Self-employed health insurance

Self-employed health insurance is private medical insurance that can help protect people who work for themselves. This includes sole traders, freelancers and small business owners.

If you fall ill, it could offer faster access to medical treatment than NHS waiting lists. This could be a lifeline for self-employed people who don’t have sick pay or other employer health benefits to fall back on.

If long-term sick leave would leave you struggling financially, having health insurance could be worthwhile. It could help you get back on your feet quickly so you can start earning money again.

As of August 2025, there were about 4.4 million self-employed workers in the UK. Yet many have no health insurance or critical illness cover in place.

Taking out the right health insurance policy could offer the following benefits:

• Rapid access to private diagnosis

• Shorter waiting times – currently the average waiting time for a non-urgent NHS referral is more than 14 weeks

• Access to private health facilities and treatment at a time to suit you

• Private accommodation in a hospital or clinic

• Online GP appointments

• Rapid access to physiotherapy

• Mental health care

• Cancer treatment

• Possible access to more advanced treatments and medications not available on the NHS.

Policy features can vary between providers, so always check what specifically you’d be covered for before taking out a healthcare plan.

There are many different types of health insurance for self-employed people. So, it’s important to think carefully about what you need, so as to avoid having to pay for things you don’t.

Levels of cover

Private health insurance policies tend to fall into the following levels of cover:

• Basic – covers inpatient treatment and the cost of your hospital stay

• Medium – in addition to the above, you can also add outpatient treatments

• Comprehensive – inpatient and outpatient care, plus cover for additional treatments such as physiotherapy, mental health support or, in some cases, some complementary therapies.

Flexible policies

When seeking the best self-employed health insurance for your needs, you might want to look out for providers who offer ‘adaptable policies’. These allow you to tailor your plan to suit your needs.

This flexibility can be particularly beneficial if you’re self-employed. It could mean you can cut out elements you don’t need and choose a plan that works with your working routines and lifestyle.

Health cash plan

Another option is a healthcare cash plan. This can cover routine visits, such as a trip to the dentist, opticians or physiotherapist, which most health plans exclude.

You get a cash sum towards the visit or treatments but, unlike health insurance, it won’t cover you for any unexpected treatments.

Joint cover

If you want cover for your partner too, a joint health insurance policy could work out cheaper than having two individual policies. However, it might be more difficult to tailor a joint health insurance policy if you have different health needs.

Family cover for self-employed

You could extend your cover to include your partner and children. Family health insurance could be more cost-effective than taking out individual policies for each family member.

It’s possible to get cover for children up to the age of 25 if they live at the same address as you. Your needs may change over time, so it’s a good idea to review your policy regularly.

Business health insurance

If you have one or more employees, you could take out business health insurance to cover yourself and your workforce.

You could offer this as an employee perk. Supporting your staff’s health and wellbeing means they’re less likely to take time off sick, so it benefits you too.

With so many options available, choosing the right type of policy can be confusing. That’s why our partners at Howden Life & Health are on hand to offer expert advice and help you understand your options. Call them on 0808 141 1334.

Policy terms can vary, but common exclusions include:

• Chronic and pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma

• A&E treatment

• Cosmetic and weight-loss surgery

• Allergies and food intolerances

• Injuries related to drug or substance abuse

• Organ transplants

• Pregnancy and menopause

• Infertility treatment

• HIV and AIDS.

You will still be able to receive treatment for these through the NHS.

It’s worth noting that health insurance for self-employed people doesn't replace your income if you need to take time off work. Income protection insurance can help in these situations.

Nor does health insurance pay out if you’re diagnosed with a critical illness and can no longer work. For this, you’d need critical illness cover.

It’s difficult to give an exact price as policies vary so much. As well as the level of cover you choose, other factors can affect the cost of health insurance. These include:

• Your age – the younger you are, the cheaper your policy is likely to be.

• Your lifestyle – including whether you smoke or drink, and how much exercise you do.

• Your BMI – some providers may offer a discount if your body mass index (BMI) is within a certain range.

• Your medical history – whether you have any pre-existing conditions.

• Where you live – medical treatment in London can be far more expensive than other areas of the UK.

• Your excess – this is how much you agree to pay towards a claim. Adding a higher excess will lower the cost of the policy, but you’ll need to make sure you can afford this if you claim.

• Claim limits – some policies limit the amount you can claim each year for certain types of treatment. Policies with higher limits are more expensive.

If you’re thinking about taking out health insurance, we can help you tailor a policy to your needs.

Compare health insurance with us today and we’ll provide you with a list of quotes based on the information you give us.

It’s important to compare prices and cover levels before deciding on a policy that’s right for you. If you have any questions, you can give the friendly team at Howden Life & Health a call on 0808 141 1334.