Private medical insurance
Freedom Essentials
A different approach to private medical insurance, built around fixed cash benefits towards the cost of eligible planned inpatient and daypatient treatment. You choose the hospital, in the UK or overseas, and settle the bill yourself.
Already covered and need treatment? How to make a claim
About this page
Freedom Essentials is available as an individual policy only. This page summarises the main benefits and the most significant limitations.
It is for individuals and families living permanently in the UK, and is not available as a group scheme. The full terms are in the policy documents.
Read the policy documentsCore cover, included in every policy
Most private medical insurance policies settle eligible bills with the hospital directly. Freedom Essentials is different. For eligible inpatient and daypatient treatment, it pays a fixed cash benefit to you, and you settle the bill with the hospital yourself. There is currently no annual limit on the core cover.
Inpatient treatment means you are admitted to hospital and stay in a bed overnight or longer. Daypatient treatment means you are admitted for a period of medically supervised recovery but do not stay overnight.
The benefit is based on the national average self-pay cost, excluding central London hospitals. A more expensive hospital may leave you a significant amount to pay, so compare prices first. See example benefit amounts
Select a benefit to see the conditions that apply to it.
A fixed cash benefit towards the cost of inpatient and daypatient treatment needed to treat an acute condition and where a procedure is required.
Treatment must be carried out by a specialist in a hospital under a self-pay contract.
A cash benefit of £200 for each night or day spent in hospital for inpatient and daypatient treatment needed to treat an acute condition, but where no procedure is required.
Treatment must be carried out by a specialist in a hospital under a self-pay contract which includes aftercare.
We will pay 50% of the fixed cash benefit we would pay for inpatient and daypatient treatment where a procedure is required, if you receive elective inpatient or daypatient treatment which would be covered by this policy if you went into a private hospital.
All treatment costs must be paid by the NHS.
We do not pay NHS cash benefit for accident and emergency services.
We pay the fee in full when a specialist refers you and the scan takes place at a UK hospital or scanning centre we have approved.
We do not pay for MRI, CT or PET scans your GP asks for.
For inpatient and daypatient treatment of the complications listed in the Policyholder’s Guide to Cover, such as miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
Routine pregnancy and childbirth are not covered, and neither is a planned or emergency Caesarean section.
For the inpatient and daypatient dental surgery listed in the Policyholder’s Guide to Cover, when a dentist cannot carry it out and refers you to an oral specialist. For example, putting a natural tooth back after an accidental dental injury.
Freedom 360
Our health and wellbeing toolkit, available with Freedom Essentials in the UK. Freedom Dermatology, Freedom Physiotherapy and Freedom Diagnostics also require the policy to include the relevant outpatient cover. These services may be subject to the policy excess, benefit limits and other policy terms.
See what Freedom 360 includes- Freedom Digital GP
- Freedom Dermatology
- Freedom Cancer Care
- Freedom Physiotherapy
- Freedom Diagnostics
Cancer cash benefit
Freedom Essentials does not cover the cost of cancer treatment. Instead, it pays you a cash benefit while you are having active cancer treatment.
Full terms in the Guide to Cover50%
of the fixed cash benefit for an inpatient or daypatient procedure, in an NHS or private hospital, in the UK or overseas
£150
for each hospital visit for chemotherapy or radiotherapy
The outpatient treatment package
Outpatient treatment means you attend a hospital, consulting room or clinic without being admitted. One package, added for an extra premium. It pays eligible costs up to the limits shown, and all outpatient treatment must take place in the UK.
Select a benefit to see the conditions that apply to it.
Paid in full, up to £500, for diagnostic tests your GP requests without referring you to a specialist first.
We do not pay for MRI, CT or PET scans requested by your GP.
Specialist consultations and diagnostic tests, and physiotherapy on GP or specialist referral, paid in full up to £500 or £1,500 depending on the cover chosen. The limit is shown on your certificate of insurance.
