Trust in private medical insurance has rebounded after a temporary dip earlier this year, with Fairer Finance’s Autumn 2025 Trust in Private Medical Insurance Index showing confidence returning to levels last recorded at the market’s previous high point in Autumn 2024.

The Index, which draws on sentiment from 10,000 private medical insurance customers and has tracked attitudes since Spring 2023, reports that trust rose by 0.71 percentage points between Spring and Autumn 2025 to reach 58.55%.

CLAIMS SATISFACTION

The improvement appears to be driven in large part by rising claims satisfaction. Fairer Finance found that average satisfaction levels increased by nearly 3 percentage points in the latest wave, continuing a trend that has seen scores rise by more than 9 percentage points since Autumn 2023.

This is contributing to what the group describes as a sustained recovery in confidence across the sector.

GAP NARROWS

The research highlights continuing differences in trust between customers covered by workplace schemes and those buying policies independently. While trust remains higher among those with employer-provided cover, it has fallen by almost 2 percentage points since Autumn 2024.

By contrast, trust among customers purchasing directly or through price comparison websites has risen gradually, narrowing the divide between group and individual plans.

CONSUMER DUTY FOCUS

James Daley, managing director of Fairer Finance, said: “After a brief pause in momentum, it’s encouraging to see consumers’ trust in private medical insurance returning to growth.

“We’ve seen a number of providers in the sector embrace the Consumer Duty, improving the clarity of their communications and customer journeys – and this is now paying off in terms of trust levels as well.

“With the NHS still struggling to meet many people’s expectations, there’s clearly a valuable place for a private market for those that can afford it – and insurers are continuing to successfully capitalise on the opportunity.”

Fairer Finance introduced its private medical insurance product ratings in 2023 to help consumers identify high-quality cover. These ratings set a demanding benchmark, with no more than 15% of products receiving a 5-star score at the start of each year.

The policies holding a 5-star rating are AXA Personal Health, Bupa By You Comprehensive, The Exeter Health+, Aviva Healthier Solutions, WPA Complete Health and Vitality Personal Healthcare.