Health Cash Plans.
Low-cost cover for the everyday healthcare costs that Private Medical Insurance does not reach. Dental check-ups, glasses, physio, complementary therapy. Pay your bill, claim the cash back.
What is a Health Cash Plan?
A Health Cash Plan is a low-cost insurance product that pays you set cash amounts back toward everyday healthcare costs, including dental check-ups, optical care, physiotherapy, hospital stays, and complementary therapy. Each benefit has an annual cap, and you claim what you have already paid out by submitting a receipt. Cash Plans are designed to work alongside Private Medical Insurance, not replace it. PMI covers the big, less predictable costs (surgery, cancer treatment, consultations for serious conditions). A Cash Plan covers the regular, smaller costs that PMI does not — the everyday healthcare your family actually uses month to month. The Broking Group is whole-of-market across the main UK Cash Plan providers, and we match the level of plan to what you actually claim, not the most expensive policy on the shelf.
Who it's for
Individuals
Anyone who pays for dental check-ups, glasses, or physio out of pocket and wants help with the costs.
Families
Households where the dental, optical and wellbeing spend across the year adds up. Most plans include children at no extra cost.
SME employers
A low-cost, high-value employee benefit that staff genuinely use and notice. Strong addition to a group PMI scheme.
Self-employed and contractors
Without an employer healthcare benefit, a Cash Plan is the simplest way to cover the everyday costs that NHS dentistry and optical do not.
What it covers
Six benefit categories, each capped at an annual amount. Limits and waiting periods vary by plan.
Dental care
Check-ups, hygienist visits, fillings, treatments, dentures.
Optical care
Eye tests, glasses, contact lenses, prescription sunglasses, laser eye surgery contributions.
Physiotherapy & complementary therapy
Physio, osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture, sports massage.
Hospital and consultation cover
Daily cash benefit for inpatient hospital stays plus contributions toward private specialist consultations.
Health screening and wellbeing
Health checks, dietitian appointments, mental health support.
Children's cover
Most plans include the policyholder's children at no extra cost up to age 18 (24 if in full-time education).
What drives the cost
Six factors do most of the work on a Cash Plan premium. We model these for you before you decide.
Level of plan
Most providers offer four to six levels, each with progressively higher annual benefit limits. Higher plan, higher premium.
Who is covered
Single, single-plus-children, couple, or family. Family plans typically include children at no extra cost.
Age band
Premium rises with age band, but the steps are far smaller than on PMI.
Optional add-ons
Dental-heavy or optical-heavy variants, enhanced wellbeing benefits, MRI/CT scan cover, vaccination cover.
Group vs individual
Group schemes through an employer attract lower per-life rates than individual cover, and benefits are often paid pre-tax.
Waiting period preferences
Some providers offer reduced or waived waiting periods on dental and optical benefits for a small premium uplift.
Cash Plan vs Private Medical Insurance
The two products are designed to work together. Here is the short version.
| Health Cash Plan | Private Medical Insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| What it pays for | Set cash amounts back for everyday healthcare costs you have already paid | The cost of private treatment for the conditions you choose to insure |
| Typical use | Dental check-ups, glasses, physio, complementary therapy | Surgery, cancer treatment, mental health, specialist consultations |
| Annual limits | Yes, per benefit (e.g. £75/year for dental) | Usually no per-condition limit on a comprehensive plan |
| Medical underwriting | Usually none. Apply and go. | Either moratorium or full medical underwriting |
| Typical monthly cost | £5 to £30 per month individual | £40 to £150+ per month individual |
| How you claim | Pay the bill, submit receipt, get cash back | Pre-authorise treatment, insurer pays the hospital directly |
| Tax treatment (employer) | P11D benefit but usually small | P11D benefit |
Bottom line. Most clients who can afford both have both. PMI catches the unexpected. Cash Plan catches the everyday.
How to compare Cash Plans
Plain English on what to look for. We do this for every quote so you do not have to.
Benefit annual limits
The headline plan name (e.g. "Level 3") means nothing without the actual benefit caps. Check the dental, optical, and physio limits against what you actually claim.
Claim process
Some providers offer claims through an app with a 24-hour turnaround. Others still want paperwork in the post.
Waiting periods
Most plans impose 1 to 6 months waiting periods on dental and optical benefits when you first take cover.
Family inclusion
Confirm at what age children come off the plan, and whether students in full-time education are still included.
Mutuality
Many UK Cash Plan providers are mutual insurers (Simplyhealth, Westfield Health, Health Shield, BHSF, Medicash) — profits go back to policyholders rather than shareholders.
Provider track record
Claims-paid ratio, app reviews, and how the provider handles disputes matter more than the brochure headline. We bring this to the conversation.
Direct relationships across this market.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Health Cash Plan and Private Medical Insurance?
Private Medical Insurance pays the cost of private medical treatment for the conditions you choose to insure — typically surgery, consultations, and ongoing treatment for serious conditions. A Health Cash Plan pays you cash back for the everyday healthcare costs you have already paid out, including dental check-ups, glasses, physiotherapy sessions, and complementary therapy. Many clients have both products because they cover different things — PMI for the big and unexpected, Cash Plan for the small and regular.
How much does a Health Cash Plan cost?
Health Cash Plans typically cost between £5 and £30 per month for an individual, depending on the level of cover. Family plans start from around £15 per month and reach around £60 per month for comprehensive cover. Premiums are set by the level of plan and the age band of the lead policyholder, not by claim history, so a year of high claims does not push the next year's premium up.
Do I need to be medically underwritten for a Health Cash Plan?
Most Health Cash Plans are non-medically underwritten, which means there are no pre-existing condition exclusions and no health questions to answer at application. The trade-off is that benefit limits are typically modest, and many benefits have a waiting period of one to six months from the start of the policy before claims can be made.
Can I have a Health Cash Plan and Private Medical Insurance at the same time?
Yes, and many of our clients do. The two products are designed to work together: PMI covers the larger, less predictable healthcare costs, and a Cash Plan covers the smaller, regular costs of dental, optical, physio, and wellbeing. We arrange both through a single conversation and keep them aligned at renewal so there is no overlap and no gap.
Ready to start the conversation?
Talk to a named adviser. No phone trees. No pressure. Just plain-English advice on the cover that fits your life or your business.