Health insurers urged to cut premiums for five million Britons who pay for care after almost all 8,000 private hospital beds were seconded to the NHS during pandemic
- Former Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann called on insurers to cut premiums
- Five million Britons pay a monthly average of £120 to access swift private care
- Almost all England’s 8,000 private hospital beds have been seconded to boost NHS capacity
Baroness Altmann called on insurers to cut premiums
Health insurers were last night urged to cut premiums for customers who may not be able to use their cover for months due to the pandemic.
Some five million Britons pay a monthly average of £120 to access swift private care.
But since March, almost all England’s 8,000 private hospital beds have been seconded to boost NHS capacity, and health bosses are now on the verge of extending the arrangement.
Last night, former Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann called on insurers to cut premiums to reflect the fact they were not providing their usual service.
She asked: ‘How can they justify the cost of the premiums on the basis of what’s available for customers to claim for now?
‘This is a classic example of how not to treat customers.’
Of the ‘big four’ insurers, Bupa UK, has vowed to hand extra profits back, but AXA PPP and Aviva customers may have to wait until 2022.
VitalityHealth wants to ensure clients can get private care ‘as soon as it is safe’.
Almost all England’s 8,000 private hospital beds have been seconded to boost NHS capacity. Pictured: Beds inside a ward at the NHS Nightingale North East hospital in Sunderland