As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 750,000 policies, WeCovr understands that choosing the right private medical insurance in the UK can be complex. When standard policies don't fit, specialist insurers like The Exeter and General & Medical offer compelling alternatives for those with specific needs.
In the bustling UK private health cover market, dominated by household names, it’s easy to overlook the specialist providers. Yet, for many people, these niche insurers offer a more tailored, flexible, and often more suitable solution. Two such providers are The Exeter and General & Medical.
While one is a historic Friendly Society known for its inclusive approach, the other is a dynamic provider with deep roots in the sports and professional sectors. This article will dissect their offerings, compare their strengths, and help you understand which might be the perfect fit for your unique circumstances.
Before we dive into the specifics, let's clarify what private medical insurance (PMI) is and, crucially, what it isn't.
PMI is an insurance policy designed to cover the costs of private healthcare for acute conditions that arise after your policy begins. An acute condition is a disease, illness, or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and lead to a full recovery. Think of things like joint replacements, cataract surgery, or hernia repairs.
This is the single most important concept to grasp in UK health insurance.
Similarly, pre-existing conditions – any illness or injury you had before taking out the policy – are typically excluded from cover, at least for an initial period. This is a fundamental principle of private health cover in the UK. PMI is there to complement the excellent emergency and chronic care services of the NHS, not to replace them.
With major providers like Bupa and AXA offering a wide range of products, why look to a specialist? The answer lies in focus. Specialist insurers often excel in areas where larger companies may be more rigid.
Choosing a specialist can mean finding a policy that feels like it was made just for you, rather than a one-size-fits-all product.
Let's introduce our two specialists. While both operate outside the "big four," they have distinctly different origins and areas of focus.
The Exeter is a Friendly Society, which means it's a mutual organisation owned by its members, not shareholders. Established in 1927, its ethos is built around its community of members. Their reputation is built on providing cover to individuals who might be overlooked elsewhere, including older applicants and the self-employed.
General & Medical was founded in the 1980s and has carved out a strong identity providing flexible health insurance solutions for individuals, families, businesses, and particularly, sports professionals and associations. They are known for their tiered policy structure and specialist schemes.
Here is a brief overview of how they compare at a high level:
Feature | The Exeter | General & Medical |
---|---|---|
Organisational Structure | Friendly Society (owned by members) | Private Company |
Primary Niche | Older applicants, self-employed, flexible underwriting | Sports professionals, corporate & group schemes |
Policy Structure | Core cover with optional add-ons | Multiple tiers of pre-packaged cover |
Upper Age Limit to Join | None | Typically 74 or 75 for new policies |
Key Strength | Inclusivity and community-rated renewals for over 70s | Bespoke schemes and specialist sports cover |
The Exeter’s flagship private medical insurance UK policy is called Health+. It’s built on a clear, modular principle: a comprehensive core cover to which you can add optional extras.
Every Health+ policy includes the following as standard:
This is where you can customise the policy to your needs and budget.
Optional Extra | What It Covers | Who It's For |
---|---|---|
Out-patient Cover | Specialist consultations, diagnostic tests, and scans that don't require a hospital bed. Available in different limits (£500, £1,000, or unlimited). | Anyone who wants faster diagnosis and access to specialists without waiting for a GP referral to the NHS hospital system. |
Therapies Cover | Physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic treatment, and acupuncture. Can be added if you have selected out-patient cover. | Individuals with active lifestyles, those prone to musculoskeletal issues, or anyone who wants fast access to physical therapies. |
Mental Health Cover | Covers specialist consultations and in-patient/day-patient psychiatric treatment. | Anyone wanting to ensure they have robust support for their mental wellbeing. |
What makes The Exeter stand out in a crowded market?
The Exeter is often the best PMI provider for:
General & Medical takes a different approach. Instead of a single core product with add-ons, they offer a range of tiered policies. This allows you to choose a package that most closely matches your desired level of cover and budget from the outset.
Their main policy options include:
Benefit | Essentials | Everyday | Lifestyle | Premier | Elite |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
In-patient & Day-patient | Full Cover | Full Cover | Full Cover | Full Cover | Full Cover |
Out-patient Consultations | Not Covered | Up to £750 | Up to £1,000 | Up to £1,500 | Full Cover |
Therapies Cover | Not Covered | Not Covered | Up to £500 | Up to £1,000 | Up to £1,500 |
Mental Health Cover | Limited | Limited | Included | Enhanced | Comprehensive |
Dental & Optical | Not Covered | Not Covered | Not Covered | Not Covered | Included |
Note: This table is illustrative. Benefit limits are subject to change and the full policy documents should be consulted. A broker like WeCovr can provide the most up-to-date details.
