If you've searched Google for private medical insurance that covers chronic obstructive pulmonary disease then you are probably for looking for trusted UK based health insurance companies that will cover chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Our advice when looking for private medical cover that covers chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is to speak to a health insurance broker. Health insurance is extremely complex and if you want complete certainty that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is covered by your policy you should consult with a broker who can explain which policy providers will cover this medical condition and which will exclude it.
There are many advantages to using a 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 services.
- Do you live in many different postcodes? Some will give you a cheaper policy 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 vital information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different policies?
- You've developed a certain condition and want to know which policy provider offers the biggest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you so much time and effort.
You can call around every health insurance provider on the market and ask if they cover chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 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 far far quicker to speak to one medical insurance broker which will know which providers on the market cover chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Information
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease.
People with COPD have difficulties breathing, primarily due to the narrowing of their airways, this is called airflow obstruction.
Typical symptoms of COPD include:
Read more about the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
The main cause of COPD is smoking. The likelihood of developing COPD increases the more you smoke and the longer you've been smoking. This is because smoking irritates and inflames the lungs, which results in scarring.
Over many years, the inflammation leads to permanent changes in the lung. The walls of the airways thicken and more mucus is produced. Damage to the delicate walls of the air sacs in the lungs causes emphysema and the lungs lose their normal elasticity. The smaller airways also become scarred and narrowed. These changes cause the symptoms of breathlessness, cough and phlegm associated with COPD.
Some cases of COPD are caused by fumes, dust, air pollution and genetic disorders, but these are rarer.
Read more about the causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
COPD is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the UK. It usually only starts to affect people over the age of 35, although most people are not diagnosed until they are in their 50s.
It is thought there are more than 3 million people living with the disease in the UK, of which only about 900,000 have been diagnosed. This is because many people who develop symptoms of COPD do not get medical help because they often dismiss their symptoms as a ‘smoker’s cough’.
COPD affects more men than women, although rates in women are increasing.
It is important that COPD is diagnosed as early as possible so treatment can be used to try to slow down the deterioration of your lungs. You should see your GP if you have any of the symptoms of COPD.
COPD is usually diagnosed after a consultation with your doctor, which may be followed by breathing tests.
Read more about diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Although the damage that has already occurred to your lungs cannot be reversed, you can slow down the progression of the disease. Stopping smoking is particularly effective at doing this.