Moratorium vs full medical underwriting (FMU) for UK private health insurance
When you take out private medical insurance you choose how the insurer handles your medical history. The two main options — moratorium and full medical underwriting — decide what is asked up front and how pre-existing conditions are treated. Here is how each works and who each tends to suit.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Moratorium: no medical questions up front; recent pre-existing conditions are excluded at the start, but many can become covered once you have been symptom-, treatment- and advice-free for a set period — commonly around two years.
- Full medical underwriting (FMU): you disclose your medical history when you apply, and the insurer tells you exactly what is covered and excluded from day one.
- Trade-off: moratorium is quicker to set up; FMU gives certainty up front and can suit complex or long-standing histories.
- Neither is ‘better’: the right choice depends on your health history and how much clarity you want before you buy.
Moratorium vs full medical underwriting
| Consideration | Moratorium | Full medical underwriting (FMU) |
|---|---|---|
| Medical questions up front? | No — you answer little or nothing about your history when you apply | Yes — you complete a medical questionnaire and disclose your history |
| How pre-existing conditions are treated | Recent conditions are excluded at the start under a standard look-back (often the past few years) | Each disclosed condition is assessed individually and either covered, excluded or covered on special terms |
| The “symptom-free” rule | An excluded condition can typically become covered once you have been free of symptoms, treatment, medication and advice for a continuous period — commonly around two years | Not applicable — the cover position for each condition is fixed at outset |
| Clarity from day one | Lower — whether a future claim is covered may depend on your recent history at the time you claim | Higher — you know exactly what is and is not covered before the policy starts |
| Speed to set up | Faster — fewer questions, so cover can usually be arranged quickly | Slower — the questionnaire and assessment take longer to complete |
| Who it tends to suit | People in generally good health who want minimal paperwork and a quick start | People with a known or complex history who want certainty about exclusions up front |
Indicative comparison for orientation only — not a quote or advice. Exact look-back periods, the moratorium ‘clear’ period and how conditions are assessed vary by insurer and policy wording.
The moratorium ‘clear period’ explained
Under moratorium underwriting you generally are not asked detailed medical questions when you apply. Instead, the policy automatically excludes conditions you have had within a defined look-back window before the start date. The key feature is that these exclusions are not always permanent: a previously excluded condition can become eligible for cover once you have gone a continuous period — commonly around two years — without symptoms, treatment, medication or medical advice for it.
Because nothing is assessed at outset, the cover position for a given condition is effectively decided at the point you claim, based on your recent history at that time. That keeps the application quick but means there is less certainty in advance. For the wider picture on what PMI does and does not pay for, see the private health insurance hub.
Full medical underwriting and certainty up front
With full medical underwriting you disclose your medical history when you apply, usually by completing a health questionnaire. The insurer reviews it and confirms, before cover begins, exactly which conditions are covered, which are excluded, and whether any apply on special terms. This gives you certainty from day one: there is no waiting to see whether a future claim will be accepted.
FMU often suits people with a long-standing or complex medical history, or anyone who simply wants to know where they stand before committing. The trade-off is a longer, more detailed application. Whichever route you take, comparing the cover, hospital list and exclusions matters as much as the headline price — start at the private health hub to weigh up your options.
Underwriting FAQs
Information only — not financial advice. Details are indicative and simplified to aid understanding; moratorium clear periods, look-back windows and underwriting terms vary by insurer and policy wording. My Insurance Expert is not an FCA-authorised intermediary and does not arrange or sell policies. Last updated: 2026-06-13