Over seven million people in the UK have private medical insurance (PMI) to cover all or part of the cost of private medical treatment if they fall ill. With constant headlines about waiting lists and problems in the NHS, it’s easy to see the appeal of private treatment, but is it worth the cost for you?

The advantages of private medical insurance. People may choose PMI for a wide variety of reasons, but for most the biggest advantage is the peace of mind knowing that you can get the treatment you need, when you need it, without the anxiety of waiting. With limited funds prioritised towards urgent cases, you could wait months for a non-urgent operation on the NHS. With private medical insurance you could have the same operation within a few days of making the decision to operate. Other advantages include:

• Convenience – with PMI you choose when and where you have your treatment, rather than fitting around a date given by the NHS.
• Choice – with PMI you can choose where you're seen and by whom.
• Quality – most private patients enjoy a single room with high quality features, such as en-suite bathroom and satellite TV.
• Cleanliness – without the high turnover of patients, and with more staff, private hospitals have more time for cleaning, reducing the risks of super bugs.
• Service - without the high pressures under which NHS hospitals operate private consultants, doctors, and nursing staff also tend to have more time to spend with each patient.