Elderly parents and healthcare insurance?

Hey all,

Life catches on quick and my parents are becoming older and less able. The NHS has been amazing with my mum in diagnosing her arthritis and so on, however as a back up I’d like to be prepared and i’ve looked into vitality and so on for medical insurance but it doesn’t count parents as immediate family. Has anyone else taken out insurance for their parents?

I currently have vitality as part of work benefit and that i believe can only be extended to my partner and children etc. Has anyone else taken insurance for their parents? I’ve seen some life insurance covers that also do medical insurance? Feels a bit wrong to take such a policy for them when they are still here

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Given they’re elderly, I suspect you’ll struggle to find cover, either it gets turned down on application or the policy will be an eye watering expensive one.

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Yeah that is what i feared as well

I don’t think healthcare insurance for that age group really exists in the UK (yet?). Because there’s an extent to which that’s what the NHS is for/was supposed to be for. Traditionally elderly people were expected to us their savings to pay healthcare costs for what they needed outside of the NHS (and because there would be some stuff that the government wouldn’t cover via NHS or whatever if you had savings, I did have an elderly relative or two who deliberately spent all their money to ensure the government would have to pay for them).

If there are specific things you’re needing help or advice with, it might be worth contacting a charity like Age UK to see what they can offer/signpost you towards.

Oh I see. They are not that old, dad is still working but mum had to retire as she has severe arthiritis. I just wanted to double down on the options so that in worst case scenario she’s covered in terms of health insurance etc

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Ahh, gotcha. It might be your best bet is savings, if insurance premiums are too extortionate. So if the premium is too much but you’d be ok with 25% or even 50%, put that in a pot and hope it adds up plenty before you need it.

I also wouldn’t discount Age UK, I don’t think it’s too early to seek advice from them.

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Have you considered something like
https://www.benenden.co.uk/ ?

Both of my parents are with them.

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I have relatives with benenden, they think it’s great.

Never heard of it, thank you for referring. I’ll take a look and let you know

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