You’ve always put a
premium on staying healthy.
Now we have.

Why is the Lateral Health Plan different?
The Lateral Health Plan is different, because it’s health insurance designed specifically to support people over 60 in the UK who strive to maintain good health and an active lifestyle - those with no intention of stopping.
We combine private cover, nurse-led support and preventative services all in one policy, working to deliver better health outcomes and independence, not just value for money.
By combining the best of the NHS with private treatment where needed, The Lateral Health Plan is much more affordable than traditional private medical insurance.

9 Reasons to Choose
Simplicity is very much at the heart of the Lateral Health Plan. Many over 60s find traditional private medical insurance expensive, complex and poorly suited to their needs. We’ve done our research to give you the right balance between price and cover, so you don’t have to. We’ve carefully chosen the procedures we cover from a list of those commonly carried out privately for people over 60, from knee replacements to cataract surgery. These are procedures that often have lengthy NHS waiting lists, which can reduce your quality of life and slow you down.
To help keep your premium low, the Lateral Health Plan doesn’t cover conditions we trust the NHS to take care of. These include heart disease, cancer-related conditions and other complex or high-risk procedures, especially in older people. We cover selected procedures that are well suited to private treatment. So, you can get back on your feet sooner and only pay for the care you need. With our fair and transparent insurance, you’ll know where you stand and what you’ll be paying year to year. See our pricing table for more information.
The new Lateral Health Plan lets the NHS do what it does best while giving you the option of private care when needed. When you need to get an appointment fast, we help you to avoid lengthy waiting lists so you can access the care you need quickly. Nurses will help recommend and navigate you quickly to private consultations and arrange diagnostic tests. This can help speed up diagnosis, and fast-track treatment when you need it most.
The annual health check is a key benefit of the Lateral Health Plan. It’s a comprehensive check-up worth £362, included at no extra cost to help you proactively manage your health and wellbeing and spot potential risks early. Each year, you’ll get a fully-funded in-clinic health assessment, designed specifically to support those aged over 60. It’s more than just a check-up. You’ll get a comprehensive review of your health, delivered in a convenient and professional setting.
Whenever you need help, you'll speak directly to a qualified nurse, not a call centre or administrator. The nurse will listen carefully, understand your medical situation and personal circumstances, and review any referral notes from your GP. They'll explain, in clear language, what your policy covers and how this fits with your NHS care. The service is designed to make you feel supported and informed throughout.
Lateral provides private GP services designed to help you get medical advice and treatment quickly, without waiting for a routine NHS GP appointment. Often that can mean on the same day. This service offers convenient, confidential access to experienced GPs when and where you want it. You’ll also get access to in-person and virtual physio, and virtual dietitian services, as it’s important to stay as strong and mobile as possible after 60.
You’ll have the freedom to decide where you go and who you see. Choose within the Lateral Hospital Network, which includes the UK’s largest private hospital group. Or go elsewhere and we’ll pay up to our agreed maximum contribution for each procedure.
We take a fairer approach to pre-existing conditions. Most traditional PMI providers applying moratorium underwriting require you to be symptom-free and treatment-free for five years before a pre-existing condition will be covered, with a two-year rolling window from the start of the policy before the moratorium can begin to clear. Our pre-existing conditions window is only two years, significantly lower than the market norm. See more here.
Lateral was created specifically for health-conscious individuals who want to stay active, independent and in control of their health throughout their 60s and 70s. We believe that the excess you pay on claims shouldn’t be a barrier to accessing meaningful care in order to maintain a good quality of life. That's why we’ve set ours at only £100. By designing a plan that we want you to use, you can access treatment faster and stay healthier for longer without high excesses getting in the way.
What we cover
Here’s what’s included in your Lateral Health Plan
Diagnostics, scans and surgeries
Surgeries in a private hospital up to £50,000
Private consultations and diagnostic tests up to £2,000
Access to care
Healthcare navigation
24/7 Virtual GP service
Stay-healthy Benefits
Annual health check worth £362
Physiotherapy
Virtual nutritionist service
Cancer
Virtual cancer support service
How much does it cost?
We all know that the cost of private medical insurance increases with age, and there’s no transparency on how or why those increases happen.
