How much does health insurance cost?

Get an instant guide price for private health insurance based on age, where you live, the cover you want and your excess. It takes 30 seconds and you don't need to give any contact details.

Estimated monthly premium

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Free and no obligation. A UK specialist compares Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA and more.

This is a rough guide, not a quote. It's based on typical 2026 market pricing for a non-smoker with no significant medical history, and uses simple assumptions about how age, region, cover level and excess affect price. Real premiums vary between insurers and depend on your exact postcode, medical history, underwriting and the options you choose.

Typical monthly costs by age

Guide prices for one person on mid-range cover with a £250 excess, outside London and the South East.

AgeBudget coverMid-range coverComprehensive cover
25£15–£25£25–£35£30–£45
30£20–£30£30–£45£35–£55
40£30–£45£40–£60£50–£75
50£40–£65£55–£90£70–£110
60£60–£95£80–£125£100–£155
70£85–£135£115–£180£140–£220
80£120–£190£160–£255£205–£315

What affects the price?

Age

The biggest factor. Premiums rise every year as you get older, typically by a few per cent a year on top of medical inflation.

Where you live

Private treatment costs more in London and the South East, so most insurers charge more there. Freedom is an exception.

Cover and excess

Limiting out-patient cover, choosing a higher excess or adding a six-week NHS option can cut the premium substantially.

Questions and answers

How much does private health insurance cost per month in the UK?

It depends mostly on age. As a rough 2026 guide, a healthy 30-year-old might pay around £30–£60 a month depending on cover, rising to roughly £85–£165 at 60 and more in later life. Where you live, your excess and the cover you choose all make a big difference.

How accurate is this calculator?

It's a rough guide based on typical market pricing and simple assumptions, not a quote. Insurers price differently, and your exact postcode, medical history and underwriting choices can move the real figure well outside the range shown. A free comparison gives you actual prices.

Why does health insurance get more expensive as I get older?

The likelihood of needing treatment — and the cost of that treatment — rises with age, so insurers price by age band. On top of that, medical inflation pushes prices up across the market each year.

What's the cheapest way to get private health insurance?

Choose a higher excess, limit out-patient cover while keeping in-patient and cancer cover, pick a smaller hospital list, and consider a six-week NHS option. Comparing the whole market is often the biggest saving of all.

Is it cheaper to add my family to one policy?

Often, yes. Children are much cheaper to insure than adults and many insurers offer discounts for children on a family policy. Each adult is still priced on their own age.

Dr Compare provides general information about private health insurance and introduces enquirers to authorised insurance intermediaries. We do not give financial advice or personal recommendations. Product details, prices and waiting time figures are indicative, based on publicly available information, and may change — always check policy documents before buying. Guide prices for private treatment are illustrative and vary by provider, location and individual circumstances.
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