What If You Start Private Treatment Before Insurer Approval?

If you arrange private treatment before your insurer has confirmed cover, you may be responsible for some or all of the cost. A valid policy does not mean every consultation, test or procedure is automatically authorised.

Get approval before committing

Contact the insurer using the policy's claims process. Give the diagnosis or symptoms, referral details and proposed provider. Ask whether the condition is covered, which consultant and hospital are recognised, what treatment is authorised, and whether the approval covers scans, anaesthesia, follow-up or rehabilitation.

Request the authorisation reference and any limits in writing. A referral alone is not the same as an insurer's agreement to pay. If you have already booked, call the insurer and provider before the appointment; do not assume approval can be backdated.

If treatment is urgent

Do not delay emergency care while seeking insurance approval. Use 999 or the appropriate NHS urgent-care service. For planned treatment, wait for written confirmation where possible.

See our pre-authorisation guide for the information insurers may request.

Compare policy claim processes with our UK health insurance comparison tool.

Sources checked 19 October 2026: Bupa: how private health insurance works · PHIN: paying for treatment with private medical insurance