The number of people covered by private medical insurance (PMI) has reached more than six million people for the first time in five years partly due to an increase the amounts of corporate policy holders.
According to the latest figures from the Association of British Insurers, a total of 6,004,000 people were covered by either personal or corporate PMI in 2007, compared with 5,879,000 in 2006. Of the number of policy holders for 2007, 4,341,000 were covered by corporate policies, representing and increase of 3.65% from 2006.
A further 1,136,000 are covered through Healthcare Trust arrangements, leaving a total of 7,140,000 people with some form of private health cover in Britain in 2007.
Nick Starling, the ABI’s director of general insurance and health, said: “It’s good news that the popularity of private medical insurance †continues to grow. Health insurance gives people the access to the treatment they need, when they need it, offers greater privacy and better facilities, and reduces pressure on the NHS.”