Health insurance - sorry, you're not covered!

by and large speaking, wellness insurance screen short-term, acute illnesses. Acute means it's a curable condition that isn't long-term. Chronic - long-term, possibly incurable - status won't be covered.

Insurance companies retain the right to reappraisal and re-classify an acute status from time to time. This means that if you ab initio claim for treatment of something that starts off as acute, but subsequentally deteriorates and becomes incurable, your insurance provider can turn round and say you're no thirster covered.

Also check precisely how long treatment cover is under the policy since time period differ by supplier. There have been case where a treatment is required for 12 calendar month, yet the policy only provides for10 calendar month. If this happens, you would then have to foot the bill yourself for the remaining 2 months.

On the topic of pre-existing conditions, some insurers may state that the knee you injured playing rugby ten years ago that now needs treatment classifies as a pre-existing condition, and hence won't be covered. Other insurers require you to be free from symptoms of a certain condition for a lower limit of two years or so earlier they'll cover it. This is a grey area and you're best checking the small print on your policy.

So with all these traps, why get wellness insurance at all?

With the MRSA bug becoming more of a risk factor in NHS hospitals, private wellness insurance can offer you the peace of mind that a clean, germ-free environment should. It also enables you to jump the ever-increasing queues for NHS health care, the handiness of which can vary depending on your location.

It's more affordable now than ever earlier, with many companies offering the basic level of cover affordable to most as well as the comprehensive policies enjoyed by the more affluent. Many employers also offer wellness insurance as part of your job profile - it's always a good idea to ask about this at an interview.

And then of course, there's the added bonus of recuperation in a room with all the comforts of home such as television, radio, and above all, privacy. Fewer things can hinder recovery than the stress of being in a ward full of others, all awaiting an over-burdened specialist. Instead, you can get access to qualified compassionate staff who have the time to give you the service you and your illness deserve.

If you decide to go ahead and get health insurance, bear in mind that there are certain things that usually won't be covered such as GP fees, dentistry, prescriptions - the cost of private scripts vary depending on the drug; antibiotics like amoxicillin are as cheap as �4, anti-malaria drugs can cost up to �80. Many companies will not cover for pregnancy either, so always shop around for the best deal for you, and read all the small print before committing to a policy.