WPA private health insurance: a 2026 broker review
Who WPA are, what Complete Health covers, how the excess and No Claims Discount work, and whether WPA is the right insurer for you. Compared with the rest of the market, at no extra cost.
WPA is a specialist UK health insurer that many people have never heard of, yet it is one of the most respected providers of private medical insurance in the country. This WPA health insurance review explains who WPA are, how its Complete Health policy works, what WPA health insurance cover includes, how much WPA costs in 2026, and whether it is the right insurer for you. We are a health insurance broker, so we compare WPA with the rest of the market before you buy, and it costs you nothing extra because the commission is already built into the premium.
Who are WPA health insurance?
WPA stands for Western Provident Association. It is a not-for-profit UK health insurer based in Taunton, Somerset, with more than a century of history behind it. Because WPA has no shareholders to pay, surplus is reinvested in its members and its service rather than paid out as dividends. WPA offers health insurance policies to individuals, families and companies of all sizes, including business health insurance for small firms, and it has its own advice arm, WPA Healthcare Practice.
WPA is one of the smaller insurers in the UK health insurance market compared with Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva and Vitality, but it is often recommended for the quality of its service and its straightforward approach. It is regularly rated highly by customers and independent rating agencies, and it describes itself as offering award-winning health insurance.
What does WPA private health insurance cover?
WPA's main personal policy in 2026 is Complete Health, a flexible private health insurance policy for individuals and families. Every WPA Complete Health policy includes a set of core benefits, and you then add Optional Extras to build the level of cover you want. The core benefits include:
- Hospital treatment as an in-patient or day-patient in a private hospital
- A level of out-patient treatment, which you can enhance
- An NHS hospital cash benefit if you choose NHS treatment instead of private treatment
- Fast Track pathways for skin concerns and for suspected breast, prostate or skin cancer, without needing a GP referral
- A remote private GP service by phone or video, including digital prescriptions
- A 24/7 health and wellbeing helpline, mental health support and structured counselling
Optional Extras let you add cancer care, extra out-patient consultations, out-patient diagnostic tests such as a scan, therapy (including a fast track physiotherapy pathway), mental health treatment, overseas emergency treatment, cash extras, dental emergencies and premium hospitals.
How does WPA private health insurance work?
If you feel unwell, you usually see your NHS GP first, or use the WPA remote GP service. If the GP thinks you need investigations or specialist treatment, they refer you. You then make a claim with WPA before any treatment starts, through the WPA Health app, the My WPA online portal or by phone. WPA checks your symptoms are covered, authorises the claim and settles the bills directly with the hospital and specialist.
WPA sets a maximum fee it will pay each specialist for consultations and procedures, based on what it considers customary and reasonable. Specialists should tell you their charges in advance. It is always worth checking the fee is within WPA's allowance before treatment, so you are not left with a shortfall.
Which hospitals are covered by WPA health insurance?
WPA's standard hospital access covers a wide range of private hospitals across the UK, including independent private hospitals and major groups such as Nuffield Health, Spire, Circle and Ramsay, as well as NHS private patient units. If you want access to the most expensive central London hospitals, you add the Premium Hospitals Optional Extra. For most clients in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, the standard hospital access gives a good choice of local private hospitals without paying for London hospitals they are unlikely to use.
How much does WPA private health insurance cost?
How much WPA health insurance costs depends on your age, where you live, the Optional Extras you choose, your excess and your medical history. Because you build the policy yourself, you are in control of the premium. As a rough guide only, a healthy adult in their thirties on core cover with a modest excess might pay a few tens of pounds a month, while fuller cover for an older couple will cost considerably more. These are illustrative figures, not a quote.
The only way to know your real health insurance costs is to get a quote on a like-for-like basis. We quote WPA alongside other leading UK health insurers, with the same excess, out-patient limits and hospital access, so you can see the true cost of private health insurance from each provider.
How can you reduce your WPA premium?
Excess
Choose £0, £100, £250 or £500. It applies per person, per policy year, not per claim, and can differ for each family member.
No Claims Discount
Each person has their own level, which rises in claim-free years and falls after larger claims. Some benefits do not affect it.
