Medical Insurance Glossary

Here we define some frequently-used medical insurance terminology:

Acute Condition

A curable short-term illness or injury.

Alternative Therapy

Other forms of treatment such as acupuncture, Chinese remedies, or homeopathy.

Cash Benefit for treatment by the NHS

This is where you get cash back from your insurer for deciding to have NHS treatment instead of excercsing your right to private medical treatment.

Cash Plan

The reimbursement of insured costs spent.

Chronic Condition

An persistent and long lasting condition or injury.

Claims Procedures

The process of making a claim from your insurance company, which can often be done over the phone.

Complementary therapy

Disciplines that are usually used in conjunction with conventional medical treatment to 'compliment' that treatment, for example for example reflexology and massage.

Consequence of non-disclosure

Claims can be dismissed if all medical details were not disclosed (when asked) during application.

Day Patient

When you are treated in hospital but it is not necessary to stay in hospital overnight.

Dentistry

Some PMI plans include dental treatment. Dentistry is routine dental treatment not involving oral surgery.

Diagnostic Testing

X-rays, blood tests and other screenings which help to determine the cause of symptoms and the necessary treatment.

Excess

The usually nominal amount which you agree pay towards the costs of your treatment.

Exclusions

Conditions and treatments which are not included in a policy. Can include things like alternative therapies and other unusual treatments.

Full Medical Underwriting

Where the insurers requires the policy holder to provide details of their previous medical history and to give the insurer permission to seek further information from their doctor. Pre-existing conditions (see below for definition) that occurred prior to the commencement of the PMI policy, will normally be excluded from cover, but most companies will cover them after a pre-defined period e.g two years, from the start of the plan provided that you don’t suffer from them during that period.

Inflation of Medical costs

This is the term used to describe the increasing cost of medical treatment year on year.

Health / medical insurance

The terms 'health' and 'medical' and interchangeable and mean the same thing when talking about insurance.

In-patient

When your treatment requires that you remain in hospital for at least one night.

Medical History Declaration

Disclosure of all details of your medical history. Sometimes your GP will be contacted for further information or verification.

Moratorium

Where you are not required to disclose your medical history during the application process, but previous conditions will be covered eventually (usually after 5 years) if no symptoms, tests, advice or treatment is required for that condition for a certain period after application (usually two years).

NHS Cash Benefit for Treatment

A refund from your health/medical insurance provider for choosing to have your treatment at an NHS hospital for free rather than privately.

No Claims Discount

A reduction in your premium for not having made any claims on your health/medical insurance policy.

Out patient

When you are treated at a hospital, clinic, or consultation room, but not as an in-patient or day patient.

Overseas Cover

Cover for treatment and if necessary, repatriation if you become ill or are injured while abroad.

Parent accompanying a child

This is available in some policies and covers the cost of accommodation in hospital for a parent accompanying a child under (usually under the age of 9, but for some policies, under the age of 14).

Pre-existing conditions

Any condition which you have experienced symptoms of or been treated for before your insurance policy started.

PMI

Private Medical Insurance.

Private Hospital

A private Hosotial is one that is unattached form the NHS and charges fees for all its services.

Private Wing of an NHS hospital

Many NHS hospitals have private fee-paying wards for use by people who wish to have private medical treatment.

Private patients units (PPU)

This is another name for a private wing or ward within an NHS hospital.

Related Medical Condition

A condition considered to be a cause of, related to, or directly caused by another condition. Any symptom, disease, illness or injury, which reasonable medical opinion considers to be associated with another symptom, disease, illness or injury.

Specialist

A senior medical practitioner, specially trained and qualified in a certain area of treatment.

Unclaimed Premium

Where the amount of claims paid is less than the annual premium, the difference is called unclaimed premium.