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

At a glance: From £44/month · Mid tier · Best for: lower-cost entry to specialist senior cover · Excess options: £250–£500 · Minimum joining age: 50

What is HCP Senior Essentials?

This is Healthier Choices Plus's lower-cost tier, stripping back mental health and therapies cover and reducing the outpatient limit, while retaining full cancer cover and the insurer's core value: continuing to underwrite new applicants at ages where many mainstream insurers won't.

Who this plan is actually for

• Older buyers, particularly 65+, who want HCP's specialist senior underwriting but at a lower price than the full Senior Comprehensive plan
• Anyone mainly seeking protection against the cost of major treatment and cancer care, rather than extensive outpatient access
• Buyers who've been declined or priced out elsewhere and are comparing HCP's tiers specifically against each other

Pros

• Retains HCP's core value proposition — continued underwriting at ages where mainstream insurers often decline — at a lower price than the Comprehensive tier
• Full cancer cover maintained, not reduced or capped at this lower tier
• A genuinely lower-cost way into specialist senior cover if your main concern is having cover at all, rather than extensive day-to-day benefits

Cons

• No mental health cover included at this tier
• Outpatient cover is capped at £500/year, a meaningful reduction from the Comprehensive tier
• Therapies and dental/optical are not included
• Same narrower hospital network and limited brand recognition as HCP's other products
• Only relevant for the 65+ (or 50+ minimum) demographic — no advantage for younger buyers

What's included as standard

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

What it costs

Indicative pricing starts from around £44/month, around £17 less than HCP's Senior Comprehensive tier. The saving is genuine, but comes with a materially reduced benefit set — worth confirming the lower outpatient limit and absence of mental health cover won't be a problem before choosing this over the Comprehensive tier purely on price.

How it compares

This sits below HCP Senior Comprehensive in HCP's own range — see that full review for the fuller-cover alternative. For the wider senior-insurer landscape, see our best health insurance for over-50s guide.

Should you choose this plan?

This plan suits you if you specifically need HCP's continued underwriting at an older age and want the lowest-cost route to that cover. If mental health support or a higher outpatient limit matters, compare the cost difference against the Senior Comprehensive tier directly.

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. 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.