Private health insurance (Bupa Eduhealth)

• A GP referral is required to start a claim – visit your own GP or as part of your membership of Bupa access the  digital GP service.
• When you have a GP referral, contact Bupa to start the claims process – either online through your personal member portal or telephone Bupa directly – 0800 678 1151.
• Need help with anything – contact Eduhealth on enquiries@eduhealth.co.uk or 0345 226 9938. Their office hours are 09:00am - 17:00pm, Monday - Friday but have been known to look at emails and answer out of hours.

Eduhealth offers private health insurance designed specifically for the Education sector. They continue to have high member satisfaction, strong retention, and a growing enrolment, which spreads the claims risk across an expanding member base.

• High Retention: Eduhealth policies renew annually on 1 September, with retention rates consistently between 97-98%—demonstrating the loyalty and satisfaction of members.
• Continued Eligibility: You remain eligible for the same Bupa Eduhealth terms, conditions, and pricing even if you leave Imperial College, retire, or take ill-health retirement.
• No Individual Penalty for Claiming: Your benefits and premiums are unaffected by personal claims or employment changes, as the scheme does not operate a No Claims Discount (NCD) system.
• Secure Payment: Monthly payments for Bupa Eduhealth are made via direct debit from your personal bank account, offering convenience and ease of management.
• Bupa Rewards: Staff can also enjoy exclusive discounts on a range of services through the Bupa Rewards Platform.

Bupa Eduhealth offers two levels of healthcare cover designed to suit different needs: BupaCare and Bupa Essentials. Both plans provide access to Bupa’s extensive hospital network, including major London hospitals. For a full list of participating hospitals, visit Bupa Finder and select ‘participating’ under the hospital list tab.

BupaCare

Eduhealth's most comprehensive option, ideal for those seeking extensive healthcare coverage:  

• Unlimited outpatient consultations: No cap on the number of pre- and post-treatment consultations and diagnostics for hospital treatment.
• Comprehensive day patient and inpatient cover: Support for private consultations, therapy, and treatment for eligible mental health conditions.
• Peace of mind: Covers everything from private diagnosis to treatment and aftercare for eligible medical needs.
• Annual therapy allowance: Combined annual limit of up to £500 per person on outpatient therapies, including mental health, physiotherapy.

Bupa Essentials

A reduced benefits option to cover diagnosis and treatment with essential outpatient follow up.

• Full Diagnostic cover: All eligible diagnostics are covered on the Essentials policy, and outpatient consultations and treatment related physiotherapy are covered for 6 months following discharge from in-patient or day-patient treatment.
• Excludes pre-treatment consultations and mental health: Offers coverage for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care, but without pre-treatment consultations or mental health services.
• Core healthcare at lower cost: Ideal for those focused on secure coverage for hospital treatment and the timely diagnosis of illnesses.

Shared benefits in both plans:

• 24/7 Virtual GP access: Get fast and convenient medical advice anytime.
• Comprehensive cancer cover: Access to leading specialists and treatment when needed.
• Full hospital treatment cover: Includes surgery, hospital stays, and follow-up care.
• Dental Benefit: One dental appointment at a participating Bupa Dental Care practice per policy year, and a £300 allowance towards restorative dental treatments, such as crowns or fillings, after your appointment. You can find participating dental practices here. Please refer to your membership certificate for terms and conditions and to see who is covered by your policy.

To compare the plans side by side, check see their Plan comparison guide.

You have the option to take out individual insurance for yourself or extend your coverage to include your spouse or cohabiting partner and/or your children (dependants).

• A dependant is defined as a child, stepchild, or foster child for whom you are legally responsible, up to the age of 25.
• If your dependant is under 25 (i.e. up to 24 years and 364 days) at the scheme renewal date, they can remain on the policy until the next renewal, where they can become eligible to transfer to their own policy.

For more advice on rates and how adding dependants may affect your policy, please contact Eduhealth directly.

Bupa price each individual adult is added to the policy based on age. Children are added in the same way, and the rate is per child. Bupa’s rates for children have been reduced as of September 2024.

To add or remove individuals from your plan, simply contact Eduhealth directly. You will need to provide the full name and date of birth of the individuals you wish to add or remove. To add dependants, you’ll need to complete an application form, which includes a few medical history questions. Changes to your plan may affect your premiums, and updated rates will be confirmed once the changes are processed.

Your policy gives you access to hospitals through Bupa’s Extended Choice network, including Central London hospitals - you can view these here (Bupa hospitals list). For the most up-to-date information, Bupa recommend using their Facilities Finder tool at finder.bupa.co.uk.

Before arranging or receiving treatment, Bupa advise members to contact them to confirm which facilities and benefits are available under your plan. Bupa has carefully selected hospitals that meet high-quality standards, ensuring members receive the best possible care.