If your GP refers you to a physiotherapist, we pay for up to six sessions during a single period of insurance.
We do not pay for repeat diagnostic tests your GP has already carried out.
A fixed cash benefit towards the cost of outpatient treatment needed to treat an acute condition where a procedure is required.
Treatment must be carried out by a specialist in a hospital under a self-pay contract.
The annual benefit limit for outpatient treatment does not apply.
Routine dental services to maintain oral hygiene: check-ups, x-rays, scale and polish, hygienist fees, extractions, fillings, crowns, bridges and inlays.
The annual benefit limit for outpatient treatment does not apply.
Fees charged by an optician for eye tests, prescription glasses and contact lenses.
Benefit is only provided for glasses and contact lenses if the optician has issued a new or amended prescription because the insured person’s eyesight has changed.
The annual benefit limit for outpatient treatment does not apply.
Paid to the policyholder for each child born after the policy starts. You must have had this cover for at least 10 months before the child is born.
The annual benefit limit for outpatient treatment does not apply, and no excess is deducted.
If you use the full allowance for specialist fees and physiotherapy, you will need to pay for further treatment yourself or use the NHS until the benefit renews.
Using your cover
What happens when you need treatment
You arrange the treatment yourself, and we pay you a fixed cash benefit towards it. For most treatment, the process follows these four steps.
Your GP refers you
Most treatment starts with a referral from your GP to a specialist. Tell them you have health insurance and would prefer private treatment.
We agree the claim
Contact our claims team before you book. Most treatment must be agreed first, so that we can confirm it is covered and any limits that apply.
You book the treatment
Compare self-pay prices from a few hospitals, in the UK or overseas, and book the one you choose.
We pay you, and you pay the hospital
The hospital may ask for payment before treatment. We make every effort to pay you first, but it is not always possible.
Making a claim
- If you have extra costs because a claim was not agreed first, we will not pay them.
- All claims must be sent to us within six months.
Treatment in the UK or overseas
We pay you rather than the hospital. This means you can use the fixed cash benefit for inpatient and daypatient treatment at any hospital in the world that is licensed and recognised by us.
- Travel and accommodation costs are not covered.
- Complications from treatment outside the UK, and returning to the UK for further treatment, are not covered.
- Outpatient treatment must take place in the UK.
The Private Healthcare Information Network
You can find independent information about the quality and the cost of private treatment available from doctors and hospitals from the Private Healthcare Information Network.
Excess and premiums
Your excess and your premium
An excess is the amount you are responsible for before we make a payment.
Your excess
- £100Compulsory
- +£100Voluntary
- +£250Voluntary
- +£500Voluntary
- +£1,000Voluntary
Every Freedom Essentials policy has a compulsory £100 excess. You can choose to add a voluntary excess on top of it: for example, a £100 voluntary excess gives a total excess of £200. Adding a voluntary excess lowers your premium, but it increases the amount you are responsible for before we make a payment on a claim. Choosing a voluntary excess is optional. Your total excess applies once to each person in each period of insurance, however many claims they make. If a claim continues into a new period of insurance, another excess will need to be paid.
How premiums work
- Paying
- Annually, with a 6% discount, or by monthly direct debit. It is an annual policy either way.
- Renewing
- Every 12 months. Premiums are reviewed each year and are likely to increase, and benefits and terms can change. Renewal is not guaranteed. Direct debit policies renew automatically unless you tell us otherwise.
- Cancelling
- Full refund within 14 days if no claim has been made. If you cancel later and a claim has been made, the rest of the annual premium is still due.
Eligibility
Who can be covered
You
Aged 18 to 70 when you first take out the policy, and living permanently in the UK.
Your partner
Your husband, wife or civil partner, or a partner who permanently lives at the same address.
Your children
Yours or your partner’s, living with you, to the end of the period of insurance in which they turn 25.
You need to be registered with a GP in the UK, and most treatment needs their referral. Some occupations are not eligible for Freedom Essentials. All applications are subject to our current acceptance criteria.