At Lateral, we’re changing that. We publish our prices openly for all to see (including other health insurers), and keep these prices as simple as possible by having just three age ranges, rather than the more typical price increase every year the policyholder ages.
- checkSurgeries in a private hospital: up to £50,000 per year for major procedures
- checkPrivate consultations and diagnostic tests up to £2,000 per year
- checkAnnual health check worth £362
- check24/7 Virtual GP service
- checkNurse-led navigation
- checkPhysiotherapy & dietitian access
- checkVirtual cancer support service
Our approach to
pre-existing conditions
Like most health insurers, we only cover conditions that develop after your policy has begun, not conditions you already knew about.
At Lateral, we’ve tried to take a fairer approach. Unlike many health insurers, we only consider conditions within the last 2 years to be pre-existing.
Years before cover started
years after cover starting
This would be covered from day 1 of your policy.
You can still make use of all other aspects of your Health Plan.
If the condition is chronic, or one of our other policy exclusions (e.g. cancer), then this would not be covered.
Years before cover started
policy start date
Years after starting
Full details of our cover including a clear list of pre-existing conditions can be viewed in our Policy wording.
See our Pre-existing conditions FAQs for specific examples.
Frequently asked questions about the Lateral Health Plan
The Lateral Health Plan is a new approach to health insurance for the over 60s. So we know you’ll have questions. Here we answer some of the most commonly asked ones. If you need more, you can call our friendly and knowledgeable team on 0203 826 8898. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.
We’re for fit and active over-60s who have no intention of stopping. The biggest worry is that health issues can interrupt active lives and the things you love doing. The best time to buy insurance is before you need it. You never know when you might fall ill or get injured, and buying cover early means more peace of mind. Joining while you’re fit and active ensures fast access to care if something unexpected happens.
The Lateral Health Plan offers affordable private medical insurance (PMI), combining shorter waiting times for assessment and treatment with fairness and simplicity. However, it’s not for everyone and there are certain pre-existing conditions that mean you’re not eligible to join. These conditions become more likely as you age, so joining while you can means being grouped with others who share your proactive attitude to health and independence. The sooner you join, the more value you’ll get. Joining early means you can start using your stay-healthy benefits straight away — from annual health checks and virtual GP access to physio and nutrition support — all designed to keep you well and independent for longer.
We’re for fit and active over-60s who have no intention of stopping. The biggest worry is that health issues can interrupt active lives and the things you love doing. The best time to buy insurance is before you need it. You never know when you might fall ill or get injured, and buying cover early means more peace of mind. Joining while you’re fit and active ensures fast access to care if something unexpected happens.
The Lateral Health Plan offers affordable private medical insurance (PMI), combining shorter waiting times for assessment and treatment with fairness and simplicity. However, it’s not for everyone and there are certain pre-existing conditions that mean you’re not eligible to join. These conditions become more likely as you age, so joining while you can means being grouped with others who share your proactive attitude to health and independence. The sooner you join, the more value you’ll get. Joining early means you can start using your stay-healthy benefits straight away — from annual health checks and virtual GP access to physio and nutrition support — all designed to keep you well and independent for longer.
We’re for fit and active over-60s who have no intention of stopping. The biggest worry is that health issues can interrupt active lives and the things you love doing. The best time to buy insurance is before you need it. You never know when you might fall ill or get injured, and buying cover early means more peace of mind. Joining while you’re fit and active ensures fast access to care if something unexpected happens.
The Lateral Health Plan offers affordable private medical insurance (PMI), combining shorter waiting times for assessment and treatment with fairness and simplicity. However, it’s not for everyone and there are certain pre-existing conditions that mean you’re not eligible to join. These conditions become more likely as you age, so joining while you can means being grouped with others who share your proactive attitude to health and independence. The sooner you join, the more value you’ll get. Joining early means you can start using your stay-healthy benefits straight away — from annual health checks and virtual GP access to physio and nutrition support — all designed to keep you well and independent for longer.
The Lateral Health Plan is open to new customers aged 60 to 75 who live in the UK and have been registered with a GP for at least two years. Once you’ve joined, you can renew your cover each year up to your 80th birthday.