Optional Extras
Only add what you are likely to use. Leaving out premium hospitals or extra out-patient cover makes a real difference.
Annual review
You can change your cover on each renewal date, so review it every year rather than letting it roll over.
See WPA next to Bupa, AXA Health and Aviva
Same excess, same out-patient limits, same hospital access. The real difference, side by side.
What underwriting options does WPA offer?
When you apply, WPA will underwrite the policy in one of three ways:
- Moratorium underwriting – you do not give your full past medical history up front. Conditions you have had in the years before joining are excluded until you have gone a set period on the policy without symptoms, treatment or advice for them.
- Full medical underwriting – you provide your medical history and WPA tells you at the start what is excluded. On a full medical underwriting basis there are fewer surprises at claim time.
- Switch underwriting – if you have existing health insurance with another insurer, you may be able to move to WPA on similar terms, so you keep cover for conditions that arose while insured.
To join, you must have lived in the UK and been registered with an NHS GP for at least six months, and there is no maximum joining age. You can change your cover within the first 30 days, and after that at each renewal.
What does WPA not cover?
As with all private health insurance, WPA does not cover everything. Key exclusions include pre-existing conditions (depending on your underwriting), long-term chronic conditions, most dental problems, fertility, pregnancy and childbirth, cosmetic treatment and allergic conditions. The policy guide lists everything, and we go through it with you before you buy.
Is WPA private health insurance good?
For many people, yes. WPA's strengths are its not-for-profit structure, its reputation for service, the flexibility of its Complete Health policies, useful fast track pathways, and a generous range of health and wellbeing benefits included as standard. It suits people who want a straightforward insurer that treats members fairly and who are happy to build their cover from a solid core.
It may not be the best private health insurance for you if you want the lowest possible headline price, lifestyle rewards for exercising, or a guided consultant network at a discount. Whether WPA is the right health cover depends on what you want the policy to do.
Is WPA better than Bupa?
WPA is not the same as Bupa. Bupa is one of the largest UK private medical insurance providers, with its own network and a wide range of health plans. WPA is smaller, not-for-profit, and known for personal service. WPA can be cheaper than Bupa, AXA Health or Aviva for some people and more expensive for others. Neither is better for everyone. We compare WPA against the other leading UK health insurers on the same basis so you can see which insurer in the UK gives you the right health insurance cover for your money.
Buying WPA direct
You see WPA's price and WPA's options. Nobody checks whether the same cover is better value elsewhere, and nobody reviews it at renewal.
Using Montgomery Financial
WPA 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 WPA private health insurance?
You can buy WPA direct, but using an insurance broker means you see WPA alongside the rest of the UK PMI market before you commit, and it does not cost you anything extra. We explain the underwriting, check switch terms if you have existing health insurance, and make sure the Optional Extras you pay for are ones you will use. Most people keep the same insurer for years and nobody ever shops their renewal. We do. Every year we review your WPA plan against the market and tell you plainly whether it is still good value.
Montgomery Financial is a family-run broker based in Northamptonshire, helping individuals, families and businesses with private medical insurance across Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and the UK.
WPA private health insurance: frequently asked questions
Is WPA private health insurance good?
WPA is a well-regarded UK health insurer with a strong service reputation and flexible cover. Whether it is right for you depends on your needs and budget.
Can I still use the NHS if I have WPA insurance?
Yes. WPA works alongside the National Health Service. Emergencies still go to the NHS, and if you choose NHS treatment for an eligible condition you may receive the NHS hospital cash benefit.
Can I switch my current health insurance to WPA?
Often, yes. Switch underwriting may let you keep cover for conditions that arose on your existing policy. Do not cancel your current cover until the new policy is confirmed.
Does WPA cover mental health?
Every policy includes mental health support and structured counselling, and you can add the mental health treatment Optional Extra for wider mental health cover.
Does WPA include a private GP?
Yes. A remote private GP service by phone or video is included with every Complete Health policy.
Can I add my family to a WPA policy?
Yes. Complete Health can cover individuals and families, with a separate excess and No Claims Discount level for each person.
This page is general information, not a personal recommendation. Policy features are subject to WPA's terms and may change.
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