If you've searched the internet for private medical insurance that covers bowel incontinence then you are most likely for looking for trusted UK based health insurance providers that can cover your bowel incontinence.
Our advice when looking for health insurance that covers bowel incontinence is to speak to a insurance broker. Health insurance is extremely complex and if you want complete certainty that bowel incontinence is covered you should consult with a health insurance broker who can explain which providers will cover this medical condition and which will not.
There are many advantages to using a insurance broker but the largest by far is that you're using their industry experience at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than by you so it costs you no extra to use their brokering services.
- Do you reside in many different areas? Some will give you a cheaper premium than offers. A broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance policy? A broker will know this critical information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your insurance policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different insurance policies?
- You've developed a certain condition and want to know which insurer offers the largest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you huge amounts of time and effort.
You can call around every health insurance provider on the market and ask if they cover bowel incontinence, however this will be a very time consuming process. Each insurer will ask for your medical history because its not normally a simple yes or not if a medical condition is covered or not.
Its much quicker to speak to one medical insurance broker which will know which providers on the market cover bowel incontinence and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Bowel Incontinence Information
Bowel incontinence is an inability to control bowel movements, resulting in involuntary soiling. It's also sometimes known as faecal incontinence.
The experience of bowel incontinence can vary from person to person. Some people feel a sudden need to go to the toilet but are unable to reach a toilet in time. This is known as urge bowel incontinence.
Other people experience no sensation before soiling themselves, known as passive incontinence or passive soiling, or there might be slight soiling when passing wind.
Some people experience incontinence on a daily basis, whereas for others it only happens from time to time.
It's thought 1 in 10 people will be affected by it at some point in their life. It can affect people of any age, although it's more common in elderly people. It's also more common in women than men.
Bowel incontinence is a symptom of an underlying problem or medical condition.
Many cases are caused by diarrhoea, constipation, or weakening of the muscle that controls the opening of the anus.
It can also be caused by long-term conditions such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and dementia.
Read more about the causes of bowel incontinence.
Bowel incontinence can be upsetting and hard to cope with, but treatment is effective and a cure is often possible, so make sure you see your GP.
It's important to remember that:
If you don't want to see your GP, you can usually make an appointment at your local NHS continence service without a referral. These clinics are staffed by specialist nurses who can offer useful advice about incontinence.
Read more about diagnosing bowel incontinence.
In many cases, with the right treatment, a person can maintain normal bowel function throughout their life.
Treatment will often depend on the cause and how severe it is, but possible options include: