CPME health insurance explained — switching with your medical history intact
What is CPME health insurance?
CPME stands for Continued Personal Medical Exclusions. It’s a type of underwriting used when switching from one health insurer to another — not a type of health insurance policy in itself.
When you take out private health insurance for the first time, your insurer assesses your medical history and applies exclusions to your policy — conditions they won’t cover. Under CPME, if you switch to a different insurer, those same exclusions are carried across to your new policy. The new insurer doesn’t carry out fresh underwriting — they simply apply the same exclusions your previous insurer used.
The result: you get seamless, continuous cover. Your new insurer knows exactly what’s excluded, you know exactly what’s excluded, and there are no surprises. The cover for conditions that were not excluded continues uninterrupted at the new insurer.
Why CPME matters
Without CPME, switching health insurer would mean either fresh underwriting (which could result in new, harsher exclusions based on any health history accumulated since you first took out cover) or moratorium underwriting (which creates new waiting periods for pre-existing conditions). CPME protects you from both risks — making switching genuinely possible for people with a medical history.
How CPME works when you switch health insurer
- Request your current exclusions in writing — Contact your existing insurer and ask for a written statement of all personal medical exclusions applied to your current policy. You need this before you approach any new insurer.
- Approach new insurers and request CPME terms — When getting quotes, specify that you want CPME underwriting. Provide your current exclusions statement. The new insurer will confirm whether they can match those terms.
- Review the CPME confirmation — The new insurer will issue a policy with the same exclusions as your current policy. Read this carefully to confirm the exclusions match — they should be identical, neither more nor fewer.
- Time your switch carefully — Ensure your new policy starts the day after your old one ends. Even a one-day gap could technically constitute a new policy start and affect your underwriting terms.
- Keep your old policy documentation — Keep records of your old policy’s exclusion schedule. If a dispute arises about what was or wasn’t excluded, this is your evidence.
CPME vs moratorium vs full medical underwriting — which is right for you?
There are three main underwriting types for UK private health insurance. Understanding which applies to your situation is the most important decision when switching or taking out a new policy.
| Underwriting type | How it works | Exclusions | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPME Continued Personal Medical Exclusions |
Carries existing exclusions across from your old policy. No new assessment. | Same as old policy — no new, no fewer | Existing policyholders switching insurer with a medical history |
| Moratorium | No medical history declaration needed. Any condition with symptoms or treatment in the last 5 years is automatically excluded for the first 2 years. | Pre-existing conditions excluded for 2 years, then reconsidered if symptom-free | New applicants in good health, or people comfortable with the 2-year wait |
| Full Medical Underwriting (FMU) | Declare your full medical history upfront. Insurer applies specific exclusions based on everything disclosed. | Explicitly agreed upfront — no hidden exclusions | New applicants who want certainty about exactly what’s excluded from day one |
| Medical History Disregarded (MHD) | No exclusions applied for pre-existing conditions. Full cover from day one. | None — all conditions covered | Large corporate group schemes only — rarely available on individual policies |
The practical difference for switchers
If you’ve had a health condition since you took out your current policy, switching without CPME is risky. Under moratorium, that condition becomes excluded again for two years. Under FMU, it may be permanently excluded. Under CPME, it stays exactly as it was — covered or excluded — because the terms carry across unchanged.
When CPME is the right underwriting choice
CPME is not always the best option — it depends entirely on your personal circumstances. Here are the scenarios where it’s clearly the right choice, and the ones where alternatives may serve you better.
CPME pitfalls — what can go wrong and how to avoid it
Exclusions remain — they don’t improve
This is the most important thing to understand about CPME. If asthma is excluded on your current policy, it will be excluded on your new policy. CPME carries exclusions across — it doesn’t remove them. If you’re hoping switching will remove an exclusion, CPME won’t achieve that. Only a moratorium policy (with 2 symptom-free years) or a medical review by the new insurer can potentially lift exclusions.
Not all insurers offer CPME on all products
CPME is not universally available. Some insurers only offer it on specific plan types, some require you to have been insured continuously for a minimum period, and some have restrictions on which conditions qualify for CPME terms. Always confirm availability before you start the switching process.
Higher premiums than moratorium
Because CPME reduces the new insurer’s underwriting control, they typically price CPME policies higher than equivalent moratorium or fresh underwriting policies. Always compare the total cost — if the premium difference is significant and your risk of claiming on the excluded conditions is low, a moratorium policy may be better value.
Time gaps invalidate CPME
Even a one-day gap between your old policy ending and your new policy starting can affect your CPME terms. Some insurers require continuous cover with no gap. Coordinate the switch carefully so your new policy starts on the exact day your old one ends.
Family members need separate treatment
Adding a new family member to a policy on CPME terms is not usually possible — new members will need their own underwriting (moratorium or FMU). CPME applies to the individual who was previously insured, not to people joining the policy for the first time.
Which UK health insurers offer CPME — 2026
CPME for group scheme leavers — what you need to know
One of the most common and important uses of CPME is when an employer’s group health insurance scheme ends — whether because you’re leaving a job, being made redundant, or your employer has cancelled the scheme. In this situation, CPME allows you to continue on individual terms without losing the cover protection your group membership provided.
Key points for group scheme leavers
- Time limits apply: Most insurers give a specific window (often 30–90 days) after your group scheme ends to take up individual CPME cover. Miss this window and you may lose the right to CPME terms.
- Medical History Disregarded (MHD) doesn’t transfer: If your group scheme was MHD (no exclusions), you cannot carry MHD to an individual policy. Individual policies use CPME at best — meaning any conditions that would have been excluded under your personal history become excluded on the individual policy.
- Premium increase is normal: Individual premiums are always higher than group scheme rates. This is expected — not a sign that something is wrong with your CPME terms.
- Get the group scheme’s exclusion record: Your employer’s HR team or the group scheme insurer should be able to provide your individual exclusions record. This is what the new insurer uses to set your CPME terms.
FAQs — CPME health insurance
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