Important to know
What is not covered
Freedom Essentials is designed for planned treatment of new, unexpected acute conditions: illnesses or injuries likely to respond quickly to treatment. These four apply to every Freedom Essentials policy.
Pre-existing conditions
Not covered as standard. Pre-existing conditions are subject to underwriting acceptance, and we may agree to provide cover for some conditions.
Chronic conditions
Ongoing treatment or monitoring of long-lasting conditions is not normally covered. Short-term treatment of a sudden, unexpected flare-up may be.
Emergencies
Accident and emergency admissions are not covered, so use the NHS. Once you are stable, further eligible treatment may be covered.
Cancer treatment
The cost of treatment is not covered. The cancer cash benefit is paid instead.
How pre-existing conditions are assessed
A pre-existing condition is one you had symptoms, advice, treatment or medication for in the five years before your cover started. Underwriting is how we decide which of these conditions are covered. Each person is covered under one of two methods. The method is shown on the certificate of insurance, the document that confirms who is insured and the cover that applies.
Freedom Essentials does not offer a ‘switch’ option, so it may not suit you if you already have private medical insurance.
You share your medical history when you apply, and we tell you which conditions are excluded before cover starts.
Excluded conditions, called endorsements, are shown on your certificate. A pre-existing condition you told us about may be covered if no endorsement was applied.
It is important the information you give is complete and accurate, otherwise the validity of your policy may be affected.
No medical questions. All pre-existing conditions are excluded when cover starts.
One may later become covered after two continuous years with no symptoms, advice, treatment or medication for it. If any of those recur, the two years start again.
A condition that needs regular treatment or medical advice will not become covered under the moratorium.
Other key exclusions
This is not a full list of exclusions. Some exclusions have specific exceptions or may not apply depending on the cover you have chosen. See the Policyholder’s Guide to Cover for full details.
- Alcohol abuse, substance abuse and addiction
- Complications following overseas treatment
- Congenital abnormalities and birth defects
- Cosmetic or reconstructive treatment
- Dental treatment
- Experimental or unproven treatment
- Eyesight and vision disorders
- Failure to follow medical advice
- Hazardous and dangerous activities
- Hearing disorders
- Healthy tissue removal
- Infertility investigations and assisted reproduction
- Mental health care
- No GP referral
- Non-medical costs
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Professional sports
- Screening, monitoring and preventive treatment
- Transplants
- Varicose veins
- Weight loss treatment
Good to know
Freedom Essentials FAQs
Freedom Essentials is a UK private medical insurance policy from Freedom Health Insurance, for individuals and families. It pays a fixed cash benefit towards the cost of planned inpatient and daypatient treatment of a new acute condition that first arises during a period of insurance. You arrange the treatment on a self-pay basis, at a hospital of your choice in the UK or overseas, and settle the bill with the hospital yourself.
Most private medical insurance policies settle eligible bills with the hospital directly. Freedom Essentials is different. It pays a fixed cash benefit towards eligible inpatient and daypatient treatment, which you arrange yourself on a self-pay basis, and you settle the bill with the hospital using the cash benefit we pay you.
The benefit is a set amount for each procedure rather than the amount the hospital charges, so the two will not always match.
If there is a surplus after you have paid for the treatment, it is yours to keep. If the cost of the treatment is more than the benefit provided, you will be responsible for paying the difference.
The fixed cash benefit is based on the national average cost of the same procedure under a self-pay contract, excluding central London hospitals. It is worth asking several hospitals for a price before you commit.
Freedom Essentials does not use a hospital list for inpatient and daypatient treatment. You can choose the hospital, in the UK or overseas, as long as it is licensed, registered with the relevant regulatory body and recognised by us. Outpatient treatment, where the optional package is included, must take place in the UK.
- Treatment must be carried out by, or under the supervision of, a specialist your GP has referred you to.