Where General & Medical truly shines is in its specialisms.
General & Medical is an excellent choice for:
Let's put them side-by-side on the features that matter most to UK consumers.
Feature | The Exeter (Health+) | General & Medical (Tiered Policies) | WeCovr's Expert Take |
---|---|---|---|
Target Audience | Older applicants, self-employed, those needing underwriting flexibility. | Sports professionals, corporate groups, individuals wanting packaged cover. | This is the key difference. Your personal profile will heavily influence which is a better fit. |
Policy Structure | Core policy + optional modules (Out-patient, Therapies, Mental Health). | Tiered packages (Essentials, Everyday, Lifestyle, etc.) with increasing benefit levels. | The Exeter's model offers more granular control, while G&M's is simpler to understand at a glance. |
Cancer Cover | Comprehensive cover as standard on all policies. | Included on all tiers, but the extent of cover (e.g., for monitoring, experimental drugs) can vary by tier. | Both offer strong cancer cover, but The Exeter's is more uniformly comprehensive across the board. |
Mental Health | An optional add-on for comprehensive cover. Healthwise app provides initial support. | Level of cover depends on the policy tier chosen. Higher tiers offer more extensive psychiatric cover. | If mental health is a priority, you need to compare the cost of The Exeter's add-on versus a higher G&M tier. |
Member App | Healthwise: A powerful app with remote GPs, physio, and mental health support. | Focus is more on telephone helplines and online resources rather than a single integrated app. | The Exeter has a clear advantage here with its feature-rich and highly-regarded Healthwise app. |
Hospital List | A national list of quality private hospitals. Options to reduce the list for a lower premium. | A range of hospital lists tied to different policy tiers and price points. | Both offer good access, but checking that your local private hospital is on the list is crucial. WeCovr can do this for you. |
Excess Options | Wide range from £0 to £5,000, allowing for significant premium control. | Good range of excess options, typically from £100 upwards. | Both providers offer great flexibility here, which is a key way to manage the cost of your premium. |
No Claims Discount | A straightforward scale, rewarding members for not claiming. Protected NCD is available. | A standard NCD structure is in place to reward claim-free years. | The mechanics are similar. An independent PMI broker can model how a claim would affect future premiums with each. |
It's impossible to give a single price for PMI, as it's highly personalised. Your premium is calculated based on several factors:
To illustrate, a 35-year-old non-smoker in Leeds seeking mid-level cover might pay between £40-£60 per month. A 65-year-old in London seeking comprehensive cover could expect to pay upwards of £200-£300 per month. These are purely illustrative figures.
This is where working with a broker like WeCovr is invaluable. We use our market knowledge to find the provider and policy that offers the best value for your specific needs and budget, saving you time and money.
Modern private health insurance isn't just about paying claims. The best PMI providers help you stay healthy.
The Exeter's Healthwise app is a prime example of this. Having on-demand access to a GP can help you deal with health niggles before they become major problems. Getting swift access to a physiotherapist can prevent an ache from becoming a chronic injury.
General & Medical's helplines provide a vital source of support for stress and other wellbeing concerns. Proactive health management is a cornerstone of their service.
At WeCovr, we enhance this further. When you take out a PMI or Life Insurance policy through us, we provide:
The world of insurance is full of jargon. Here are some key terms explained in Plain English.
Let's apply our knowledge to some common situations.
Scenario 1: Barbara, the 69-year-old retiree. Barbara is active and healthy but wants the peace of mind of private health cover for the first time. Many insurers have turned her down due to her age.
Scenario 2: David, the 26-year-old semi-pro rugby player. David's biggest concern is getting injured during a match and facing a long NHS wait for treatment, affecting his career.
Scenario 3: Sarah, the 42-year-old founder of a 15-person tech start-up. Sarah wants to offer private health cover as a key employee benefit to attract and retain talent. She needs a flexible scheme that can adapt as her company grows.
Choosing between two excellent specialist insurers like The Exeter and General & Medical depends entirely on your personal circumstances, health, lifestyle, and budget.
As an independent, FCA-authorised PMI broker with high customer satisfaction ratings, WeCovr’s role is to provide impartial, expert guidance. We don't work for the insurers; we work for you. Our service is provided at no cost to you, and we can often secure the same or better prices than going direct.
We will help you:
Ready to find the specialist health cover that’s right for your niche needs?
Contact WeCovr today for a free, no-obligation quote and let our experts guide you to the perfect private medical insurance solution.