Health insurance queries peak following UK general election results
Following the outcome of the UK general election, which witnessed the Conservative party regain office for a second time in a row, UK insurance broker and comparison website ActiveQuote received a staggering 810-per-cent increase in enquiries over health insurance
The firm asserted that it’s team handled a surge in calls about private medical insurance throughout election week, which peaked on Friday – the day the election results were announced – with an 810-per-cent increase, compared with the average rate in the three-week period leading up to the election. Saturday also recorded high volumes of calls, at a 275-per-cent increase compared to that of the lead-up period.
“While most of our insurance products, including life insurance, income protection and unemployment cover, have remained stable, the surge in health insurance enquiries has been huge,” said Rod Jones, Head of Partnerships at ActiveQuote. “It has been interesting to see first-hand how some people have reacted to this election result, with many picking up the phone and getting online to scope out the cost of private medical insurance for their families.”
With the NHS being an integral cog in the healthcare industry of the UK – and one that many low income families depend on – there is still much speculation over what a new government means for the future of this organisation, and indeed for the health of the UK population on the whole. With ageing populations and chronic diseases on the rise worldwide, there’s no doubt that privatisation of such a crucial service could be a deadly blow to those citizens that rely on the free healthcare that the NHS provides. We certainly hope that any future decisions of any parties invested in the NHS indiscriminately place patient safety and access to care at the forefront of their priorities.