- Complications following treatment received overseas are not covered.
- Non-medical costs, including travel and accommodation, are not covered.
Yes, for inpatient and daypatient treatment. You can use the fixed cash benefit to arrange treatment as a self-pay patient at a hospital of your choice. You need to send us a copy of the booking letter, the hospital discharge letter and any medical reports we ask for.
Travel and accommodation costs are yours, and we do not pay for complications arising from treatment outside the UK or for returning to the UK for further treatment. The optional outpatient package can only be used in the UK.
Not usually. Unless we have agreed otherwise, we pay the fixed cash benefit to the policyholder, and the policyholder pays the hospital. Tell the hospital the treatment is on a self-pay contract so that it invoices you.
The hospital may ask for full payment before treatment takes place. We make every effort to pay you before then, but it is not always possible.
Most treatment needs a GP referral and must be authorised by us before it starts. If you are referred for private treatment, contact our claims team before making arrangements, so that we can confirm whether the treatment is covered, any limits that apply, and what happens next. If you have extra costs because a claim was not agreed first, we will not pay them.
See your GP first, then call the claims helpline on 01202 283 580 before arranging treatment. The helpline is open between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays. You can also email claims@fhi.co.uk.
All claims must be sent to us within six months. Calls may be recorded and monitored for training and quality purposes.
Yes. Holding Freedom Essentials does not affect your right to NHS treatment. You may have elective inpatient or daypatient treatment through the NHS that this policy would cover in a private hospital. If the NHS pays all the treatment costs, we pay you 50% of the fixed cash benefit for that procedure. We do not pay NHS cash benefit for accident and emergency services.
Freedom Essentials does not cover the cost of cancer treatment. It pays a cash benefit while you are receiving active cancer treatment: 50% of the fixed cash benefit if you need an inpatient or daypatient procedure, in an NHS or private hospital in the UK or overseas, and £150 for each hospital visit for chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
One package, for an extra premium, covering specialist fees, consultations, diagnostic tests and physiotherapy up to either £500 or £1,500 depending on the cover chosen, tests your GP arranges up to £500, minor outpatient procedures, routine dental costs up to £150, routine optical costs up to £150, and a maternity cash benefit of £150 for each child born once you have held the cover for 10 months. The benefits cannot be bought individually.
All outpatient treatment must take place in the UK. If you use the full allowance for specialist fees and physiotherapy, you will need to pay for further treatment yourself or use NHS services until the benefit renews. Full details are in chapter eight of the Policyholder’s Guide to Cover.
There is currently no annual limit on the core cover of Freedom Essentials. Each claim has to be eligible in its own right. The optional outpatient package has separate benefit limits, as explained in the outpatient section and policy documents.
Generally, no. A condition, or a related condition, for which you had symptoms, advice, treatment or medication in the five years before your cover started is not covered unless we have agreed to cover it. The policy documents call these pre-existing conditions, and the process we use to identify them is called underwriting. Under moratorium underwriting, a pre-existing condition may become covered if you go two full years with no advice, treatment, medication or symptoms for it.
Yes. The policyholder can choose to include a partner, children, or both. A partner means a husband, wife or civil partner, or a partner who permanently lives at the same address. Children, including adopted children, who normally live at the same address can be covered up to the end of the period of insurance in which they reach 25.
You have 14 days from receiving the policy documents to cancel and receive a full refund, as long as no claim has been made. You can also cancel later in the period of insurance. If no claim has been made, we may refund the premium for the rest of that period. If a claim has been made, no premium is refunded and the rest of the full annual premium is still due.
A Freedom Essentials policy can be arranged with Freedom Health Insurance directly, or through another insurance broker. If you arrange it with us directly, we provide a non-advised service: we give you information about Freedom Essentials and the cover options available, but we do not tell you whether it is the right policy for you or recommend which options to choose.
If a broker arranges the policy, the service they provide, including whether they give advice, depends on that broker.