Saga health insurance review

Saga offers 4 health insurance plans for over-50s, each providing different levels of cover for hospital in-patient, day-patient and outpatient treatment. Find out what you get with each one in our review.

Who is Saga?

Saga originally focused on travel for people aged over 50 before branching out to offer home and motor insurance, as well as other financial services, for this age group in the 1980s. The brand has offered private health insurance for more than 30 years.

What’s included with Saga health insurance?

There are 4 health insurance plans, each providing different levels of cover for treatment. Although you have to be aged 50 or above to apply for a health insurance policy, you can choose to add your spouse and children (up to the age of 21, or 25 if in full-time education).

The policies are:

• Saga HealthPlan Super. The most comprehensive level of cover. You’ll see a full list of what’s offered in the table below.
• Saga HealthPlan Secure. A more affordable option that offers a total of £2,000 worth of outpatient cover, plus unlimited CT, MRI and PET scans.
• Saga HealthPlan Saver Plus. Another cheaper policy which offers £1,000 worth of outpatient cover, plus one outpatient scan per year.
• Saga HealthPlan Support. The most basic cover plan, this policy excludes outpatient support and all non-surgical elements of cancer treatment.

The table below outlines the level of care provided by each policy; many of the benefits have an upper annual limit for the amount you can claim:

Exclusions

Saga health insurance will not cover you in the following scenarios:

• Pre-existing medical conditions (usually excluded, but Saga says there are exceptions)
• Chronic health conditions, including arthritis, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy
• Cosmetic surgery

There may be other circumstances where your policy won’t cover you, so make sure to read your policy documents carefully, as all exclusions will be listed there.

Claims process

Once your GP refers you to a specialist, call Saga’s claims team on 0800 027 1331.

A claims adviser will take a few basic details to check the treatment is eligible, how much of the fee Saga can cover and which medical facilities are available.

They’ll forward a partially-filled claim form to you. There will be a section for you to fill out, and a section for your GP.

Once the form is completed and sent back to the insurer, it will assess the claim and confirm cover. You’ll also be told about any restrictions to cover, along with your appointments and any outstanding payments due.

Managing your policy

You can manage your policy online via the Saga website. Just click the “MySaga” button in the top right corner of the website, then enter the email address associated with your Saga account and register your details. You will be able to amend your personal details and view your insurance documents here.

How to contact the Saga health insurance team

For general queries, call 0800 056 9273. Lines are open on weekdays 08:30-19:00 and on Saturdays 09:00-13:00.

Pros and cons

Our verdict

Saga’s health insurance has a few cover options to choose from, so it can suit a range of budgets.

Its “Super” plan is one of the most comprehensive out there, but its more affordable policies offer decent levels of protection too.

Cover is only available to over-50s, but children can be added on a family policy.

Frequently asked questions about Saga health insurance

• Is Saga health insurance exclusive to over-50s?

  You have to be aged 50 or over to apply, but you can add your spouse and children (aged up to 21, or 25 if in full education) onto the policy if you wish.

• Is there a way to lower the cost of my premium?

  For starters, you can choose one of the cheaper policies. The Saga HealthPlan Super policy is the most expensive, so consider if you’re comfortable opting for a more affordable plan that offers a lower level of cover.

  On top of that, you can add a voluntary excess or a four-week wait option onto your policy to lower your premium even more.

• Does Saga health insurance cover dental?

  With the Saga HealthPlan Super policy, you’ll be covered for £5,000 worth of dental benefit per year. With the other three policies, dental work is not covered.

• Does Saga health insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?

  No, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.

• How do I cancel my Saga health insurance?

  You can cancel your policy by calling 0800 056 9273 or sending an email using the contact form on the Saga website.