The Exeter health insurance review

• A range of additional benefits
• No penalties for making a claim
• 99% of claims paid
• Our independent review of the Exeter Health Plan could help you decide whether it's the right healthcare plan for you.

By Ashley Shepherd

Updated 1st February 2024 - I have reviewed Eexter Health Insurance to help you understand more about the company and the services they offer. Here’s what I found:

The Exeter Friendly Society is a Mutual Society. It has its HQ in Exeter, England. It has no shareholders and does not list on the stock exchange as a PLC.

That means it is owned by its members and does not, as such, operate to make a profit for third parties.

The Exeter was founded in 2008 when two friendly societies, The Exeter Friendly Society and Pioneer Friendly Society, merged to become one. Going back through the lineage of those original founding members, the society has a long history with its origins in the 1880s.

It is fully regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

How much does Exeter health insurance cost?

Types of health insurance available

If you are looking for a health insurance quote, then the Exeter offers two main healthcare related product lines:

Private health insurance

The Exeter’s Private Health Insurance covers three main products:

• Health Cover for Me
• Health Choices for Me
• Health Essentials for Me

All come with The Exeter’s guarantee that there is no limit on payments and no penalties will be suffered for making a claim - details of these plans can be found below.

The Exeter health cash plan

The Exeter Cash Plan could help you manage those unexpected costs, such as;

• dental costs
• opticians
• some complementary therapies
• personal accident cover

As this is not in itself, a full health insurance please visit The Exeter Healthcare website.

What's covered in The Exeter’s health insurance

As with most policies of this type, the cover exists to help with conditions that arise after you have taken out a policy.  Although there are typically no medicals required in advance, there is a medical declaration to complete.

As is the case with all health insurance, there are special provisions and exclusions typically relating to pre-existing medical conditions and these would be discussed with you on a case-by-case basis.

The Health Cover me plan includes:

• Unlimited in-patient, day-patient and out-patient treatment
• Health Cover for Me offers comprehensive cover that doesn’t limit in-patient, day-patient or out-patient treatment.
• Unlimited cover for cancer – including access to all clinically approved drugs
• Unlimited cancer cover includes pioneering treatments such as biological and hormone therapy.
• No time or financial limits for treatment or consultations
• No penalties for making a claim
• Manipulative treatment

Health Cover for Me includes costs of physiotherapy, osteopathy, podiatry and chiropractic treatment as an out-patient.

The Health Choices for me plan

Personalise your Health Choices for Me plan by choosing options from 3 cover modules below:

Out-Patient

• Unlimited Consultant and specialist fees. Diagnostic tests such as X-rays, ECGs and pathology tests at any hospital on the Hospital List. Please note that CT, MRI and PET scans are included as standard under Essential Cover. No benefit for diagnosed cancer conditions as these are included in the optional Cancer Cover module below.

Cancer Cover

• Unlimited. Extends the scope of benefits under Essentials Cover (such as surgery and scans) to include treatment for diagnosed cancer and adds unlimited benefit for oncology and specialist consultations for cancer.

Manipulative Treatment

• Unlimited
• Costs for physiotherapy, osteopathy, podiatry and chiropractic treatment received as an out-patient.

The Essentials for me plan - options to reduce your premiums

This essentially provides customisable cover as outlined in the above option but it allows you to reduce your costs by you paying for diagnostic consultations with health professionals while the policy will pay for subsequent treatments.

Please note, as with all health insurance quotes, the above benefits are subject to conditions and requirements.

You may also be able to vary them based upon your own personal requirements (e.g. for specific hospitals) and that may affect the cost of your cover.

Plan exclusions

As with all plans there some exclusions depending on your lifestyle and medical history; our health insurance adviser will advise you if any apply to you.

Existing medical conditions maybe excluded

Pre-existing conditions - depending on the application option you choose, pre-existing conditions will either be excluded from cover for the duration of your policy or for the ‘moratorium’ period of your policy.

Unlike most insurers, The Exeter offers a fixed length moratorium. Which means that benefits will not be available for treatment of any condition suffered if you had symptoms, medication, treatment or advice in connection with that condition in the five years before the start of your policy.

However, they will cover a pre-existing condition two years after the start of your policy, even if it has recurred during that two year period.

Please note: If you apply using Fixed Moratorium, your premiums will be higher. All applicants must be 65 years or younger.

Can I switch my exiting health insurance to The Exeter?

Yes you can using either of the following 2 options:

Continued Moratorium: This lets you continue with your existing medical insurance plan's moratorium period should you still be in it - if you have exceeded this period then you will receive immediate cover of benefits.

Continued personal medical exclusions: this option allows you to switch health insurer but exclude any existing medical exclusions - you will need to provide evidence to The Exeter.

Leaving your employers health insurance scheme?

Some key benefits of The Exeter health insurance plan

• Very simple options
• No penalties for making claims
• Unlimited cover in cost terms (subject to certain definitions)
• Easy to understand and simple inclusions/exclusions
• The Exeter also offers a number of membership benefits, such as:
• Exeter Assist  - offering confidential support and guidance on a wide range of issues, from relationship concerns to worries about debt.
• GP Helpline  - a phone and webcam service providing information and advice about your health concerns or those of your family.
• Private prescription service  - a follow-up to the GP Helpline, providing a hassle-free way of receiving medication, without a trip to an NHS doctor.