It’s designed for non-smokers with a BMI (18–30) and no serious ongoing conditions. We’re intentionally for people who look after themselves and want to stay independent for longer.
When you reach your 80th birthday, we will be able to continue your cover for the duration of that policy year. However, we will not be able to renew your policy beyond this point. You’ll be notified in advance, and our team will help you plan what’s next for your health and wellbeing.
We only calculate our price based on your age and health status, not your post code, meaning we can give a fair cost for everyone regardless of where they live. For a 67 year old, this would be only £150 per month. See our pricing table for more information.
We have done our research to give you a custom-made product that gets the balance right between price and cover, using the NHS where it is most helpful and supplementing with private where needed. This means that you can relax knowing that you have the right product for your needs, and not have to worry about choosing yourself between multiple options that encourage you to pay more.
To keep premiums affordable, we focus on where private care adds the most value. We don’t cover:
- Cancer diagnosis including biopsies carried out to confirm or stage cancer, because cancer diagnosis and treatment are managed through the NHS
- Cancer care though we provide emotional and navigation support through our Virtual Cancer Support service
- Chronic or long-term conditions that need ongoing management
- Complex surgeries that are usually best performed in an NHS environment
- Accidents or emergencies
- Mental health, dental or optical care
For the full list of exclusions and medical definitions, please refer to the Lateral Health Plan Policy Document – Exclusions (What’s Not Covered) section, which explains all limits and exceptions in detail.
No. This is a common exclusion across all UK medical insurance. Private medical insurance is not a replacement for 999. Private hospitals in the UK are not typically equipped with A&E departments. Any A&E treatment, including immediate care, provided by an NHS or private A&E department, urgent care or walk-in clinic isn’t covered.
We will accept referrals from NHS A&E consultants once your condition is stable.
We focus on the areas that matter most in later life — the things that help you stay active, mobile and in control of your health:
- Private consultations and diagnostic tests (up to £2,000 a year)
- Elective surgery such as cataract surgery, joint replacements, hernia repairs and other procedures that have an impact on quality-of-life
- Minor procedures such as removal of skin lesions or colonoscopies that sometimes have a long waiting list on the NHS
- Physiotherapy — virtual and in-person sessions to support recovery, mobility and strength
- Preventative benefits including your annual health check, 24/7 virtual GP and personalised nutrition support
This is a meaningful, everyday cover designed to keep you moving confidently and living well.
For full details and limits, see the Lateral Health Plan Policy Document – Plan Benefits section, which outlines everything included under your cover.
A chronic condition is something that continues indefinitely, comes back or needs ongoing management; like diabetes, arthritis, COPD or high blood pressure. We cover new or unexpected problems that can be treated and resolved. We help with diagnosis and short-term treatment when a chronic condition first appears or flares up suddenly. Once a condition becomes stable and needs regular management, your NHS team takes over. If you’re unsure whether something counts as chronic, just give our customer support a call.
A pre-existing condition is any illness, injury or symptom you’ve had before your policy started, even if undiagnosed. It includes any advice, tests, medication or treatment received during the two years before joining. Even if you were not formally diagnosed, we treat symptoms or investigations for the same problem as part of the same condition. If in doubt, our team can review your history confidentially before you buy, so there are no surprises later. For more information, please view the Pre-existing conditions FAQs.
Absolutely. The Lateral Health Plan is built to work with the NHS, not against it. You can still see your NHS GP and specialists as usual; our nurses simply help you make the most of your options, combining NHS pathways and private access when it benefits you most.
We’ve partnered with a number of specialists to provide expertise and credibility in everything from our cover to our added benefits, so that you can be rest assured you’re getting the best care in every element of our offering.
Our policy is backed by A+ rated insurer Tokio Marine HCC. Our Private GP, Digital Physio and Digital Nutrition & Lifestyle services are provided by HealthHero. Our annual health check is with leading UK provider Bluecrest. And our Digital Cancer support is offered through Reframe.
Like the sound of the Lateral Health Plan?
It takes just a few minutes to check if you qualify and get an online quote. Or you can call us on 0203 826 8898. Lines are open Monday - Friday, 9:00 to 17:30 (excluding bank holidays).