NHS care, giving you extra peace of mind. That’s why millions of people have turned to private health insurance over the years.

According to the Office for National Statistics, over 4.2 million people in the UK are self-employed, making up about 13% of the workforce. But many or most of these won’t have private health insurance in place, despite not benefitting from company sick pay if they are unable to work due to health problems.

Taking out health insurance offers a range of potential benefits for covered conditions, including:

  • Shorter waiting times for diagnosis.

  • Faster access to treatment.

  • More comfortable hospital stays, including private rooms.

  • Access to treatments, services and medication not available on the NHS for some conditions.

What does self-employed health insurance typically cover?

Health insurance for the self-employed ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to keeping you healthy and ready to tackle your day. Here’s a breakdown of what you can access depending on your insurer and policy, either as standard or as an extra:

Typically covered

  • Inpatient care: For hospital stays and surgeries.

  • Outpatient care: Includes consultations, diagnostic tests and scans.

  • Private GP access: Reassuring if you need to see a doctor quickly.

  • Remote GP access: Useful if work, childcare or other commitments mean you can’t visit a doctor.

  • 24/7 phone support: Some policies give access to first-line support 365 days a year.

  • Cancer treatment: Access to treatments, including some not available on the NHS, and options like at-home chemotherapy.

  • Dental and optical care: Some policies can include regular dental checkups and an annual allowance for treatment.

  • Mental health support: Help from therapists or inpatient care when you need support.

  • Physiotherapy: Cover for osteopaths, chiropractors and similar treatments.

  • What’s not coveredPre-existing conditions: Long-term illnesses, like Crohn’s disease and diabetes, usually aren’t covered by individual health insurance policies. However, some business health insurers will include cover for certain pre-existing conditions for an additional premium. Other providers may offer cover for pre-existing conditions once a certain period of time has passed, say two years, without symptoms or any treatment or advice being required for it, so make sure you read the terms carefully before deciding.

  • Cosmetic procedures: Treatments purely for appearances, like nose jobs or facelifts, aren’t typically included.

  • Routine check-ups: Unless you add extras, regular health check-ups usually aren’t covered.

  • Dental care: Standard policies don’t usually include trips to the dentist unless you opt for add-ons.

  • Routine pregnancy and childbirth: There might be exceptions, such as complications that may arise.

As you can see, it’s important that you compare self-employed health insurance plans to make sure you get the level and type of coverage you are looking for.

How much does self-employed health insurance cost?

We know that every pound counts when you’re running your own business, so let’s take a look at how much self-employed health insurance costs. To work this out, you’ll need to know whether you’re wanting a policy just for you or for a small team, your medical history and the level of cover you want. Even where your company is based will all make a difference.

Here are the key factors that insurers consider:

  • Age: Insurers base your premium on your age - the older you are, the more expensive the cover.

  • Work environment: If you work in a high-risk or physically demanding role, you might see higher premiums.

  • Location: Based in Central London? Expect a slight premium increase compared to other parts of the UK, due to higher costs for treatment in the capital.

  • Group size: If you choose a small business plan to cover employees as well as yourself, more employees generally means a lower cost per head.

  • Excess: The lower the excess, the higher the premiums will be.

As prices differ significantly between providers, the best way to find out how much self-employed medical insurance will cost is to compare quotes from leading health insurance companies.

How to keep costs down

Before you begin your self-employed health insurance comparison, consider these smart ways to lower your quote while still providing great coverage for your team.

Here are a few options to think about when choosing your plan and level of coverage:

  • The six-week NHS wait option: This means that if the NHS can treat you within six weeks, you use their services.

  • Increase the excess: By raising the excess you pay when you claim, you can lower the premiums.

  • Choose a lower level of cover: More comprehensive policies with extras like outpatient care, dental, mental health support and physiotherapy will cost more. One option is to set a relevant cover limit, say £500 or £1,000. However, if you then use that service, you’ll have to pay for any treatment you need once you have reached the limit.

  • Only add the extras you’ll actually use: Some policies let you add extras like gym membership, so make sure you’ll get value from paying the extra.

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Page updated on 11th September 2025, Reviewed by Richard Groom