People in the UK are increasingly looking to switch their private medical insurance provider – and it’s all in the name of saving money. It is always best to shop around before you purchase anything, whether it's other types of cover, like car insurance, or whether you are investing in a new washing machine or television set, as savings can be found everywhere. No matter how small the amount is, it can make a big difference to your wallet, and with the current financial situation every penny counts especially in the run up to Christmas.

It is possible to make savings on private medical insurance in two ways: First, by taking another look at your existing policy, you may find areas that are not relevant to you, and that another policy with slightly less benefits and of a lower premium, might be more suited to your needs. Freedom Healthnet’s Gold Essential Insurance policy still covers up to £30,000 worth of in-patient care which may be more than enough for some people. Second, it is always worthwhile comparing quotes for health insurance from different providers even if you have been with one company for a long time. By doing this on the internet, you can get a quote in a very short time and reduce the hassle and often long process of calling various companies. 

Different health insurance providers offer varying types of policy, for example, Freedom Healthnet offers cash plan private health insurance policies which are renowned for being cheaper than conventional private medical cover. On average, Freedom’s policies are half the price of similar plans offered by their competitors. By switching, rather than cancelling a policy altogether you can save money in the long term. This is because no claims discounts and other similar benefits may be lost as a result, and you will have to start again as if you were a first time buyer of private medical insurance.  

Many people across the UK may be digging into their hard-earned savings, or even choosing to get into debt, in order to pay for private healthcare treatment. A recent survey by BCWA has found that a total of 83 per cent of people would rather go down this route than take out private medical insurance. Of those, 44 per cent would rather use their savings, and 39 per cent would borrow money. In a time when money is getting tight for most families, and often wages do not completely cover outgoing bills, savings can be all the more vital to see people through this current economic phase. A private medical insurance policy could help, and for as little as £10.88 per month it could be a good investment to make and also save you a lot of money and stress if the time came when you needed treating in a private clinic.

Of those people who said they would borrow money, 18 per cent said they would do this through a bank or building society and 21 per cent said they would borrow from a family member or a friend. However, banks and building societies are increasingly less willing to loan money as freely as they used to, while borrowing from family and friends has its difficulties too. It may at first seem like a safer option for most people, with no interest rates and no time limit to pay back within. But this can often create pressure to pay someone back in the quickest time possible. This is stress that you can do without when you are ill, and can be avoided with private medical insurance.

 Another 22 per cent of people surveyed said they would use the money to receive treatment overseas. Cash plan medical insurance policies like those offered by Freedom give customers the option of deciding whether they would like their treatment in a private clinic at home or abroad, or even in an NHS hospital if they wish. This means that even those patients who can see the benefits of getting cheaper treatment through travelling further, are serviced through taking out a policy.