Snow to Bring More Health Insurance Claims

The current snowy weather has put a great strain on the NHS as falls and road accidents meant that emergency admissions more than doubled in affected areas over Monday and Tuesday of this week. Private medical insurance does not cover you for emergency treatment but any consultations or operations you need after your initial NHS contact will be considered by your medical insurance provider.

The Department of Health has been advising people to keep their homes warm, wrap up with several layers of thin clothing, keep active and eat well in their Keep Warm, Keep Well campaign. Nonetheless, the NHS has been under a great deal of strain. Firstly there have been many more admissions to hospitals and there have been restricted staff issues with key workers having difficulty making it into work.

The ambulance in London said that it received 2,200 calls before midday on Monday. This is 50% more than usual. People are being encouraged to use services responsibly and only in cases of real emergency. Acting director of operations for the NHS, Richard Webber, said: 'The extreme weather has placed us under severe pressure and our priority is to get to those patients with life threatening illnesses or injuries as quickly as possible.'

The current effects of the snow on the health of the nation will take its toll on the private medical insurance industry in the coming few days and weeks with many more claims being made. Unlike the United States, UK hospitals do not take accident and emergency private patients. All emergencies are treated within the NHS, free at the point of delivery. The Pruhealth individual policy document states that this includes 'all immediate care until stabilisation has been achieved.' However, any treatment needed after the initial emergency can be referred by your GP for private treatment.