Only if you would actually be treated in central London — and outside the M25 the answer is usually no.

What the policy documents actually say

Central London private hospitals sit outside most standard hospital lists and are sold as a paid upgrade. WPA describes a standard list of around 1,000 hospitals, clinics and scanning centres across the UK, with Premium Hospitals adding facilities based mainly in central London. Saga offers a London Upgrade on top of its Countrywide Hospital List.

The premium difference is meaningful, and for most of the country it buys access to hospitals you would never realistically use. The exception is people who work in central London and would prefer treatment near the office rather than near home, which is a genuine convenience case rather than a clinical one.

The clinical case is narrower than the marketing suggests. For specialist or rare conditions, the consultant you need may only practise at a particular London hospital — but that is a reason to check where your specific consultant works, not a reason to buy the upgrade speculatively.

Aviva's structure shows the cost of getting it wrong: hospital charges are paid in full only at a hospital on your list, so using a central London facility without the upgrade leaves the shortfall with you.

The sensible test is to look up the two or three hospitals you would actually attend and check which list they fall on. That takes ten minutes and settles the question better than any general advice.

Questions to put to the insurer or broker

  • Which hospitals near me are on the standard list?
  • Where does the consultant I would want actually practise?
  • What is the premium difference, annually?

Related questions

Sources

  • Source: Aviva — Healthier Solutions Terms and conditions (2025-04), read 4 September 2026.
  • Source: Saga — Your Policy Book — HealthPlan Super, Super 4 Week Wait & Super 6 Week Wait (2025-05), read 4 September 2026.
  • Source: WPA — Private Medical Insurance — Insurance Product Information Document (Complete Health) (2025-11), read 4 September 2026.

The limit behind every answer here

None of this reaches a condition you already have. Cover is written for problems that arise after it starts, so anything you have symptoms of when you apply is excluded — permanently under full medical underwriting, or until a symptom-free period has passed under a moratorium. Chronic conditions are excluded by every insurer whose wording we hold. Figures quoted come from current policy documents and change at renewal, so check the document you are actually offered.

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