Private Health Insurance Cooling-Off Period: UK Rules

If you have just bought private medical insurance and changed your mind, check the cancellation information sent with your policy straight away. For most consumer insurance contracts, FCA rules give a 14-day right to cancel without a penalty or a reason. The exact start date depends on the contract and when you received the required information, so check the insurer’s documents rather than assuming the clock starts on the day you paid.

What the 14-day right means

The Financial Conduct Authority’s Insurance Conduct of Business Sourcebook (ICOBS 7.1) sets out a 14-day cancellation right for most contracts of insurance. Different rules apply to some products, including certain life and protection contracts. The policy documents should explain how to exercise the right and where to send the cancellation request.

Contact the insurer using its stated method, keep a copy of the request and ask it to confirm the cancellation date. If cover has already started, ask whether any premium for the days you were insured is due and how the refund is calculated. Do not cancel a replacement policy until you have confirmed the dates and cover arrangements for any policy you intend to keep.

Cooling-off is different from cancelling later

After the cooling-off period, cancellation terms depend on the policy. The insurer may require notice or calculate a refund under its contract terms. If the premium is paid monthly, do not assume that stopping a direct debit automatically cancels the policy.

Before buying, compare what is covered, exclusions, excesses and cancellation terms. Our guide to cancelling private health insurance explains the later cancellation process.

Compare cover and policy options before you decide: compare UK health insurance.

Sources checked 4 November 2026

• FCA Handbook: ICOBS 7.1, the right to cancel