If you've searched the internet for private medical insurance that covers scabies then you are probably for looking for established UK based health insurance companies that can cover scabies.
Our advice when looking for health insurance that covers scabies is to speak to a insurance broker. Health insurance is extremely complicated and if you want complete certainty that scabies is covered you should talk with a health insurance broker who can explain which providers will cover this medical condition and which will not.
There are many advantages to using a broker but the largest by far is that you're using their industry experience at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than by you so it costs you no extra to use their services.
- Do you reside in many different areas? Some will give you a cheaper policy premium than offers. A insurance broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance policy? A broker will know this critical 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 condition and want to know which policy provider 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 health insurance provider you can find and ask if they cover scabies, 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 much quicker to speak to one medical insurance broker which will know which providers on the market cover scabies and under what terms they do or don't cover it.
Scabies Information
Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin.
The main symptom of scabies is intense itching that's worse at night. It also causes a skin rash on areas where the mites have burrowed.
Read more about the symptoms of scabies.
Scabies mites are called Sarcoptes scabiei. They feed using their mouths and front legs to burrow into the outer layer of skin (epidermis), where they lay eggs.
After 3 to 4 days, the baby mites (larvae) hatch and move to the surface of the skin, where they mature into adults.
Scabies like warm places, such as skin folds, between the fingers, under fingernails, or around the buttock or breast creases. They can also hide under watch straps, bracelets or rings.
Read more about the life cycle of the scabies mite.
Scabies is usually spread through prolonged periods of skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, or through sexual contact.
It's also possible – but rare – for scabies to be passed on by sharing clothing, towels and bedding with someone who's infected.
It can take up to 8 weeks for the symptoms of scabies to appear after the initial infection. This is known as the incubation period.
Read more about the causes of scabies.
Scabies is widespread in densely populated areas with limited access to medical care, and is most common in the following tropical and subtropical areas:
In developed countries, scabies outbreaks can sometimes occur in places where there are lots of people, such as schools, nurseries and care homes.
In the UK, most outbreaks of scabies occur in the winter. This may be because people tend to spend more time indoors and closer to each other at this time of year.
It's difficult to know exactly how many cases of scabies there are in the UK. This is because many people don't visit their GP and treat the condition with non-prescription medicines.