Clients
Sarah & James 

Policy
Joint PMI (Adults only)

Child
1.5-year-old son (not covered)

The situation

Sarah and James had private medical insurance for themselves, but kept delaying adding their young son to the policy.
At 18 months, he developed hearing problems and was diagnosed with glue ear. NHS wait time for grommet surgery: 2 years. Fearing speech delays, they chose to go private.

The cost

Private consultations & diagnostics: £900
Grommet surgery: £5,100

Total: £6,000 – paid out-of-pocket

Had their son been added earlier, the PMI would have covered the entire cost, with treatment within weeks.

The lesson

Always review PMI after life events (e.g. childbirth)
Adding children is affordable and can prevent huge expenses
Early treatment is critical for child development

Sarah and James have now added their son to the policy - and won’t delay again.