Bupa Health Insurance, our expert review

About Bupa

Founded in 1947, when 17 British provident associations joined forces to offer healthcare, Bupa is now one of the leading UK health insurers with around 3 million customers.

As well as providing health insurance, Bupa owns and manages care homes and dental clinics, and the Cromwell hospital in London. Bupa does not have shareholders so it can reinvest profits into its business.  

Bupa offers four primary health insurance plans, two designed for individuals and families and two for businesses. In this Bupa health insurance review we will be looking purely at those aimed at individuals.

Bupa By You Health Insurance: Treatment and Care vs Comprehensive

Bupa’s two health insurance policies for individuals, couples and families are Bupa By You Treatment and Care and Bupa By You Comprehensive. As you will see in this guide, there are a lot of similarities between these two products, not least in terms of the benefits they both offer. However, there are also some significant differences between its health insurance plans that you need to be aware of.

Comprehensive cover includes outpatient diagnosis, whereas with Treatment and Care you’d need to be diagnosed by the NHS or self-pay for a private diagnosis before you can claim for treatment.

The table below shows how Bupa’s two leading health insurance plans compare on cover levels and benefits.

^{1. Recurring mental health conditions subject to normal health insurance underwriting and pre-existing condition terms.}

^{2. Bupa doesn’t offer guided care via its website anymore, but it’s available via health insurance brokers.}

The Bupa health insurance policy you choose will affect what you pay

Another significant difference is the cost of the two health insurance policies, with Bupa’s Comprehensive plan more expensive than its Treatment and Care plan. Our pricing research shows that the average premium for Comprehensive cover is around a third higher across all the age groups we analysed. However, this research is based on having an outpatient limit, so the price difference could be even greater if you opt for unlimited outpatient cover.

Bupa By You Treatment and Care

Bupa By You Treatment and Care is aimed at individuals who are happy to be diagnosed by the NHS before they access private treatment through their health insurance. Crucially, you won’t be able to access outpatient appointments, tests or scans that you may need to diagnose your condition before any treatment through your policy. For some people who want to avoid the stress of a lengthy NHS wait for a diagnosis, this may be a deal-breaker, but for others, it may be a compromise that they are willing to make.

What this does mean, however, is that premiums are lower, which makes Treatment and Care attractive to those looking for more affordable health insurance. This could be particularly beneficial for older individuals, such as those over 50, who may find private health insurance expensive but like the ability of Treatment and Care to provide some of the benefits of health insurance while limiting the cost.

Treatment and Care includes some outpatient treatment options

It is worth noting that outpatient therapies, including mental health therapies, physiotherapy, chiropractic services and osteopathy services, are covered in full by Treatment and Care, but you must be diagnosed first. Follow-up outpatient check-ups after you’ve had treatment in hospital under your Treatment and Care health insurance policy are included for up to six months after your treatment.

Bupa By You Comprehensive

Bupa By You Comprehensive, as the name suggests, gives you access to a broader range of private medical treatment options, including diagnosis. It’s health insurance that’s aimed at people who want the peace of mind of knowing that their diagnosis and treatment can be covered without needing to rely on the NHS, and are comfortable with the higher cost that comes with this.

In terms of diagnosis, Bupa By You Comprehensive will provide outpatient appointments and tests that you may need before treatment, subject to any outpatient allowance you have selected. For scans such as MRI, CT, or PET scans, the full costs are covered.

It is also important to note that Comprehensive cover includes outpatient consultations after you have received private medical treatment, whereas Treatment and Care restricts these consultations to within 6 months of your treatment. 

Outpatient cover is the primary difference between Bupa’s two health insurance plans

As we have highlighted, the key difference between the two health insurance plans offered by Bupa is around your level of outpatient cover. By opting for Comprehensive, you can have outpatient appointments, diagnostic tests and scans, all before you’re diagnosed. With Treatment and Care you’d have to go through the NHS or self-pay privately. 

However, it is important to point out that while Comprehensive includes outpatient appointments, scans and tests, if you put a limit on your outpatient benefit, this could impact how many of these you can have under your health insurance plan each year. 

Most differences affect what happens before your diagnosis, but there are a couple of post-treatment differences too. Namely, post-treatment outpatient consultations, tests and scans are limited to within six months of your treatment with Treatment and Care health insurance. With Comprehensive cover, these services will only be limited if you apply a cap on your outpatient allowance when you set up the policy. 

Bupa may cover pre-existing conditions based on underwriting type and how long ago symptoms or treatments occurred. Moratorium underwriting excludes recent conditions but may cover those older than five years. Full medical underwriting reviews your complete medical history, but underwriters may still include some conditions.

With moratorium underwriting, Bupa's health insurance excludes recent conditions within the past five years. If the condition does not recur or need treatment for two continuous years, Bupa usually starts covering it automatically going forward.

How much does a Bupa health insurance policy cost?

