If you've searched Google for private health insurance that covers kidney stones then you are most likely for looking for trusted UK based health insurance companies that can cover your kidney stones.
Our advice when shopping around for private medical insurance that covers kidney stones is to speak to a health insurance broker. Health insurance is incredibly complicated and if you want absolute certainty that kidney stones is covered you should talk with a medical insurance 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 biggest by far is that you're using their expertise at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than you so it costs you no extra to use their services.
- Do you live in many different postcodes? Some will give you a lower 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 critical 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 lean't you're at risk of developing 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 you can find and ask if they cover kidney stones, 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 health insurance broker which will know which policy providers on the market cover kidney stones and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Kidney Stones Information
Kidney stones can develop in one or both kidneys and most often affect people aged 30 to 60.
They're quite common, with around three in 20 men and up to two in 20 women developing them at some stage of their lives.
The medical term for kidney stones is nephrolithiasis, and if they cause severe pain it's known as renal colic.
Small kidney stones may go undetected and be passed out painlessly in the urine. But it's fairly common for a stone to block part of the urinary system, such as the:
A blockage can cause severe pain in the abdomen or groin and sometimes causes a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Read more about the symptoms of kidney stones.
The waste products in the blood can occasionally form crystals that collect inside the kidneys. Over time, the crystals may build up to form a hard stone-like lump.
This is more likely to happen if you don't drink enough fluids, if you're taking some types of medication, or if you have a medical condition that raises the levels of certain substances in your urine.
Read more about the causes of kidney stones.
After a kidney stone has formed, your body will try to pass it out when you go to the toilet (in the urine). This means it will often travel through the urinary system (the kidneys, kidney tubes and bladder).
Most kidney stones are small enough to be passed in your urine, and it may be possible to treat the symptoms at home with medication.
Larger stones may need to be broken up using ultrasound or laser energy. Occasionally, keyhole surgery may be needed to remove very large kidney stones directly.
Read more about treating kidney stones.
It's estimated that up to half of all people who have had kidney stones will experience them again within the following five years.
To avoid getting kidney stones, make sure you drink plenty of water every day so you don't become dehydrated. It's very important to keep your urine diluted (clear) to prevent waste products forming into kidney stones.