Private health insurance after leaving a job: your options
Find out when your employer cover stops, ask about continuation terms and compare the new benefits before accepting a personal policy.
Contact the insurer as soon as you know you are leaving the scheme. Ask about an offer to move from work cover to a personal plan before applying as a new customer. The deadline, medical-history terms and benefits depend on the insurer and scheme.
When does company health insurance end?
Ask HR or the scheme manager to confirm your last day of cover in writing. It may not match your last payslip or the end of the month. It may also end before your current treatment does. Check the end date for each family member on the plan too.
Bupa says employers differ in how long cover lasts after you leave. AXA warns that its work scheme does not cover ongoing care after membership ends. Arrange the change early. Do not wait until your next appointment to ask.
Published continuation windows: Bupa and AXA
| Insurer | Published window | What needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| Bupa | Within three months of the old cover ending. | Bupa describes backdating and paying from the end of the previous cover. The personal policy is different and ongoing conditions may be covered, subject to its terms. |
| Leaving an AXA company scheme | 120 days from leaving the company scheme for the special underwriting option. | Continuing medical exclusions can preserve the treatment of medical history, but the personal plan's benefits still apply. |
Sources: Bupa company-leaver guidance and AXA group-leaver guidance. Ask about your eligibility and start date; the availability of an application window does not mean you remain insured throughout it.
What might change on a personal policy?
Use the employer benefit schedule as a checklist, not as a promise about the replacement plan. Compare these items line by line:
- Medical-history exclusions and any ongoing-treatment acceptance.
- Outpatient consultations, diagnostics and therapies.
- Cancer and mental-health benefits.
- Hospital network, specialist choice and fee limits.
- Excess, benefit reset dates and no-claims discount arrangements.
- Cover for your partner and children.
“We can continue your cover” should lead to a written explanation of these points. A personal plan can differ even when it is provided by the same insurer.
What if you are in the middle of treatment?
Give the insurer your current treatment approval, consultant’s name and future appointment dates. Ask which policy would pay each bill after the change. Do you need fresh approval? Ask the care provider to check your membership details before treatment.
For example, if your company cover ends on Friday and the next consultation is the following Wednesday, do not assume Friday's authorisation pays Wednesday's bill. Confirm which policy would cover that appointment.
Moving to another employer
Ask your new employer when cover starts. Is there a wait during probation? How will the insurer assess your medical history? Can your family join? Get the start date in writing and compare it with the date your old cover ends.
If there is a gap, ask your current insurer and adviser what arrangements are available. Do not assume a later start can be backdated by any provider.
Retirement and redundancy: compare the full cost
Ask for the monthly and yearly cost of personal cover. Your salary deduction or taxable work benefit is not a quote for buying your own policy.
If the price is too high, ask your current insurer about other options. Compare suitable plans elsewhere too. Check what you would lose before reducing cover. The excess calculator can help with part of that choice.
Have these details ready
Gather your scheme number, end date, certificate and benefit schedule. Add details of covered family members and existing claims. Ask for a quote to continue cover and the deadline to accept it. Send medical details through the insurer’s or adviser’s secure process.
If you are looking at another insurer, read our switching and pre-existing conditions guide. A standard switch and an offer for someone leaving work cover need different checks.
Common questions
Can I keep health insurance after retiring?
Ask about a personal continuation policy before the employer scheme ends. Availability, price, benefits and medical-history terms depend on the insurer and your circumstances.
Do all insurers give three months to continue cover?
No. Bupa publishes a three-month window and AXA publishes 120 days for employees leaving an AXA company scheme. Confirm the deadline that applies to your own scheme.
Does a continuation deadline mean I am still covered meanwhile?
No. Confirm the scheme end date and any replacement policy start date. An application window should not be treated as free continuing insurance.
Sources and policy scope
Insurer documents checked on 7 October 2026. Your quotation, policy wording and membership certificate determine your cover. Product versions and renewal terms can differ.
- Bupa: leaving your company scheme
- AXA: leaving a company scheme
- The Exeter: cover and underwriting options
The information provided on this website is for general information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Insurance options may vary depending on individual circumstances.