Stop Spending Hours Comparing Health Insurance: How a Broker Does the Hard Work for You

When you first start looking into private medical insurance (PMI), it doesn’t take long to realise just how complicated it can be. Every insurer has a different approach, every policy is packed with jargon, and every quote seems to include something the others don’t. Most people begin with a quick Google search and end up falling into a rabbit hole of comparison pages, conflicting advice and long phone calls with insurers.

It’s no surprise that many people tell us the same thing: “I just don’t have the time for this.” And that’s exactly where using a specialist broker can make the biggest difference.

At Assure-u, we regularly speak with people who have spent hours — sometimes days — trying to piece together the right cover on their own. The truth is, buying health insurance directly isn’t just confusing; it’s incredibly time-consuming. By the time you’ve compared benefits, chased quotes, clarified underwriting and double-checked exclusions, you’ve lost far more time than you intended.

This blog explores why purchasing private medical insurance takes so long, and how working with a brokerage like ours can dramatically speed up the whole process.

Why Buying Health Insurance Takes So Much Time

1. The market is more complicated than it appears

On the surface, PMI looks similar across providers — inpatient cover, outpatient cover, therapies, mental health support and so on.

But once you start comparing them, you quickly discover that each insurer defines these benefits differently. Some include diagnostics within outpatient care, while others cap or separate it entirely. Some offer full cancer cover as standard; others don’t. Excess options, underwriting methods, optional add-ons… it all varies.

Trying to understand these differences without expert guidance can become a full-blown research project.

2. Quotes change depending on underwriting, details and assumptions

A quote you get online is usually a starting point. Your medical history, the underwriting method, and even the timing of your enquiry can change the price significantly. Each insurer handles pre-existing conditions differently, and you can spend a huge amount of time on calls clarifying what is — and isn’t — covered.

It’s not uncommon for people to receive multiple versions of a quote before settling on the right one. That’s precious time you’ll never get back.

3. You end up repeating your information over and over

One of the biggest frustrations of buying a policy direct is having to explain your details repeatedly to each insurer — your medical background, your cover preferences, your budget. This alone can take hours.

A broker collects your information once and handles the rest.

4. Renewal comparisons take just as long as starting fresh

Choosing a policy isn’t a one-off decision. Every year at renewal, prices change, benefits shift and new options appear. Many people simply accept their renewal because they don’t have the time to compare alternatives every year.

That’s where savings get missed — both in time and money.

How a Broker Saves You Time (A Lot of It)

1. One conversation, multiple insurers

Instead of speaking to insurer after insurer, a broker handles the entire market on your behalf. At Assure-u, we gather your needs once and then do all the comparison work for you.

This means:

• No repeating yourself

• No lengthy online forms

• No chasing insurers for clarity or corrections

Just one simple conversation.

2. We explain the differences clearly — no more jargon

You shouldn’t need a dictionary to understand your own health insurance. A broker breaks down the differences in plain English so you can make confident decisions quickly.

For many of our clients, this alone saves hours of research.

3. Tailored recommendations — not generic comparisons

Online comparison tools often show you the cheapest options, not the most suitable ones. A broker considers your medical history, lifestyle, preferences and budget to recommend the policies that actually fit your circumstances.

This eliminates wasted time exploring policies that were never right for you in the first place.

4. We chase the admin, so you don’t have to

Applications, amendments, medical questionnaires, clarifications — these tasks take time. A broker manages them all on your behalf.

We also deal directly with the insurers to ensure everything is correct from the start, preventing delays or misunderstandings later.

5. At renewal time, we do the heavy lifting again

Every year, we proactively check the market for you and compare your renewal against alternatives. Many people save hours — and often money — by having a broker do this instead of spending weeks investigating options themselves.

Saving Time Isn’t Just Convenient — It’s Valuable

Time is often overlooked when people think about health insurance. Most focus on price or benefits, but the time you save by working with a broker can be just as important.

Instead of spending hours on confusing calls or reading through documents, you can:

• Focus on your family

• Run your business

• Get on with your day

• Actually enjoy your free time

We take care of the complicated parts so you don’t have to.

We Don’t Charge Admin Fees — And Our Commission Never Increases Your Premium

At Assure-u, our service comes at no extra cost to you. We don’t charge any admin fees, and the commission we receive from insurers is built into their standard pricing — it isn’t added to your premium and it doesn’t make your policy more expensive. The difference is that with Assure-u, you get personalised support, clear advice and market-wide comparisons without paying a penny more.

Thinking About Health Insurance But Short on Time? We Can Help

If you’re considering private medical insurance but don’t want to waste hours comparing the market, a broker is the simplest and fastest way to get it right first time.

At Assure-u, we do all the research, comparisons and admin on your behalf — saving you time, money and stress. Whether you're taking out a new policy or reviewing an existing one, we’re here to help you make an informed choice without the hassle.

Get in touch today:📞 03300 100 441📧 sales@assure-u.com

Let us do the hard work while you focus on what matters.