The cost of Bupa health insurance will vary depending on several factors including the cover you choose, your age and where you live. The average price of Bupa Treatment and Care for a 30-year-old is £27.65 per month, while the average premium for Bupa Comprehensive is £39.95. Our pricing research shows a cost difference of around a third between Treatment and Care and Comprehensive cover across all ages.

For a more detailed view of the cost of Bupa Health Insurance check out our guide.

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We’ve discussed how Bupa’s two products work and their differences, but you will want to know how Bupa health insurance stacks up against other providers in the market. In this section, we will focus on how they differ from other leading providers and plans. Here are some of the headline differences:

1. You’ll get market-leading mental health cover

It’s fair to say that Bupa leads the way in terms of its mental health cover, with its website claiming that it covers more mental health conditions than the other main health insurance providers.

This strong commitment to mental health is shown by the fact that Bupa covers treatment for all types of addictions, including alcohol, drug and substance abuse, the only provider to do so. If you have Bupa Treatment and Care this will be inpatient and day-patient treatment only, and if you have an outpatient limit on your Comprehensive policy, any outpatient mental health treatment will be taken from that.

The only two categories of mental health that a Bupa health insurance policy won’t cover are dementia and learning, behavioural and developmental conditions. 

The real standout feature of Bupa’s mental health provision is how it deals with ongoing mental health conditions. Bupa is the only health insurance we’ve reviewed that says it won’t limit cover for recurring mental health conditions, which could prove invaluable for some people. 

Other health insurance providers such as Axa Health, Aviva, Freedom Health, General & Medical and Vitality all state in their terms and conditions that mental health conditions that were previously covered, can be reclassified as chronic and cover withdrawn. 

2. You’ll have better long-term control of your premiums 

Bupa’s health insurance now has arguably one of the best no claims discount (NCD) structures and rules, with only The Exeter offering a better NCD in our expert opinion. 

There are 14 levels to Bupa’s NCD structure, and you automatically start at level 12 with a 65% discount. It’s refreshing to see that under Bupa’s NCD rules small claims up to £300 a year won’t result in you moving down a level. A claim of more than £300 but less than £1,200 will mean you move down two levels, while a claim of more than £1,200 would see you drop by three levels. This approach means that policyholders have some reassurance that they won’t move down more than three NCD levels in one year, potentially avoiding steep health insurance renewals. 

A fair no claims discount is a really important element of any health insurance product you are considering. Policyholders who see their premiums rise quickly after claims may be tempted to change provider to keep their premiums affordable, but in doing so, there is a real risk that they may introduce new exclusions and end up with inferior cover. 

3. Your outpatient allowance will be combined

The only significant downside of Bupa health insurance comes into play if you select an annual limit on your outpatient cover. With Bupa Comprehensive you can set up your policy so that it pays your outpatient costs in full, or with an annual limit of £1,000, £750 or £500, which is similar to other health insurance providers.

However, the key element of Bupa’s outpatient allowance to keep in mind is that it’s a combined outpatient allowance, so multiple types of treatment will draw on the same allowance, not a feature that we like. The following will all come out of your annual outpatient allowance:

• Outpatient consultations 
• Outpatient tests
• Outpatient mental health treatment
• Outpatient therapies

Essentially, applying a limit to your outpatient benefit with Bupa can be restrictive and may introduce an element of stress if you start eating into it quickly. Once you have used up your annual allowance you will be required to pay for any further outpatient treatment out of your own pocket. 

Bupa’s approach to combining allowances for outpatient cover is not unique, but many insurers offer more flexibility and control over outpatient limits.

4. You get direct access for some conditions

Another attractive feature of Bupa health insurance is the ability to access fast expert advice without a GP referral if you have concerns about cancer, mental health or issues with your joints, muscles and bones. 

Some health insurers allow you to self-refer for counselling or physio, but Bupa’s direct access gives policyholders the ability to skip their GP for much more through its helpline. In some cases, you may even be able to get treatment without the need for a referral.

5. Older customers are not excluded

All health insurers will cover existing policyholders for the rest of their lives, but many have health insurance age limits that restrict people joining them beyond certain ages. Bupa, in common with Aviva and Saga, don’t have an upper age limit, making them the only viable options for people beyond the age of 85 who are looking to take out a new private health insurance policy. By contrast, Freedom Health restricts new customers from as early as 70 years old.

6. Dental care is included in all plans

Another welcome benefit, recently added to both the Bupa By You Comprehensive policy and Bupa By You Treatment and Care plan, is a dental allowance. This covers one appointment at a Bupa dental clinic and a dental allowance of up to £300 per member per year for restorative dental treatment like crowns or fillings. Given challenges around dental provision in the UK, it’s a well-timed addition and a key differentiator between Bupa and other health insurers, some of whom only offer dental cover as an optional extra.

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When it comes to underwriting your policy Bupa offers different options depending on whether you already have a policy with another health insurance provider that you are looking to switch or buying a new one.

