Freedom Health Insurance: an honest broker review
Who Freedom are, what Freedom Elite and Freedom Essentials cover, how the pricing works without a no claims discount, and whether Freedom suits you. Compared with the market, at no extra cost.
Freedom Health Insurance is a specialist UK private medical insurance provider that is less well known than Bupa, AXA Health or Aviva, but it has a loyal following among people who value flexible cover and a personal claims service. This Freedom Health Insurance review explains who Freedom are, how its health insurance plans work, what Freedom Elite and Freedom Essentials cover, how much a Freedom health insurance policy costs and whether it is the right choice for you. We are a health insurance broker, so we compare Freedom with the rest of the market before you buy, at no extra cost, because the commission is already included in the premium.
Who are Freedom Health Insurance?
Freedom Health Insurance, also known as Freedom Health, is the trading name of Freedom Healthnet Ltd, a specialist health insurer founded in 2003 and based in Poole, Dorset. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Freedom offers health insurance policies for individuals, families and businesses in the UK, as well as international cover for people living and working overseas.
Freedom is a much smaller insurer than the household names, and that is part of its appeal. Customers often mention its personal service, with the same adviser dealing with a claim from start to finish, and it has won industry recognition for its claims process.
What health insurance plans does Freedom offer?
Freedom offers several health insurance plans, each built for a different budget and need:
- Freedom Elite – its comprehensive private medical insurance. You choose your out-patient limit, excess and optional benefits, and Freedom pays the private hospital and specialist directly for eligible treatment.
- Freedom Essentials – a lower-cost alternative that pays a fixed cash benefit towards treatment, which you can use at any hospital in the UK or abroad as a self-pay patient.
- Freedom Worldwide – international health insurance for people living and working abroad.
- Business health insurance – company health insurance for employers who want to offer private medical cover to staff.
For most people in the UK looking for personal cover, the choice is between Freedom Elite and Freedom Essentials.
What does Freedom Elite cover?
Freedom Elite is a modular health insurance plan. The core cover pays for in-patient and day-patient treatment in a private hospital, including specialist fees and diagnostic tests while you are in hospital, and an NHS cash benefit if you choose to be treated in an NHS hospital instead. You then build the rest of the cover around your needs:
- Out-patient cover for specialist consultations and diagnostic tests, with a choice of annual limits
- Cancer cover, including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, backed by Freedom's cancer promise
- Optional mental health cover for acute mental or psychiatric illness
- Optional alternative therapies, such as osteopathy, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture and podiatry
Freedom also offers extra support services, including a digital GP and dermatology support, depending on the policy. Because you choose each part of the cover, two Freedom Elite policies can look very different, which is why comparing them properly matters.
What is the Freedom Elite hospital list?
The Freedom Elite hospital list includes a wide range of private hospitals across the UK, including hospitals run by the largest groups such as Circle Health Group (formerly BMI Healthcare), Nuffield Health, Spire Healthcare and Ramsay Health Care, plus a number of independent and regional hospitals and NHS private patient units. A small number of the most expensive hospitals, mainly in central London, sit on a separate list you can add for an extra premium.
For our clients in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, the standard Elite hospital list usually gives a good choice of local private hospitals. Before you buy, it is worth checking that the hospital and specialist you would want to use are recognised, because if your chosen consultant does not practise at a hospital on your list, you may not be able to use them.
How much does Freedom Health Insurance cost?
The cost of your health insurance with Freedom depends on your age, where you live, the plan you choose, your out-patient limit, excess and optional benefits, and your medical history. Freedom Essentials is designed for cost-conscious buyers, while Freedom Elite with full out-patient and optional cover costs more. As a rough guide only, a healthy adult in their thirties might pay a few tens of pounds a month for a mid-level Freedom plan, with premiums rising with age and cover. These figures are illustrative and are not a quote.
To see the real health insurance cost for you, get a health insurance quote set up on the same basis as the alternatives. We run Freedom alongside Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA and others so you can compare like for like.
What affects your Freedom health insurance premium?
Several things change the premium you pay with Freedom, and some work differently from other insurers:
No no claims discount
Freedom aims for predictable pricing and says it usually will not raise your premium because you claimed. Age and medical inflation still apply.
