If you've searched the internet for private medical insurance that covers epilepsy then you are most likely for looking for trusted UK based health insurance companies that will cover epilepsy.
Our advice when looking for private medical cover that covers epilepsy is to speak to a insurance broker. Health insurance is incredibly complicated and if you want complete certainty that epilepsy is covered you should consult with a health insurance broker who can explain which providers will cover this medical condition and which will exclude it.
There are many advantages to using a insurance broker but the biggest by far is that you're using their insurance training at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than you so it costs you no extra to use their services.
- Do you live in many different postcodes? Some will give you a lower premium than offers. A broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance claim? A broker will know this vital information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different policies?
- You've developed a certain medical condition and want to know which insurer offers the biggest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you huge amounts of time and effort.
You can call around every medical insurance provider you can find and ask if they cover epilepsy, however this will be a very time consuming process. Each insurer will ask for your medical history because its not normally a simple yes or not if a medical condition is covered or not.
Its far far quicker to speak to one medical insurance broker which will know which providers on the market cover epilepsy and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Epilepsy Information
Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated seizures.
Epilepsy is estimated to affect more than 500,000 people in the UK. This means that almost one in every 100 people has the condition.
The cells in the brain, known as neurons, conduct electrical signals and communicate with each other in the brain using chemical messengers. During a seizure, there are abnormal bursts of neurons firing off electrical impulses, which can cause the brain and body to behave strangely.
The severity of seizures can differ from person to person. Some people simply experience an odd feeling with no loss of awareness, or may have a "trance-like" state for a few seconds or minutes, while others lose consciousness and have convulsions (uncontrollable shaking of the body).
Some people may only have a single seizure at some point during their life. If they do not have a high risk of having further seizures, they would not be regarded as having epilepsy.
Read more about the symptoms of epilepsy
Epilepsy can start at any age, but it most often begins during childhood.
It's often not possible to identify a specific reason why someone develops the condition, although some cases – particularly those that occur later in life – are associated with damage to the brain.
For example, epilepsy can be caused by strokes, brain tumours and severe head injuries.
Some cases of epilepsy may be caused by changes in the brain that occur as a result of the genes you inherit from your parents.
Read more about the causes of epilepsy
Epilepsy is most often diagnosed after you have had more than one seizure. This is because many people have a one-off epileptic seizure during their lifetime.
The most important information needed to make a diagnosis is a description of your seizures from yourself and someone who witnessed the event, but tests may also be carried out to help determine which areas of your brain are affected and look for a potential cause.
Read more about diagnosing epilepsy
For most people with epilepsy, treatment with medications called anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) is recommended. These medications cannot cure epilepsy, but they are often very effective in controlling seizures.