Underwriting for people with no existing health insurance

There are two main options if you don’t currently have health insurance:

Moratorium underwriting

If you choose moratorium underwriting, your medical history won’t be reviewed before your Bupa health insurance cover begins. Instead, Bupa will check with your GP when you make a claim to see whether the condition that you’re claiming for is a new or pre-existing medical condition.

If you claim for a condition that you had in the five years before your policy started, it will only be covered if you’ve not had any symptoms, treatment, medication or advice related to that condition for two consecutive policy years since your policy began. 

Full medical underwriting

If you opt for full medical underwriting when you apply for a health insurance policy, Bupa will ask you about your medical history and use that information to tell you which pre-existing conditions it won’t cover. When you make a claim Bupa may check that your symptoms or condition started after you took your cover out. Full medical underwriting may be preferable if you want more certainty about what your policy covers from the outset.

Underwriting for people with other health insurance companies

If you already have health insurance with another provider, there’s a couple of underwriting options that may be available to you. However, keep in mind that just because you already have health insurance doesn’t automatically mean you can use the same underwriting methods for your new provider. You may have to choose one of the new business underwriting methods instead. This can add complexity to any decisions that you need to make, so it is often wise to consult an insurance broker.

Moratorium switch

Bupa offers a moratorium switch whereby you can move an existing moratorium policy from another insurer if there is no break in your cover. In this situation, your moratorium start date simply continues from your previous policy. However, Bupa states that it may need to review your medical history and let you know if there are any conditions that aren’t covered.

Full medical underwriting switch

If you have health insurance with another insurer that is a full medical underwriting policy, it may be possible for Bupa to continue with your underwriting terms from this previous policy. Again, there must be no break in your cover and Bupa may review your medical history to inform you of any exclusions. 

Some groups of customers may have the opportunity to benefit from the discounts and offers that Bupa has in place when they buy Bupa health insurance:

Couples cover

Couples can save 5% on the cost of buying separate policies if they combine their cover and purchase a joint health insurance policy with Bupa. You don’t have to be married, but you must both live at the same address to qualify for the discount.

Family discounts

Bupa offers a 10% family discount when you add children or a partner and children to your health insurance. To qualify for the discount, the policy must cover one adult and at least one child, although children are not required to live at the same address as you.

Bupa also offers free cover for younger children, which means that if you add more than one child under the age of 20 years to your policy you’ll only pay for your eldest child. 

Health and lifestyle discount

Bupa has introduced a 10% discount on the cost of its health insurance cover based on how you answer two optional health and lifestyle questions. To qualify, you must confirm that you have a body mass index of between 18.5 and 24.9 (considered to be a healthy weight range by the World Health Organisation and the NHS) and have not been treated for prediabetes in the last two years. You won’t be eligible for this discount if you have smoked in the last two years.

Other health insurers have similar health and lifestyle discounts, albeit based on different questions.

Doctors and dentists discount

Doctors can save 15% by providing proof of their General Medical Council registration number, while dentists can receive the same discount if they provide their General Dental Council registration number when they buy Bupa health insurance.

Bupa’s Trustpilot reviews provide a useful indication of what health insurance customers think of its service.

Overall, Bupa customers seem very satisfied with the service that they have received, with Bupa rated 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot which is deemed to be “excellent.” 70% of those leaving reviews on Trustpilot gave Bupa the maximum five stars, which is even more impressive given the high number of reviews (over 31,000). 

Neither has there been a drop-off in the experiences of the most recent reviewers, with most people appearing to have been happy with Bupa’s customer service. Notably, many health insurance customers describe the claims process as “easy”, “quick” and “efficient”.

Example Bupa health insurance reviews from its customers:

 “I was very happy with the easy process to make a claim, the very prompt response/confirmation, and quick direct payment of funds.”

“I find the Bupa online claims system is very easy to use and super fast payments too.”

“Easy to manage the claim process and very happy with the time taken for the claim to be managed.”

Where Bupa reviews are less favourable, they tend to be about the online virtual GP and cancelled appointments.

Is it worth having Bupa health insurance?

Given the enormous pressures facing the NHS and its long waiting times for treatment and diagnosis, private health insurance is worth it if you want quicker access to health care. It can also be a more convenient way of speaking to GPs and health specialists when many patients are struggling to get a doctor’s appointment.

Bupa is our top-rated private health insurance provider for 2025, so it could be a good choice if you are looking to take out cover. However, it is essential to compare all providers to find the most suitable health insurance for your own individual circumstances.

How to get more information about Bupa health insurance cover

To find out more about Bupa health insurance, what it offers, and its key features and benefits, check out its website.

You can also read more about how Bupa fared against other providers in our review of the Best private health insurance in 2025 and discover how much Bupa health insurance costs in our pricing guide.

If you are thinking about taking out private health insurance cover it is always worth speaking to an insurance broker who can talk you through your options. They can discuss your situation to see whether Bupa health insurance or a different provider fits you. For a free comparison quote and to put you in touch with an expert broker please complete our form.