New research from Clarity Health Insurance has revealed that Brits’ interest in health insurance has increased dramatically, with 83% more people now searching the internet for ‘private health insurance’ than they were this time three years ago.*
New analysis from experts at Clarity Health Insurance found that 14,800 people now search online for ‘private health insurance’ every month, compared with just 8,100 people in June 2021 – an increase of 83%. Similarly, searches for ‘health insurance’ have increased by 50%, from 12,100 in June 2021 to 18,100 in June 2024.
A range of other healthcare-related terms have also soared in the same time period, including ‘compare health insurance’ (up 50%), ‘private healthcare’ (up 50%), and ‘how much is health insurance’ (up 122%). Meanwhile, the term ‘NHS waiting times’ has increased by 177%, suggesting concerns around the time it takes to be diagnosed and treated are rising.
With historical data showing that interest has been steadily increasing throughout the last decade, the rise of private medical insurance and related phrases as a search term very much appears to be more than a passing trend.
Google Trends data shows public interest in health insurance has grown consistently in the past ten years.
These new insights also support the latest industry data, which has revealed that private medical insurance admissions are at the highest level ever – with 13,000 more insured admissions in Q4 2023 than in the same period in 2022 (9% increase).**
Clarity Health Insurance, an independent whole-of-market health insurance adviser, witnessed a 51% increase in consumers seeking quotes for health insurance in the last three months on average compared to the previous year (Feb-April 2024) and a 19% increase in policies sold in the same period.
Kyle Godden, Managing Director at Clarity Health Insurance, commented: “With the pressures on the NHS it’s no surprise that more consumers are considering private healthcare and we’ve seen a steady rise in demand for PMI over the last three years to mirror this trend.
“We are however seeing a trend of clients with pre-existing conditions enquiring for PMI only to struggle to cover those conditions. As demand for PMI grows, particularly among newer groups in society, more must be done to educate people about how policies work and advisers play a crucial role in helping them navigate the complex market.”
Read Clarity Health Insurance’s new guide to understanding PMI as a first time policy holder, here: https://clarityhealthinsurance.co.uk/understanding-health-insurance-as-a-first-time-policy-holder/.
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