Freedom Health vs Exeter Affordable PMI Compared
In the crowded UK private medical insurance market, it's easy to focus on the big names. Yet, some of the best value and most flexible policies come from specialist mid-size providers. As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 750,000 policies, WeCovr is perfectly placed to compare them.
WeCovr examines two mid-size UK providers offering competitive alternatives
When looking beyond the 'big four' private health insurance providers, two names consistently emerge for their blend of value, flexibility, and customer focus: Freedom Health Insurance and The Exeter. Both have carved out a significant niche in the UK market by offering compelling alternatives to the household names.
But how do they stack up against each other? Is one objectively better, or does the right choice depend entirely on your personal circumstances, health needs, and budget?
This in-depth comparison will break down every crucial aspect of their private medical insurance offerings, from core hospital cover and out-patient limits to underwriting philosophies and value-added benefits. Our goal is to give you the clarity needed to make an informed decision, with the help of an expert PMI broker like WeCovr.
A Critical Note on UK Private Medical Insurance
Before we dive in, it is essential to understand a fundamental principle of all standard UK PMI policies. Private medical insurance is designed to cover 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.
PMI does not cover chronic conditions (long-term illnesses like diabetes, asthma, or hypertension that require ongoing management) or pre-existing conditions (any ailment you had symptoms of or received treatment for before taking out the policy). This is a universal rule across the industry, not specific to Freedom or The Exeter.
Understanding the UK Private Medical Insurance Landscape in 2025
The appeal of private health cover in the UK continues to grow. With NHS England data from late 2024 showing persistent pressure on services and waiting lists for elective treatment, many individuals and families are exploring PMI for peace of mind and faster access to care.
What does PMI give you?
- Speed: Bypass long NHS waiting lists for eligible consultations, diagnostic tests, and surgery.
- Choice: Select your specialist or consultant and choose a hospital from your insurer's approved list.
- Comfort: Access to private hospitals often means a private, en-suite room, more flexible visiting hours, and other amenities.
- Access to Treatments: In some cases, gain access to drugs or treatments not yet available on the NHS due to funding decisions.
Choosing the right provider is key. Let's introduce our two contenders.
Meet the Contenders: Freedom Health vs The Exeter
| Feature | Freedom Health Insurance | The Exeter |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 1888 (as a Friendly Society) |
| Core Philosophy | Flexibility and modular choice. Build your own policy. | Member-focused, strong on underwriting flexibility. |
| Market Position | A specialist, independent insurer known for its simple, clear products. | A well-established Friendly Society with a long history of protecting members' health and income. |
| Key Strength | Highly customisable policies. | Strong community ethos and expertise in handling non-standard health declarations. |
Freedom Health Insurance positions itself as a modern, straightforward provider. Their approach is 'unbundling' cover, allowing you to pick and choose the elements you need, rather than paying for a package with features you won't use.
The Exeter, on the other hand, operates as a Friendly Society. This means they are owned by their members, not shareholders. Profits are reinvested back into the business to benefit members, which can translate into better service, fairer pricing, and a more compassionate approach to claims and underwriting.
Core Policy Comparison: In-Patient and Day-Patient Cover
The foundation of any private medical insurance UK policy is its core cover. This typically includes treatment you receive when admitted to a hospital.
- In-patient: You are admitted to a hospital and stay overnight.
- Day-patient: You are admitted for a procedure but do not need to stay overnight (e.g., a cataract operation).
Both Freedom and The Exeter provide comprehensive core cover for in-patient and day-patient treatment as standard on their main policies.
| Core Cover Component | Freedom Health ('Freedom Elite') | The Exeter ('Health+ / Health Cover for Me') |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital & Specialist Fees | Paid in full | Paid in full |
| Diagnostic Tests (as an in/day-patient) | Paid in full | Paid in full |
| Cancer Cover (as standard) | Comprehensive cancer cover included | Comprehensive cancer cover included |
| Private Ambulance | Included | Included |
| NHS Cash Benefit | Yes (£250 per night) | Yes (up to £250 per night) |
| Home Nursing | Included | Included |
As you can see, at the fundamental level, both providers offer robust protection for the most expensive types of medical care. The 'NHS Cash Benefit' is a useful feature offered by both: if you choose to have your in-patient treatment on the NHS, they will pay you a tax-free cash sum for each night you spend in an NHS hospital.
Out-patient Cover: The First Major Difference
Where the policies really start to diverge is in their approach to out-patient cover. This is treatment you receive where you are not admitted to a hospital bed, such as:
- Consultations with a specialist.
