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National Friendly’s My PMI private health insurance is built around simplicity and flexibility. Instead of lots of bolt-ons, you choose from four clear levels of cover, with each one offering a different depth of protection depending on your priorities and budget.
All policies include access to Friendly GP+, a 24/7 virtual GP service, along with guided support to help you find the right treatment pathway when you need it.
Highlights of National Friendly’s health insurance include:
Four levels of cover to suit different needs and budgets.
A five-year term, so you don’t need to renew each year.
Access to Friendly GP+, a 24/7 virtual GP service.
Guided support to help you find the right specialist and treatment.
Hospital access through standard or extended lists.
Cancer cover included, with more comprehensive protection at higher levels.
In this guide, we break down how National Friendly’s My PMI works, what each level includes, and how to choose the right option for you.
We’ve done our best to ensure the information on this page is accurate and up to date at the time of writing. However, insurers can change their terms, pricing and cover at any time. This page is for general information only and is not a substitute for full policy documentation, which you should always review to help you confirm that the cover meets your individual needs.
Our specialist advisers can walk you through National Friendly’s core cover and optional extras, and check for any current offers. They’ll also compare National Friendly’s cover and premiums with other leading UK providers so you can see if there’s a better fit for your budget and needs. Call 0800 144 4777 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or start your quotation online now.
Something we especially like about National Friendly’s approach is their flexibility when it comes to who can be covered:
Adults aged 18 to 85 can apply.
Policies can be set up for individuals, couples or families.
Children can be covered up to age 23.
You can include up to ten children on a policy, as long as they live at the same address.
National Friendly also gives you flexibility in where you are treated. When you take out your policy, you can choose from three options:
With the guided treatment option, after you get a GP’s referral, National Friendly’s claims team will select a consultant who will oversee your treatment path.
If you’d rather choose where you are treated, pay a little more for the standard hospital list option for access to a wide range of recognised private hospitals and healthcare providers across the UK. Only hospitals whose fees sit above typical national pricing levels are excluded.
For even more choice and flexibility, the extended hospital list allows you to use any private hospital in the UK, including those not included on the standard list. This is the most expensive option when it comes to premiums, but it gives you the highest level of choice.
Rather than one standard core package, National Friendly builds cover across four levels. Level 1 focuses on diagnosis and outpatient care, while Levels 2 to 4 introduce inpatient and more comprehensive treatment benefits.
Here’s a summary of what the entry-level cover (Level 1) typically includes:
Benefit | What’s included |
|---|---|
Private GP access | Unlimited face-to-face GP consultations that lead to a referral to a specialist, plus 24/7 virtual GP access. Non-referral GP visits: one per year, up to £100. |
Diagnostic consultations | Consultations with a specialist sourced or authorised by National Friendly’s claims team. |
Diagnostic tests | Includes colonoscopies, endoscopies, angiograms, biopsies, ECGs, pathology tests, MRI, PET, CT scans and X-rays. |
Outpatient therapies | Acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy and physiotherapy before inpatient/day-patient treatment. |
Foot and lower limb therapies | Chiropody, podiatry and gait assessment for medical conditions. |
Minor outpatient surgery | Includes carpal tunnel decompression, excision/cauterisation of cancerous tissue and joint injections for tendonitis/bursitis. |
Mental health support | One psychiatric assessment per policy year and up to ten sessions with a counsellor or psychotherapist. |
Heart tests | Angiograms, biopsies, blood tests and ECGs. |
Cancer diagnostics | Biopsies, blood tests, scans and X-rays for diagnosis before treatment. Excludes genetic testing, screening, pre-diagnosis preventive treatment and treatment after diagnosis. |
Excess choice | Choose no excess (so that 100% of a claim is paid by National Friendly) or excess levels of £100, £250, £500 or £1,000. |
Level 1 is typically the most affordable option and is designed to help you get diagnosed quickly and access outpatient treatment without long NHS waits.
Instead of optional add-ons, National Friendly increases cover through its policy levels. As you move up, the scope and limits expand significantly.
Here are just some of the additional benefits you can get from selecting a higher level of cover.
Cover area | What’s included |
|---|---|
Inpatient cover | Level 2 and 3 include up to £1 million per year for inpatient and day-patient treatment, including hospital stays, specialist fees and cancer care. Level 4 offers unlimited cover. |
Cancer care | Diagnosis is covered at all three levels, with different limits for each one. Treatment can include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biological therapies, consultations with specialists during treatment, cancer drugs and access to clinical trials, depending on the level chosen (see below for more details). |
Heart treatment | Includes coronary angioplasty, coronary artery bypass, pacemaker or defibrillator fitting, and cardiac valve surgery. |
Cosmetic surgery | Covers pre-authorised reconstructive surgery to restore function or appearance following an accident or covered surgery that occurred after the policy start date. |
Private ambulance | Covers private land ambulance transport where medically necessary. |
Home nursing | Covers home nursing, under your specialist’s supervision, following authorised in- or day-patient treatment, for up to six months per claim. |
Parent accommodation | Covers hospital accommodation costs if you need to stay with a child insured under the policy while they receive eligible treatment. |
Fixed cash allowance | A cash payment if you choose NHS treatment instead of a pre-authorised private inpatient procedure covered by your policy. |
NHS hospital stays | Pays £100 per night for up to ten overnight stays per policy year (20 nights for Level 4) where the treatment could also have been provided privately. |
Stem cell and bone marrow cancer treatments | Level 4 only. |
Palliative care | Level 4 only. |
Raising your cover level will naturally increase your premiums, but it does give you more protection. How much you need depends on your personal circumstances, so comparing plans and insurers can help you find the right balance between cover and cost.
