2015 saw the first growth in the number of private medical insurance subscribers since the credit crunch days of 2008 according to LaingBuisson.
The figures show that the number of people covered either by insurance or via a health care trust for private medical treatment in the UK grew by 2.1% to reach 4 million.
Company paid healthcare accounted for over three-quarters (76.3%) of total market volume demand, representing 3,070,000 subscribers at the end of 2015 as the number of subscribers increased strongly by 3.4%. On the other side of the coin the number of people covered by individual and family policies fell by 1.7% to 952,000.
This meant overall penetration of the UK population by private medical cover edged up to 10.6% at the end of 2015. The total amount paid out in respect of claims paid to the providers of private healthcare in 2015 was valued at £3.6bn.
Future demand for private health cover is likely to be dampened down by the increases in insurance premium tax and fuelled by the continuing stresses and strains that the NHS is facing.