- Diagnostic tests like MRI scans, CT scans, and blood tests.
- Therapies like physiotherapy.
This is arguably one of the most-used parts of a PMI policy. Here’s how they differ.
Freedom Health's Modular Approach
Freedom Elite is designed to be built from the ground up. Their standard policy has no out-patient cover. You must actively add it as an option. This is great for those on a tight budget who only want cover for major surgery, but it's a critical point to be aware of.
Freedom's Out-patient Options:
- Option 1: £500 limit per policy year.
- Option 2: £1,000 limit per policy year.
- Option 3: Full cover (no yearly financial limit).
The Exeter's Packaged Approach
The Exeter's Health+ policy includes a level of out-patient cover as standard, which is a more traditional approach.
The Exeter's Out-patient Options:
- Standard: £1,000 limit for out-patient diagnostics. Consultations are covered in full before and after surgery, but limited to two consultations if no surgery is required.
- Optional Upgrade: You can upgrade to full out-patient cover, removing these limits.
Comparison Table: Out-patient Cover
| Scenario | Freedom Health (with £1,000 add-on) | The Exeter (Standard Health+) | WeCovr's Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knee Pain Investigation | All specialist fees & scans (MRI, X-ray) covered up to the £1,000 limit. | Two consultations are covered. Diagnostic scans covered up to a £1,000 limit. | Both provide good initial cover. Freedom's limit is a single pot, which can be simpler to track. |
| Post-Surgery Follow-up | Covered from your £1,000 limit. | Covered in full, does not impact your diagnostics limit. | The Exeter has a clear advantage here, as post-op care doesn't eat into your diagnostic allowance. |
| Therapies (e.g., Physio) | Must be added as a separate 'Alternative Therapies' option. | Must be added as a separate 'Therapies' option. | Both treat therapies as an optional extra, which is common in the market to keep core premiums low. |
Verdict: The Exeter's standard policy feels more inclusive for out-patient needs, especially with its unlimited post-operative consultations. Freedom's model offers ultimate control – if you only want cover for the big things, you can strip the policy right back to lower your premium significantly.
Underwriting Options: How They Assess Your Health History
This is a crucial and often misunderstood area. Underwriting is the process an insurer uses to assess your medical history and decide on the terms of your cover.
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Full Medical Underwriting (FMU): You complete a detailed health questionnaire, declaring your medical history. The insurer assesses it and may place exclusions on your policy for specific pre-existing conditions. The benefit is certainty – you know exactly what is and isn't covered from day one.
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Moratorium Underwriting (Mori): You don't complete a health questionnaire. Instead, the insurer automatically excludes any condition you've had symptoms, advice, or treatment for in the last 5 years. However, if you then go 2 full years on the policy without any symptoms, advice, or treatment for that condition, it may become eligible for cover. It's simpler to set up but creates a "wait and see" situation for past conditions.
How Freedom and The Exeter Compare
Both providers offer both FMU and Moratorium underwriting, but their philosophies and flexibility differ, particularly when it comes to FMU.
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The Exeter has a strong market reputation for its flexible and human approach to underwriting. As a Friendly Society, they are often more willing to consider applicants with more complex medical histories. If you have a past condition that another insurer might automatically exclude, The Exeter's underwriters may take the time to review it more closely and potentially offer cover. This makes them a go-to provider for many people who have struggled to get cover elsewhere.
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Freedom Health also offers both types. Their process is straightforward and efficient. For those with a clean bill of health, their moratorium option is a quick and easy way to get covered. Their FMU is also thorough, but The Exeter is generally seen as having the edge in handling more nuanced or complex medical declarations.
Working with an expert PMI broker like WeCovr is invaluable here. We understand the underwriting appetites of different insurers and can guide you towards the provider most likely to offer favourable terms for your specific health profile, saving you time and potential disappointment.
Hospital Lists: Choice and Access to Care
Your choice of hospital can significantly impact your premium. Insurers group hospitals into tiers or lists. A more comprehensive list including prime central London hospitals will cost more than a list restricted to local private hospitals.
| Provider | Hospital List Options | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Health | 1. Local 2. National 3. London Upgrade | Simple, clear tiers. The 'Local' list is a good way to reduce costs if you are happy with regional hospitals. Their 'National' list is comprehensive. |
| The Exeter | 1. Essential 2. Standard 3. Extended | The 'Extended' list includes high-end HCA hospitals in London. Their 'Essential' list is more restricted but offers significant premium savings. |
Both providers offer excellent national coverage. The key is to check that your local private hospitals are included on the list you choose. An adviser at WeCovr can do this for you in minutes.
