Resources

Useful Links

Hypnotherapy and Private Health Cover

Cover for hypnotherapy by private health insurance companies in the UK is rather patchy. Generally, it's not as widely or directly covered as traditional medical treatments or certain talking therapies like CBT.

However, there are avenues through which you might get coverage:

1. Health Cash Plans (Most Common Avenue)
This is the most likely way to get some level of reimbursement for hypnotherapy. Health cash plans are different from traditional private medical insurance. Instead of covering major medical events, they allow you to claim back money for everyday healthcare costs, including some complementary therapies.

Several providers of health cash plans recognize hypnotherapy, especially if the practitioner is (as I am) registered with a professional body like the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).

Companies that may offer coverage for CNHC-registered hypnotherapists under their health cash plans include:

Westfield Health: Known to cover CNHC-registered practitioners for various complementary therapies, including hypnotherapy, often within corporate-paid plans.

Health Shield: Offers reimbursement for CNHC-registered disciplines under 'Health and Wellbeing' on individual and corporate plans, including hypnotherapy. They might cover 100% of therapy costs up to an annual limit.

BHSF: While they specifically mention CNHC registration for Reflexology across all levels, it's worth checking their current plans for hypnotherapy.

UK Healthcare: May cover CNHC-registered practitioners for some therapies (e.g., Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Remedial Massage) often following a GP referral. Check their specific terms for hypnotherapy.

Paycare: Acknowledges CNHC registration for Hypnotherapy on all its health cash plans and may reimburse 100% of claims up to an annual cap.

Key things to know about Health Cash Plans:

Reimbursement Model: You typically pay for the therapy upfront and then claim back a percentage or a set amount, up to an annual limit.

CNHC Registration: This is often a crucial requirement. Ensure your hypnotherapist is registered with the CNHC (or another recognized body if specified by the insurer).

Employer-Funded vs. Individual Purchase: Some plans are offered through employers, while others can be purchased individually.

Annual Limits: There will always be an annual financial limit on how much you can claim for complementary therapies.

2. Traditional Private Medical Insurance (Less Common/More Specific)

Major private medical insurance providers like Bupa, AXA PPP Healthcare, Vitality, and Aviva generally focus on covering medically necessary treatments for acute conditions, often requiring a GP referral and falling under their definition of "mental health support" or "talking therapies."

Mental Health Cover: Many leading insurers now include mental health support as standard or an optional extra. However, this often specifically refers to treatments delivered by psychiatrists, psychologists, or CBT/counselling therapists who are usually regulated by bodies like the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) or accredited by the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) or BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies).

GP Referral: A referral from your GP or a Bupa/AXA/Vitality-approved mental health practitioner is almost always required.

Clinical Necessity: The treatment must be deemed clinically necessary for an eligible condition.

Provider Networks: Insurers often have approved networks of practitioners. A hypnotherapist might only be covered if they are also a qualified and registered psychologist, psychotherapist, or counsellor on their approved list.

Specifics for Major Insurers:

AXA PPP Healthcare: Their "Mind Health Service" connects you with qualified psychologists for telephone-based sessions. While they cover psychology and psychotherapy, direct coverage for hypnotherapy as a standalone treatment is less common unless delivered by a practitioner with dual qualifications (e.g., a psychologist who also uses hypnotherapy).

Bupa: Offers extensive mental health cover, including talking therapies and psychiatry. Again, the focus is on more traditional psychological therapies. You'd need to check if they specifically include hypnotherapy as an approved modality under their mental health benefits, and if so, what qualifications the hypnotherapist needs.

Vitality Health: Offers mental health cover, including up to eight sessions of "Talking Therapies" (like CBT or counselling) in their core plan. Enhanced cover may offer more. Like others, the focus is on a network of approved therapists, usually psychologists or CBT practitioners.

Aviva: Provides cover for mental health treatment, and some therapy groups are registered with them. They often cover CBT, psychodynamic therapy, and counselling. You would need to check directly if hypnotherapy falls within their "talking therapies" definition and if the specific hypnotherapist is recognized by Aviva.

WPA, Saga Health Insurance, CS Healthcare, Healix Health Services: These companies also offer health insurance plans with varying levels of mental health support. As with the larger providers, direct coverage for hypnotherapy is often dependent on the therapist's core professional qualification (e.g., psychologist, psychotherapist) and whether hypnotherapy is an integrated part of a broader, covered treatment plan, rather than a standalone therapy.

Before Committing to Treatment:

Make sure that you:

Contact your specific insurance provider directly. Ask them:

"Does my policy cover hypnotherapy?"

"What are the specific requirements for coverage (e.g., GP referral, diagnosis, type of practitioner, professional body registration like CNHC)?"

"What are the annual limits for this type of therapy?"

"Is there an excess on my policy that applies to this?"

Verify your hypnotherapist's qualifications and registrations. Ensure they meet your insurer's criteria.

Obtain pre-authorization from your insurer if required, before starting sessions.

The landscape for complementary therapies like hypnotherapy in private health insurance can and does change, so always get the most up-to-date information directly from your provider.