Health insurance

In general, companies offering health insurance tend to exclude people who have mental health problems when they apply. They are able to do this because health insurance is one area where there is some exclusion from the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Insurers can refuse to cover conditions which exist (pre-existing conditions) when you apply for the insurance. There may also be an exclusion clause. This means that if you have experienced a serious condition before the start of the policy, they will not cover you for that condition for the first few years of being given the insurance.

There must be reasonable grounds if you are refused health insurance, this being evidence that your condition will be a risk to your health. In order to determine this doctors may be asked to write a medical report about you. It may be helpful to talk to your GP when you are considering a life insurance policy. If your GP is asked to write a medical report, you have a right to see this.

If you develop a mental illness and already have health insurance you will probably only be covered for a limited time. The decisions as to how much care and the total cost of care you can receive depend on the individual.

Here are details for Fresh Finance and Jeffrey Flanders Ltd, both of whom offer health insurance to people with existing medical conditions:

Fresh Finance
Formerly Ivan Massow, this company specialises in different types of insurance for people with mental health problems.

London office
Tel: 020 7234 3311
Email: phil@fresh-finance.co.uk
Web: www.fresh-finance.co.uk
Address: 8G, The Leather Market, London, SE1 3ER

Tamworth, Staffordshire office
Tel: 01827 311 950
Email: leanne@fresh-finance.co.uk
Address: 7 Cavendish, Lichfield Road, Industrial Estate, Tamworth, Staffs, B79 7XH


Jeffrey Flanders Ltd
This company provides several types of insurance. They do not refuse to provide insurance on the basis of mental health problems.
Tel: 08703 300 2001
Web: no website
Address: The Old Barn, Vicarage Hill, Loxwood, Billinghurst, West Sussex, RH14 0RH