A smart way to save money is to select a more restricted hospital list and add a '6-week wait' option. This means if the NHS can provide your in-patient treatment within 6 weeks of it being recommended, you would use the NHS. If the wait is longer, your private cover kicks in. This single option can reduce premiums by 20-30%.
Mental Health Cover: A Growing Priority
Support for mental health is no longer a niche benefit; it's a core expectation for many seeking private health cover.
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The Exeter includes a degree of mental health cover as standard within their Health+ policy. This typically covers in-patient and day-patient treatment. They also offer an optional upgrade for out-patient mental health treatment, including sessions with a psychologist or psychiatrist.
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Freedom Health treats mental health as an optional add-on. You can choose to add a benefit that covers psychiatric treatment, including consultations and in-patient care.
Verdict: The Exeter’s inclusion of some mental health support as standard is a significant plus point. However, Freedom’s modularity allows those who don't feel they need this cover to exclude it and save money. For those who do want comprehensive mental health support, both providers offer robust paid-for options.
Value-Added Benefits & Digital Health
Beyond hospital treatment, the best PMI providers offer everyday health and wellbeing support through digital tools and partnerships.
| Benefit | Freedom Health | The Exeter | WeCovr (Exclusive Broker Benefit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital GP | Not as standard, but partners with services you can access. | HealthWise App: Included as standard. Offers remote GP appointments, physio sessions, and mental health support. | N/A |
| Member Perks | Limited focus on retail discounts. | Member+: Access to discounts and offers. | CalorieHero App: All clients get complimentary access to our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app. |
| Second Opinion Service | Available. | HealthWise App: Includes a second medical opinion service. | N/A |
| Multi-policy Discount | No. | No. | Yes: Clients who buy PMI or Life Insurance through WeCovr can receive discounts on other policies like home or car insurance. |
The Exeter's HealthWise app is a clear standout. It's a comprehensive, well-integrated service that provides genuine day-to-day value to members, often helping them resolve health issues without needing to make a full claim on their policy.
This is also where choosing the right broker adds another layer of value. When you arrange your policy through WeCovr, you gain exclusive access to benefits not available directly from the insurer. Our CalorieHero app helps you proactively manage your health, whilst our multi-policy discounts offer tangible savings across your entire insurance portfolio. We believe in rewarding our clients for trusting us with their protection needs.
Real-Life Cost Scenarios: Freedom vs The Exeter
Premiums are highly individual, based on age, location, smoker status, and chosen cover level. The following table provides illustrative examples only to show how the different structures might affect price. These are not real quotes.
Assumptions: Non-smoker, £250 excess, moratorium underwriting, national hospital list.
| Profile | Desired Cover | Freedom Elite (Illustrative Monthly Premium) | The Exeter Health+ (Illustrative Monthly Premium) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna, 32, Manchester | Core cover only, no out-patient. | £35 | £52 |
| David, 45, Bristol | Core cover + £1,000 out-patient & therapies. | £75 | £78 |
| Sarah & Tom, 55, Surrey | Full cover, including out-patient and London hospitals. | £210 | £225 |
Analysis of Illustrative Costs:
- For basic, catastrophic cover (Anna's scenario): Freedom's ability to strip back all out-patient benefits makes it significantly cheaper. It’s an ideal choice for a young, healthy individual wanting a safety net for serious issues only.
- For balanced mid-range cover (David's scenario): The prices become very competitive. The choice here would depend on whether you prefer The Exeter's more generous post-op consultation cover or Freedom's simpler single-pot out-patient limit.
- For comprehensive cover (Sarah & Tom's scenario): Both are competitive. The final decision would likely come down to underwriting preference or the value placed on The Exeter's HealthWise app.
Who is Freedom Health Insurance Best For?
You might be a great fit for Freedom Health if:
- You are budget-conscious and want to build a policy from the ground up, paying only for what you need.
- You want a simple "safety net" policy for major in-patient surgery and are happy to self-fund smaller consultations and tests.
- You value simplicity and transparency in your policy structure.
- You have a clean bill of health and can get cover easily on a moratorium basis.
Who is The Exeter Best For?
The Exeter might be the superior choice for you if:
- You have a pre-existing condition or a more complex medical history and need an insurer with flexible, expert underwriting.
- You value a comprehensive digital health service like the HealthWise app for everyday medical needs.
- You appreciate the member-owned ethos of a Friendly Society.
- You want a more "all-in-one" policy that includes a good level of out-patient cover as standard.
The WeCovr Verdict: Making the Right Choice for You
There is no single "best PMI provider" between Freedom Health and The Exeter. There is only the best provider for you.