Pre-existing conditions, chronic conditions, and natural ageing are not covered by private medical insurance. For a summary ‘What is not covered’, please refer to the IPID BupaCare and Bupa Essentials. You can also request the full Bupa Membership Guide, which will be included in your welcome pack upon enrolment.

A pre-existing condition is any diagnosed or symptomatic medical issue present before your application. These may be excluded indefinitely or for a reviewable period, which can be reassessed upon the renewal following the review period.

Before finalising your policy, you’ll receive a detailed outline of any exclusions or review periods specific to you. Bupa will review your medical history, and you can reach out to them with any questions for clarification.

You can leave the scheme at any time. However, if your policy lapses and you later decide to re-join, you will be subject to new underwriting terms from the new start date. This means any pre-existing or symptomatic conditions you have at that time may not be covered under future policies.

To cancel your policy, please contact enquiries@eduhealth.co.uk, include your membership number, and state the date you wish your coverage to end.

All Eduhealth individual PMI have a common renewal date of 1 September each year. Your policy will automatically renew and the rates for the next annual period will be communicated to you by both Eduhealth and Bupa in advance.

At renewal, you have the option to amend your excess level, review special conditions, or upgrade/downgrade your policy. Due to underwriting restrictions, these changes can only be made at the renewal stage. Any adjustments outside of this period would require new underwriting, which could result in exclusions for previously covered conditions.

If you’re considering changes, please contact Eduhealth before your policy auto-renews to discuss your options.

If you leave Imperial employment, including retirement or ill-health retirement, you can remain on the same Bupa Eduhealth terms, conditions, and pricing. Your cover will continue without changes to your benefits or premiums if you choose to maintain your policy.

To initiate a claim, you will need a GP referral for consultations or treatment. Here are the ways to secure a referral:

1. Through your NHS GP.
2. Bupa Blua: Access Bupa’s online GP service through your Bupa Touch account.
3. Private GP: Please note that costs for visiting a private GP are not covered by the policy.

Once you have obtained your referral, contact Bupa’s Claims line at 0800 678 1151, and select option 1 to open a case for your claim. You will receive a claims reference number, and a Bupa Advisor will guide you on what information will be needed as the treatment or diagnostic process continues.

It’s important to maintain communication with the insurer throughout your appointments, treatments, or diagnostics to confirm coverage.

If you require further assistance during the claiming process, Eduhealth is here to help. You can reach them at 0800 678 1151 (option 2), or email at enquiries@eduhealth.co.uk.

Yes, you can secure discounted rates on health screens provided by Bupa if you make your request directly through Eduhealth. They have a variety of options available that you can choose from whether you’re looking to discover new ways to take care of your mind and body or fight off health concerns and hit new goals. Bupa also offer specific Targeted Cancer Screenings. For full details, and understanding of how to access the discounted services, please contact them directly.

All policyholders must reside at their UK address for 6 months of each year. All hospitals in Bupa Eduhealth’s directory of hospitals are located in the UK.

Yes, you can transfer to one of their policies if you already have private health insurance. To ensure a smooth transition and continuation of cover, Bupa Eduhealth will need to see a copy of your existing membership certificate along with all relevant details. Once they have that information, they can get you set up on a policy with them.

You can view Eduhealth’s Privacy Policy online here. It is recommended that you read these notices carefully after taking out a policy to understand how your data will be handled and protected.

Bupa as the insurer/provider of the BupaCare Eduhealth and Eduhealth Essentials private medical insurance policies have their own privacy policy which can be found here.

Eduhealth members can also sign up via this link to the BHSF health cash plans to manage the cost of their everyday healthcare. Please note that any reference to a thirteen week waiting period has been waivered for Eduhealth customers and insured individuals will be eligible for the benefit from the start date of their policy. Other waiting periods apply as follows:

• Maternity/Paternity benefit is subject to a 10 month qualifying period.
• No hospital in-patient claim will be paid during the first two years of a new or upgraded policy in respect of any health condition, or related health condition, which existed or was being investigated before cover commenced. The insurers may wish to verify medical information to support a hospital related claim.

Yes, in addition to their standard offerings and BHSF partnership, Eduhealth is also partnered with Simply Health to provide dental cover. If you’d like more information about this option, please submit your enquiry here, and one of their advisors will be in touch with more details.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to Eduhealth at 0345 226 9938 or email them at enquiries@eduhealth.co.uk. Their team is available Monday to Friday, from 09:00am to 17:00pm.

For enquiries specifically related to claims, you can contact Bupa at 0800 678 1151 (option 1). Or If you have questions about underwriting reviews, do not hesitate to call the Bupa medical team on 0345 600 8630.