HCP Senior Comprehensive Review: Pros, Cons & What's Included

At a glance: From £61/month · Comprehensive tier · Best for: over-65s, simple senior-focused plans · Excess options: £100–£500 · Minimum joining age: 50

What is HCP Senior Comprehensive?

Healthier Choices Plus is a UK specialist insurer focused specifically on the over-65 and over-70 segment — a part of the market where many mainstream insurers either cap joining age or apply significant age-related loading. For older buyers who've been declined or priced out by a mainstream insurer, HCP is one of the few options that consistently continues underwriting new business into the late 70s.

Who this plan is actually for

• Buyers aged 65 or older — especially 70+ — who've found mainstream insurers unwilling to offer new cover at their age, or only at prohibitive cost
• Anyone who specifically wants an insurer whose entire product design is built around older applicants' typical needs, rather than a mainstream policy with an age-related surcharge bolted on
• People prioritising the ability to get covered at all over having the widest possible hospital network or lowest possible price

Pros

• Continues underwriting new business at ages where many mainstream insurers decline applications or cap entry entirely — genuinely valuable if you've been turned away elsewhere
• Tailored product design for senior medical needs, rather than a standard policy with an age surcharge applied on top
• An established service model specifically for older buyers, with comprehensive cancer cover retained even at this specialist tier
• A real option when mainstream choice has narrowed — for buyers in their 70s specifically, the realistic alternative set is much smaller than the wider market suggests

Cons

• Only relevant if you're 65 or older — there's no advantage to this insurer for younger buyers, who'll find better value and broader networks elsewhere
• Smaller scale than mainstream insurers, with a correspondingly narrower hospital network
• Limited brand recognition, which can matter less for the cover itself but may be a consideration if you want a name you or your family will readily recognise
• Likely to be priced at a premium reflecting genuine actuarial risk at older ages — this isn't a budget option, it's a specialist option, and the price reflects that

What's included as standard

Benefit	Coverage
Cancer cover	Full
Mental health	Included
Outpatient cover	£900/year
Therapies (physio etc.)	Optional add-on
Dental & optical	Not included
No-claims discount	Available
Excess options	£100, £250, £500
Minimum joining age	50

What it costs

Indicative pricing starts from around £61/month, reflecting the genuine actuarial cost of insuring an older population specifically. This isn't designed to compete on price with mainstream insurers' entry-level products — it's designed to provide cover at ages where many alternatives simply aren't available.

How it compares

For the wider landscape of insurers serving older applicants, including those with broader product ranges, see our best health insurance for over-50s guide — National Friendly's joining age of 85 and Saga's Bupa-backed cover are worth comparing directly if you haven't yet been declined elsewhere.

Should you choose this plan?

This plan suits you if you're 65 or older — particularly 70+ — and have found mainstream insurers unwilling to offer new cover, or only at a cost that erases any apparent saving. If you're in your 50s or early 60s and haven't yet hit that wall, it's worth trying mainstream insurers like Aviva, Bupa, or National Friendly first, since they're likely to offer broader networks at this age.

A whole-of-market broker can see this plan alongside every other option on the table, including ones that might suit you better once your full circumstances are taken into account — which is why speaking to one before you buy is usually worth the five minutes it takes.

Speak to an adviser

Prefer to go direct? Get a quote from Healthier Choices Plus's own site →

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Prices and features in this review are indicative and based on publicly available product information and independent market research. Your actual premium and eligibility will depend on your specific age, postcode and medical history. This article is for general information only and is not financial or insurance advice — always confirm current terms with Healthier Choices Plus or a regulated broker before purchasing.