Disability and Health Insurance

There are two issues related to disability that are important to health insurance policies: firstly, the medical cover available for those with disabilities and secondly the cover provided should you become disabled whilst you hold a medical insurance policy.

Health Insurance for the Disabled

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
In 1996, the Disability Discrimination Act made it illegal for an insurer to refuse to cover to a disabled person, or charge higher premiums, unless the company can demonstrate statistically higher risks as a direct result of a specific disability.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI), is a body which represents the interests of British Insurance companies and intermediaries. They produce medical insurance guidelines which are designed to uphold the law and protect individuals as well and the health insurance companies. Their statement on cover for disabled individuals is:

'You will not be refused cover because you have a disability. As with other pre-existing conditions, your insurer might not include cover for treatment that is needed because of your disability. However, it must be reasonable and fair for them to do this.'

In other words, health insurance companies are not allowed to deny you health insurance if you are disabled or charge you more without statistical data that would prove you are a greater insurance liability. Doing so would be considered discriminatory and would therefore be illegal. It is also important to note that we are referring here to mental health disability as well as physical disability.

What is important for disabled people is that you make clear all problems and symptoms related to your disability both current and past. This enables your insurer to assess your liability status and enables any valid future claims to go through smoothly and without dispute.


If you feel that you have been treated unfairly by a medical health insurance company there is a very clear path of complaint for you to follow. Health Insurance UK has provided complaint guidelines that you can follow.


Medical Cover if you Become Disabled

Medical health insurance is designed to provide short term cover for acute illnesses or conditions. It does not cover long term disability.

However if you have a short term disability you will be covered. Each policy is very specific in its terms and conditions. Some policies have a cost limit. Under the terms of your policy, once you have reached your policy limit you will no longer be covered. Other policies have a time limit, for example for physiotherapy treatments, Norwich Union offer unlimited in-patient physiotherapy but only 10 out-patient treatments per year.

It is important to add here that cover for psychiatric conditions is not standard on all policies and care should be taken to seek out a suitable policy if this is something that you want. This highlights the importance of really doing your homework when you take out private health insurance. Check any policy documents carefully before you make a purchase to see what your levels of cover would be.