- Available from some insurers
- Usually a parent or guardian
- Free[3]
Health insurance for a child only: the essentials
Covering a child on their own
Yes, it is possible to buy private health insurance for a child only. Some insurers allow a parent or guardian to take out a policy that covers just the child, without insuring the adults in the household. Others only accept children as part of a policy that includes at least one adult. Availability, age limits and terms vary, so the first step is to check whether an insurer offers child-only cover at all.
This guide explains how child-only cover works, how existing conditions are treated, what policies usually include and exclude, and what to check. It is information, not advice. The Health Guide does not give medical guidance; for health concerns, speak to your GP or NHS 111.
How child-only cover works
With child-only cover, the child is the insured person and a parent or guardian is the policyholder who signs the application, answers the questions and pays the premium. The policy works like an adult policy: there is a core level of cover, optional extras such as outpatient benefits, an excess you can choose, and a hospital list. Claims usually need a GP referral.
Insurers set an age range for child-only policies — for example, accepting children up to the late teens — and may move the child to an adult policy or end cover when they reach the upper limit. Ask what happens at that point and whether the child can continue without new medical questions.
| Feature | Child-only policy | Child on a family or adult policy |
|---|---|---|
| Who is insured | The child alone | The child plus one or more adults |
| Who signs and pays | A parent or guardian | The adult policyholder |
| Availability | Offered by some insurers only | Widely available |
| Pricing | Priced for the child alone | Children are sometimes added at a reduced rate or free under some offers |
| At the upper age limit | May transfer to an adult policy or end | May move to their own policy |
Why parents look at cover for a child only
- One or both parents already have cover through work that does not extend to children.
- Parents are happy to rely on the NHS for themselves but want faster access to eligible treatment for a child.
- Separated parents want one parent to insure a child independently.
- A grandparent or other relative wants to help, with the parent or guardian as the policyholder.
Some NHS services are already free for children; for example, NHS dental treatment is free for under-18s, and for under-19s in full-time education. [3] GOV.UK sets out help with other health costs. [4] Private health insurance does not replace these, and most children’s policies do not cover routine dental care.
Underwriting and existing conditions
Children’s policies are underwritten in the same broad ways as adult policies. With moratorium underwriting, conditions the child has had symptoms of, or treatment or advice for, in a set period before the policy starts are usually excluded at first, and may become covered after a symptom-free period. With full medical underwriting, you disclose the child’s history and the insurer lists specific exclusions.
The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 requires the person applying to take reasonable care to answer questions accurately, and limits what an insurer can do if a mistake was honest. [2] Answer on the child’s behalf as fully as you can, and keep a copy.
If a child has an existing or long-term condition, private health insurance is unlikely to cover it. NHS care remains the route for that condition. See how medical underwriting works.
What policies for children usually cover
| Area | Typically covered? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible acute conditions needing hospital treatment | Yes | Subject to the policy’s limits and hospital list |
| Outpatient consultations and tests | Often, as an option | May have an annual limit |
| Chronic or long-term conditions | Usually not | Ongoing management is usually excluded |
| Existing conditions | Usually excluded | Depends on the underwriting method |
| Routine dental and optical care | Usually not | NHS dental care is free for under-18s |
| Developmental and behavioural assessments | Varies widely | Check the policy wording carefully |
| A parent staying in hospital | Often included | Check any limits |
Our guide to what private health insurance covers explains acute and chronic conditions in more detail.
Pricing and value for a child-only policy
Insurers price children’s cover using many of the same factors as adult cover: age, where you live, the level of cover, the excess, the hospital list and any optional extras such as outpatient benefits. Because children are generally younger and claim in different patterns, their premiums are often lower than adults’, but there is no reliable average to quote, and we do not publish one. The only accurate figure is a quote based on your child’s details.
Several levers change the price. A higher excess lowers the premium but means paying more towards a claim. A shorter hospital list can cost less, but may mean travelling further. Limiting outpatient cover reduces the premium but leaves consultations and tests to be paid privately or accessed through the NHS. A “six-week option”, where the policy only pays if the NHS cannot treat within six weeks, can also lower the cost on some policies.
When judging value, think about what you most want the policy to do. For many families, the main aim is faster access to eligible consultations, tests and hospital treatment for a new condition. A policy that does that well, with a hospital you can reach and an outpatient limit that matches typical costs, may give better value than a cheaper policy with gaps in the areas you care about.
Remember too what the NHS already provides free for children, including NHS dental treatment for under-18s. [3] Private health insurance sits alongside NHS care rather than replacing it, and the NHS remains the route for emergencies and for conditions a policy excludes.
Separated families and consent
If parents are separated, it helps to agree in advance who will be the policyholder, who will make claims and how information will be shared. Insurers usually deal with the policyholder, so the other parent may not be able to discuss the policy unless they are named. Write down the arrangement and keep copies of the policy documents in both households.
If a parent has cover through work
If a parent has private medical insurance through work, check whether children can be added before buying a separate policy. Employers sometimes allow family members to be added, either paid for by the employer or by the employee. HMRC guidance explains that where an employer pays for medical insurance covering an employee’s family, it is generally a taxable benefit for the employee. [5] GOV.UK sets out the employer’s reporting duties. [6]
If the parent leaves that job, the child’s cover usually ends with it. Some insurers offer a continuation option onto an individual policy.
Questions to ask before buying
Cancer Research UK’s guide to medical insurance explains what to check when a policy is used for cancer care. [7] If you are unhappy with how a claim is handled, you can complain to the insurer and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service. [1] Insurers must not discriminate unlawfully under the Equality Act 2010, though some insurance exceptions apply. [8] Check any adviser or firm on the FCA Register. [9]
Looking at cover with PremierPMI
PremierPMI is a specialist private medical insurance broker and the publisher of The Health Guide. If you want to talk through what this means for your own cover, you can start there.
Or, if you would rather start here, send an enquiry and PremierPMI will contact you.
Common questions
Can I get private health insurance just for my child?
Will private health insurance cover my child’s existing condition?
Does children’s health insurance cover dental treatment?
Is it cheaper to add my child to my policy or buy child-only cover?
Can a grandparent pay for a grandchild’s health insurance?
What happens to child cover on my work policy if I leave my job?
Sources and methodology
- [1] Financial Ombudsman Service. “Medical insurance complaints”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [2] UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk). “Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [3] NHS. “Understanding NHS dental charges”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [4] GOV.UK. “Help with health costs”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [5] HM Revenue & Customs. “EIM21760: Particular benefits — medical expenses, treatment and medical insurance: general”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [6] GOV.UK. “Expenses and benefits: medical or dental treatment and insurance”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [7] Cancer Research UK. “Medical insurance”. View source(opens in a new tab)
- [8] UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk). “Equality Act 2010”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [9] Financial Conduct Authority. “The Financial Services Register”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
We cite primary sources wherever possible. Read about our sourcing methodology.
Dior Teshayev
Health Insurance Editor, PremierPMI
- Health insurance editor
- Insurer product and literature research
Dior works alongside senior advisers to research and refine content about private medical insurance, producing articles, guides and updates that reflect the latest market and product changes. He tracks market trends, reviews insurer literature and prepares plain-English summaries for the advisory team.
Read full profile
Andrew Buscu
PMI Specialist & Copywriter, PremierPMI
- Whole-of-market private medical insurance adviser
- Claims and renewal specialist
Andrew is a member of the private medical insurance advisory team. He gathers detailed client requirements and liaises with insurers to arrange tailored quotes across the whole UK market, guiding clients from first quote through to claims and renewal. In one case he reduced a client renewal premium from £36,000 to £11,520 without reducing cover.
Read full profile
