Saga health insurance review
- Four plans to choose from
- Up to 60% no claims discount
- May accept pre-existing conditions - see below
- Our independent review of the Saga Health Plan could help you decide whether it's the right plan.
Who owns Saga health insurance?
Saga health insurance is underwritten by AXA PPP healthcare Ltd. Both Saga and AXA PPP are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA), which means you are covered and protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
Saga health insurance options
Saga Health Insurance offers a selection from one of four plans.
Each of these delivers a range of benefits, depending upon whether you’re an outpatient or inpatient. Certain benefits will have an upper limit depending on the level of health insurance you choose. The highest level of cover provision commences with Super and reduces to Secure, Saver Plus and Support - see below:
Super option
As with most policies of this type, the cover exists to help with conditions that arise after you have taken out a policy. There are special provisions and exclusions that apply to pre-existing medical conditions and these would be discussed with you on a case-by-case basis.
The Super Option includes all of the benefits of the Support, Super Plus & Secure Options aswell as the following:
In-patient & day-patient treatment
- In-patient psychiatric treatment
Out-patient treatment
- Psychiatric treatment
Additional benefits
- Major dental cash and dental injuries benefits
Secure option
This option of medical insurance comes with the same cover as the Saver Plus & Support Options plus the following:
Additional benefits
- Ambulance transport
- Recuperative care
Saver plus option
This option of medical insurance comes with the same cover as the Support Option plus the following:
Out-patient treatment
- Cancer treatment, including charges for radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and eligible out-patient cancer treatment following diagnosis
- Consultations and diagnostic tests
- Out-patient CT, MRI and PET Scans
- Practitioner and Physiotherapist charges
- Therapist, Homeopath and Acupuncturist charges
Additional benefits
- Working Body Service (for muscle, bone or joint pain)
- Second Opinion Service
- Nursing at home
- Tronger minds mental health support
Support option
The Support Option includes the following:
In-patient & day-patient treatment
- Prompt access as a private patient
- Surgeons’, anaesthetists’ and physicians’ fees
- Accommodation costs
- Operating theatre and nursing costs
Out-patient treatment
- Surgical procedures
Additional benefits
- Saga GP Telephone Consultation Service
- Saga Health Information Line
- NHS cash benefit for up to 20 nights a year
- External prosthesis benefit
- Cancer care support
- Saga health information line
Switching a plan to Saga
You could also benefit from a higher level of cover for the same costs - you should always check the details before switching.
According to Saga's own research between 2020 and 2021, 82% of 164 customers surveyed who switched to Saga Medical Insurance on average saw their premiums reduce.
When considering switching health insurance companies you should always check the level of cover at least matches what your existing policy has.
Will Saga accept you if you have existing medical conditions?
You may be eligible for Saga health insurance with a pre-existing medical condition, depending on which of the three types of underwriting you choose. These include their ‘moratorium health insurance’, ‘full medical history underwriting’ and Saga’s ‘continued personal medical exclusions’ health insurance.
Here’s how each one works:
Moratorium health insurance
With this method of underwriting you do not have to declare any pre-existing medical conditions when you apply, which is why Saga uses it for their online quotations. Instead, the condition is excluded from your health insurance for three years. Plus, Saga may provide cover for the medical condition if you don’t receive any advice, medication or treatment for it for two continuous years from your start date.
Full medical history underwriting
With this type of Saga health insurance you must complete a medical history declaration and Saga may need to speak to your doctor. They will then advise you on whether they can cover you for the pre-existing condition.
Continued personal medical exclusions – this is for those wanting to switch from their current health insurer whilst retaining their cover for pre-existing medical conditions. Whether Saga can provide health insurance cover will depend on your recent medical history and the terms and conditions of your new policy.
Next steps
My review of Saga Health Insurance is designed to help you compare plans and find the best option for you. I would always recommend that you review all of your options to ensure you’re getting the best deal that suits your budget and needs.
You can go direct to Saga Health or you can use our comparison service through our partner First Choice Health & Protection, who will look at the whole of market for you offering the same plans, but ensuring that you get advice on all providers plans that suit your circumstances and budget.
Or you can take a look at other health insurance reviews to compare before getting quotes.
Our advice
Whilst Saga have a comprehensive range of options our advice is to always compare the market and speak to an adviser who will find the best deal to suit you
Our service through First Choice Health & Protection is free to use
We work with
Our aim is to provide you with clear and accurate information to help you research your chosen financial products and services. The material on this site is for general information only and does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation.
If a link has an * by it, it means it is an affiliated link to an insurance company or broker that may result in a payment to the site. Should you use the equity release calculator, speak to an Age Partnership adviser and take out a plan out using their services, we receive a commission, however this will not affect the price you pay.
Also, from time to time you may see advertisements from third party companies who pay us a fee to advertise their services on our site.
None of the above arrangements constitute advice or recommendations, as other products and companies are available. You should always obtain independent, professional advice for your own situation.
The information provided on this site is accurate at the date of publication, occasionally however, things will change before we have had the opportunity to update them, so please do check. Always do your own research and take independent advice.
We do not investigate the solvency of any company mentioned on our website and are not responsible for the content on websites we link to.
Over50choices is an independent company and regulated by the FCA (No.594280) for insurance products only and a member of the Equity Release Council.