All of National Friendly’s My PMI health insurance plans include cancer cover, but the scope and limits depend on the level of cover you choose. This tiered approach means you can choose a level that’s affordable for you, always with some reassurance of cancer cover should it ever be needed.
Focuses on diagnosis only, including scans and tests, with an annual limit of £2,000 or £5,000 depending on your policy choice.
Covers diagnosis (scans and tests only) and provides chemotherapy and radiotherapy up to the policy’s overall limit, but does not include biological, stem cell or bone marrow treatments.
Covers diagnosis within the £2,000 or £5,000 annual limits, plus inpatient treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and biological therapies, up to £1 million per year.
The most comprehensive cover, including diagnosis, inpatient treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biological therapies, bone marrow and stem cell treatments – all with no financial limit.
Every My PMI policy includes access to Friendly GP+, giving you round-the-clock support from qualified GPs without needing an appointment.
You’ll also have access to additional helplines, starting with mental health support through a secure 24/7 online hub. This features tips, articles and videos to support your mental wellbeing.
The dental helpline gives you 24/7 access to qualified dentists for advice, second opinions and guidance. You can upload photos or videos for a personalised assessment, and if needed, arrange a private prescription within 24 hours (additional cost applies).
These services are there to support you day to day, not just when you need to make a claim.
As with most private medical insurance policies, National Friendly’s My PMI focuses on treating new, short-term conditions rather than ongoing or routine health needs.
Exclusions include (but are not limited to):
Pre-existing conditions, depending on the terms you joined on.
Allergies.
Chronic conditions where treatment is ongoing or aimed at managing symptoms.
Fertility treatment.
Issues related to alcohol or substance misuse/addiction.
Transplant procedures and kidney dialysis.
Preventative treatment, routine check-ups and screening where no symptoms are present.
Mental health treatment that requires inpatient or day-patient care.
Treatment received outside the UK.
Injuries from professional or high-risk sports.
Sleep disorders.
Developmental/behavioural conditions including dyslexia and dyspraxia, ADHD, Asperger syndrome and autism.
Weight loss treatment.
Many of these exclusions are standard across private health insurance policies. Always check the full policy wording to understand exactly what is and isn’t covered.
National Friendly’s My PMI is built around simplicity, fixed five-year terms, and four clear levels of cover. While this approach works well for many people, it may not suit everyone. It might not be the best fit if:
You need very specific or highly customised cover: National Friendly uses a tiered structure rather than a wide range of optional add-ons, so you choose from the four levels rather than picking individual benefits.
You want full in-patient cover included in the basic level: Level 1 focuses on diagnosis and out-patient care, so if you’re looking for full hospital treatment and more comprehensive cancer cover, you’ll need to consider Levels 2, 3 or 4.
You want coverage outside the UK: Treatment abroad is not included, unlike at least one other insurer offering this as an optional extra.
You want continued moratorium underwriting: National Friendly does not offer this option, so any symptom‑free time you’ve already built up with another insurer won’t transfer if you switch from another provider. As they require a full two years with no symptoms or treatment (after starting the new policy) before they’ll cover a pre‑existing condition, switching means that two‑year countdown starts again.
These might not be deal-breakers, but it’s certainly worth comparing this plan and insurer against other available options to make the right decision for you.
National Friendly issues policies on five-year terms, which means your own claims won’t affect your premium during that time. This gives you extra stability and peace of mind, while still allowing you to cancel if your circumstances change. The four-level structure also gives you flexibility, but it does mean you’ll need to think carefully about how much cover you actually need.
Outpatient cover is really about catching problems early. It covers things like GP or specialist appointments, diagnostic tests, therapy for injuries, and counselling for mental health. These are usually the first steps when something isn’t quite right. Level 1 gives you outpatient care on its own, while higher levels bundle it with inpatient treatment for more comprehensive support.
In- and day-patient cover is for more serious times like operations, cancer treatment or follow-up procedures that need a bed. Level 2 covers these treatments on their own, and Levels 3 and 4 combine them with outpatient care so you’ve got full protection from start to finish.
Choosing the right level is all about balancing cost, cover and how much control you want over your healthcare.
Our health insurance advisers can help. They will review your circumstances, talk you through National Friendly’s coverage, and help you compare it against the other leading UK health insurers. Call us on 0800 144 4777 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or request a call back at a time that suits you.
National Friendly is a mutual insurer and friendly society based in Bristol with more than 155 years of experience, having been founded in 1868. Because it’s member-owned, there are no shareholders. That means profits are reinvested into improving products and services for members.
Despite being less widely known than some larger insurers, National Friendly has built a strong reputation for service. It has a 4-star rating on Trustpilot, reflecting overall positive customer feedback, particularly about its customer service. In 2025, National Friendly was a finalist in The UK Health & Protection Awards 2025 for ‘Best Individual Health Insurance Provider’.
