SME Group Private Medical Insurance from The Broking Group.

Most UK insurers ask for at least two employees to write a group private medical insurance scheme. A small number will consider a single-employee scheme, though this is the exception rather than the rule. There is no requirement to include every employee, but insurers will normally want a defined category of staff rather than a hand-picked few.

Employer-paid cover is usually a taxable benefit. Reporting and any employer National Insurance obligations depend on the arrangement and applicable rules. Salary sacrifice has separate rules. Your accountant should confirm the treatment for your scheme.

Usually yes. Most group private medical insurance schemes can be extended to partners and children, either paid for by the employer as part of the benefit or paid for by the employee at the scheme rate. The scheme rate is often better than the employee could get buying an individual policy on their own, which makes it a popular option even when the employer is not funding it.

Medical history disregarded, usually shortened to MHD, means the insurer covers pre-existing conditions rather than excluding them. It is the most generous underwriting basis available on a group scheme and it is normally offered once a scheme reaches a certain size. It costs more than moratorium underwriting, but it is the difference between a member of staff being covered for a condition they already have and being told to claim on the NHS.

Yes, and we would usually recommend it. Running group private medical insurance alongside Death in Service and Group Income Protection through one broker aligns the renewal dates, cuts the administration on both sides, and means one named adviser understands the whole benefits picture. Insurers will often price a bundled arrangement more keenly than the same products bought separately.

Turnaround depends on the size of the scheme. A small group can often be quoted the same day. Larger schemes typically take between two and five working days, because above a certain headcount several insurers will not allow us to quote through their online portal at all, and the case has to go to an underwriter manually instead. You can start the process by calling 01270 694939, emailing info@thebrokinggroup.co.uk, or requesting a quote through this website.

Whether a group private medical insurance scheme covers an employee's pre-existing condition depends on the underwriting basis the scheme is written on. On medical history disregarded terms, pre-existing conditions are covered rather than excluded. On moratorium terms, conditions from a set look-back period before joining are excluded until the employee has gone a set period on the scheme without symptoms, treatment or advice. Look-back periods vary by insurer, so The Broking Group confirms the basis and the wording before a scheme is placed.

A good group private medical insurance scheme for mental health combines inpatient psychiatric cover, outpatient therapy such as counselling or CBT, and an employee assistance programme for early, confidential support. Inpatient cover is standard on most schemes. Outpatient therapy usually appears on mid-range plans and above, often with a session or cash limit. The Broking Group compares those limits side by side, because they vary materially between insurers.

When a group private medical insurance renewal comes back much higher, the first step is to understand why, usually claims on the scheme, an older age profile or the insurer's general price increases. The Broking Group then goes back to the incumbent insurer with the claims data and tests the market at the same time. Options include changing the excess, the outpatient limit or the hospital list, or moving insurer. Any move is subject to the new insurer's acceptance and terms, so we check how existing conditions would be treated before you switch.

UK group private medical insurance is generally designed for treatment in the UK, so it is unlikely to be enough for employees who are posted overseas. Some policies include limited emergency cover abroad, but terms vary by insurer. Staff working abroad for a sustained period usually need international private medical insurance. See our International Healthcare page for how that works.