Short answer: Moratorium is easier (no health questionnaire) but automatically excludes conditions from the last 5 years — 3 at AXA Health — until you've had 2 trouble-free years. Full medical underwriting (FMU) means a questionnaire upfront but certainty about exactly what's excluded, and The Exeter notes FMU premiums are usually cheaper. Clean recent history: moratorium is fine. Any history: FMU's certainty usually wins.
For who: buyers choosing an underwriting basis at quote stage.
Reviewed by: Ben Darke, PMI Experts · Last updated: 2026-07-17
Reviewed by: Ben Darke, PMI Experts · Last updated: 2026-07-17
Key facts
| Moratorium look-back | 5 years at Bupa, Aviva, Vitality, WPA, The Exeter, Freedom, National Friendly; 3 years at AXA Health (all verified July 2026) |
| Cover restored after | 2 continuous trouble-free years — no treatment, medication (AXA includes over-the-counter), advice or symptoms |
| FMU trade-off | Health questionnaire upfront; exclusions listed in writing on your certificate |
| FMU price note | "If you apply on full medical underwriting, your premiums will usually be cheaper" — The Exeter's own guide (July 2026) |
| Chronic condition warning | WPA: chronic pre-existing conditions effectively never clear a moratorium — each treatment restarts the clock (brochure, March 2026) |
| Switching insurers | Continued moratorium / CPME options preserve your position — never switch without them mid-moratorium |
Sources
Provider underwriting documents: Bupa policy guide (Jan 2026), AXA Health moratorium pages, Aviva T&Cs (April 2025), Vitality underwriting guide (Nov 2025), WPA brochure (March 2026), The Exeter policy documents — all verified July 2026.