- Freedom Health excels in flexibility and cost-control. It empowers you to design a lean, affordable policy tailored precisely to your perceived risks and budget.
- The Exeter shines with its member-first ethos, inclusive benefits, and market-leading underwriting flexibility. It offers a fantastic, well-rounded package, particularly for those with health histories that other insurers may shy away from.
The nuances between their out-patient limits, hospital lists, and underwriting can be complex to navigate alone. This is why consulting an independent private medical insurance broker is so vital.
At WeCovr, we don't just give you prices. We take the time to understand your needs, explain the pros and cons of each option in plain English, and ensure the policy you choose is perfectly aligned with your health requirements and financial circumstances. With high customer satisfaction ratings and a commitment to our clients, we make the process simple and stress-free.
Ready to find out whether Freedom, The Exeter, or another leading UK provider is your perfect match?
Does private medical insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
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Why private medical insurance and how does it work?
What is Private Medical Insurance?
Private medical insurance (PMI) is a type of health insurance that provides access to private healthcare services in the UK. It covers the cost of private medical treatment, allowing you to bypass NHS waiting lists and receive faster, more convenient care.How does it work?
Private medical insurance works by paying for your private healthcare costs. When you need treatment, you can choose to go private and your insurance will cover the costs, subject to your policy terms and conditions. This can include:• Private consultations with specialists
• Private hospital treatment and surgery
• Diagnostic tests and scans
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
• Mental health treatment
Your premium depends on factors like your age, health, occupation, and the level of cover you choose. Most policies offer different levels of cover, from basic to comprehensive, allowing you to tailor the policy to your needs and budget.
Questions to ask yourself regarding private medical insurance
Just ask yourself:👉 Are you concerned about NHS waiting times for treatment?
👉 Would you prefer to choose your own consultant and hospital?
👉 Do you want faster access to diagnostic tests and scans?
👉 Would you like private hospital accommodation and better food?
👉 Do you want to avoid the stress of NHS waiting lists?
Many people don't realise that private medical insurance is more affordable than they think, especially when you consider the value of faster treatment and better facilities. A great insurance policy can provide peace of mind and ensure you receive the care you need when you need it.
Benefits offered by private medical insurance
Private medical insurance provides numerous benefits that can significantly improve your healthcare experience and outcomes:Faster Access to Treatment
One of the biggest advantages is avoiding NHS waiting lists. While the NHS provides excellent care, waiting times can be lengthy. With private medical insurance, you can often receive treatment within days or weeks rather than months.
Choice of Consultant and Hospital
You can choose your preferred consultant and hospital, giving you more control over your healthcare journey. This is particularly important for complex treatments where you want a specific specialist.
Better Facilities and Accommodation
Private hospitals typically offer superior facilities, including private rooms, better food, and more comfortable surroundings. This can make your recovery more pleasant and potentially faster.
Advanced Treatments
Private medical insurance often covers treatments and medications not available on the NHS, giving you access to the latest medical advances and technologies.
Mental Health Support
Many policies include comprehensive mental health coverage, providing faster access to therapy and psychiatric care when needed.
Tax Benefits for Business Owners
If you're self-employed or a business owner, private medical insurance premiums can be tax-deductible, making it a cost-effective way to protect your health and your business.
Peace of Mind
Knowing you have access to private healthcare when you need it provides invaluable peace of mind, especially for those with ongoing health conditions or concerns about NHS capacity.
Private medical insurance is particularly valuable for those who want to take control of their healthcare journey and ensure they receive the best possible treatment when they need it most.
Important Fact!
We can look at a more suitable option mid-term!
Why is it important to get private medical insurance early?
👉 Many people are very thankful that they had their private medical insurance cover in place before running into some serious health issues. Private medical insurance is as important as life insurance for protecting your family's finances.👉 We insure our cars, houses, and even our phones! Yet our health is the most precious thing we have.
Easily one of the most important insurance purchases an individual or family can make in their lifetime, the decision to buy private medical insurance can be made much simpler with the help of FCA-authorised advisers. They are the specialists who do the searching and analysis helping people choose between various types of private medical insurance policies available in the market, including different levels of cover and policy types most suitable to the client's individual circumstances.
It certainly won't do any harm if you speak with one of our experienced insurance experts who are passionate about advising people on financial matters related to private medical insurance and are keen to provide you with a free consultation.
You can discuss with them in detail what affordable private medical insurance plan for the necessary peace of mind they would recommend! WeCovr works with some of the best advisers in the market.
By tapping the button below, you can book a free call with them in less than 30 seconds right now:
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