Excess
Paid once per person per insurance year, however many claims you make.
Pay annually
Freedom offers a discount if you pay annually rather than monthly.
Options
London hospitals, higher out-patient limits, mental health and therapies all add to the premium.
See Freedom next to the rest of the market
Same out-patient limit, same excess, same hospital access. The real difference, side by side.
How does Freedom Health Insurance work when you claim?
Like most health insurance, you usually see your GP first. If you are referred to a specialist, you contact Freedom to make a claim before any treatment. Freedom has no claim forms for most claims, and you usually deal with the same adviser throughout the claims process. Once the claim is authorised, Freedom pays the hospital and specialist directly for eligible treatment, less any excess. With Freedom Essentials, the policy pays a fixed cash sum towards the treatment instead.
What does Freedom not cover?
As with most health insurance, Freedom does not usually cover long-term chronic conditions, pre-existing conditions, emergency treatment, pregnancy and childbirth, cosmetic surgery or organ transplants. The full list is in the policy documents, and we go through these with you before you buy.
Does Freedom cover pre-existing conditions?
Freedom does not generally cover pre-existing conditions. Depending on your underwriting, some conditions may become eligible after two years on the policy if you have had no symptoms, treatment or medication for them in that time. You do not need a medical examination to buy a Freedom policy, but you may be asked questions about your medical history, and Freedom may contact your GP.
If you already have private health insurance, you may be able to switch to Freedom on the same terms as your current policy, so you do not lose cover for conditions that started while you were insured. Always get confirmation before cancelling existing cover.
Is Freedom Health Insurance good?
For many people, yes. Freedom's strengths are its flexible Elite plan, a personal and well-regarded claims service, predictable pricing without a no claims discount, an excess you pay only once a year, and a genuinely different lower-cost option in Freedom Essentials. It suits people who want to build cover precisely and who value dealing with a smaller insurer.
It may not suit you if you want lifestyle rewards for staying active, a very large insurer's own hospital network, or the lowest possible headline price for basic cover. The best private health insurance is the one that fits your needs, not the one with the biggest name.
Freedom compared with other insurers
Freedom sits among the specialist insurers alongside WPA and The Exeter, competing with Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva and Vitality. It is often competitive for people who want flexible out-patient options and stable renewals, but it will not always be the cheapest. That is why we compare Freedom with the rest of the market before recommending anything.
Buying from Freedom direct
You see Freedom's price and Freedom's options. Nobody checks whether the same cover is better value elsewhere, and nobody reviews it at renewal.
Using Montgomery Financial
Freedom compared with the wider market on the same basis, underwriting and switch terms explained, and your renewal reviewed every year. No extra cost to you.
Why use a broker for Freedom Health Insurance?
You can buy health insurance from Freedom online or by phone, but a broker gives you a comparison first, at no extra cost. We check whether Freedom Elite, Freedom Essentials or a different insurer suits you best, explain the underwriting, and look at switch terms if you have existing cover. Most people keep the same health insurance policy year after year and nobody ever shops their renewal. We do. Each year we review your cover against the market and tell you plainly whether it is still good value.
Montgomery Financial is a family-run broker based in Northamptonshire, arranging private medical insurance across Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and the UK.
Freedom Health Insurance: frequently asked questions
Is Freedom Health Insurance a real UK insurer?
Yes. Freedom Health Insurance is a trading name of Freedom Healthnet Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Does Freedom offer a no claims discount?
No. Freedom chooses not to offer one, aiming instead for more predictable premiums that usually do not rise simply because you made a claim.
What is the difference between Freedom Elite and Freedom Essentials?
Freedom Elite pays for eligible private treatment directly. Freedom Essentials pays a fixed cash benefit that you use towards treatment as a self-pay patient.
Can I switch to Freedom from another insurer?
Often, yes. You may be able to transfer on the same terms as your current policy. Speak to us before cancelling anything.
Can I get a Freedom health insurance quote through a broker?
Yes. We arrange Freedom quotes and compare them with other insurers at the same time.
This page is general information, not a personal recommendation. Policy features are subject to Freedom Health Insurance's terms and may change.
Find out if Freedom is the right insurer for you
One short call. We compare Freedom with the rest of the market and tell you plainly which policy suits you best.
Book a free PMI call