What is private medical insurance?
Private medical insurance (PMI) is a policy that can pay towards eligible private treatment for acute conditions, subject to its terms.
Published by Beyond Leads Limited · 27 October 2026
General information only, not insurance or medical advice. health-quote.co.uk is an FCA introducer, not a broker or insurer. We do not recommend policies or arrange cover.
Key points
PMI is designed mainly for acute conditions: illnesses or injuries likely to respond quickly to treatment. It usually works alongside the NHS rather than replacing it.
What is paid for depends on the policy wording, the options chosen and the insurer's assessment of each claim.
What to check in the policy documents
Policy terms differ between insurers. When looking at this topic, the documents to read are the policy summary, the full policy wording and your schedule. Points worth checking include: the definition of an acute condition used in the policy; which treatments and hospitals the policy includes; how a claim is authorised before treatment.
This page cannot confirm whether any person, condition or treatment would be covered. That depends on the insurer's terms and decision.
Who can answer questions about your situation?
health-quote.co.uk is a trading name of Beyond Leads Limited (FCA firm reference 940006). We are an introducer, not a broker or insurer, and we do not give prices, recommendations or advice.
If you send an enquiry, we introduce it to Complete Insurance, an FCA-authorised broker, who can discuss your requirements and explain any quotation. There is no obligation to proceed.