Quick Answer · Updated 2026-07-17
The best options for dental and optical cover in July 2026, ranked by our research:
- #1 Bupa — the biggest UK health brand — referral-free Direct Access and dental as standard. £44.89/mo avg (Bupa's May 2026 example, non-smoker 30–50).
- #2 AXA Health — modular cover with the shortest pre-existing look-back (3 years vs the usual 5). £42.05/mo (AXA's April 2026 example, age 30).
- #3 Aviva — the richest core cover — full cancer plus £2,000 outpatient mental health as standard. under £48/mo avg (Aviva's customers 35–50, Jan–Mar 2026).
- #4 Vitality — self-referred mental health and physio, plus rewards that damp renewal increases. £44/mo (Vitality's example, age 30, Sept 2025 basis).
Rankings weigh provider-published pricing, verified cover terms and audience fit; every figure is dated and checked against the provider's own documents. Reviewed by Ben Darke, PMI Experts.
Routine dental and optical are the awkward corner of PMI — excluded by default everywhere, bolted on as cashback at most insurers, and often beaten on pure value by a £10/month cash plan. One insurer genuinely includes dental as standard; here's how the field really compares.
Key Facts · 2026-07-17
- Bupa is the only insurer including dental as standard: one appointment/year at a Bupa Dental Care practice plus a £300 restorative allowance, no excess, no NCD impact (July 2026).
- AXA's cashback add-on: 80% of dentist fees to £400/year, 80% of glasses/lenses to £200, eye test £25 (July 2026).
- Aviva's enhance option: dental to £250, glasses/lenses to £150 (each with £50 own-excess), £600 accident dental (July 2026).
- The Exeter offers no dental/optical option at all; cash plans cover the same ground from £7.20–£8.58/month (Medicash/Westfield, July 2026).
Compared (July 2026)
| Provider | Published price | Standout |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Bupa | £44.89/mo avg (Bupa's May 2026 example, non-smoker 30–50) | no upper age limit |
| #2 AXA Health | £42.05/mo (AXA's April 2026 example, age 30) | 3-yr moratorium look-back |
| #3 Aviva | under £48/mo avg (Aviva's customers 35–50, Jan–Mar 2026) | no-claims discount to 75% |
| #4 Vitality | £44/mo (Vitality's example, age 30, Sept 2025 basis) | 8 talking-therapy sessions core |
Provider-published figures with stated bases, verified July 2026. Confirm current terms before relying on them.
Top picks in detail
#1. Bupa
The only 'included, not added' dental in UK PMI — and because it carries no excess and doesn't touch your no-claims discount, it's the rare benefit you should use every single year.
#2. AXA Health
The biggest cashback ceiling (£400 dental + £200 optical + eye tests) — worth adding if your dentist bills run high, marginal if they don't.
#3. Aviva
Decent mid-range cashback with a distinctive £600 accident-dental benefit — but mind the £50 separate excesses on each benefit before claiming small amounts.
#4. Vitality
Optical/dental/hearing cashback exists as an add-on, but Vitality's real optical value is elsewhere — its rewards ecosystem often matters more to the same buyers.
What to avoid
- Do the cash-plan maths first: Westfield's £8.58/month Level 1 returns up to £45 dental + £45 optical + £200 therapies (July 2026) with no PMI policy needed — for routine-only needs it usually wins.
- Don't claim £60 of cashback through a benefit with a £50 excess (Aviva's structure) — read the per-benefit excess.
- Major dental work (implants, orthodontics) isn't covered by any of these — cashback caps are for routine care.
How we ranked these
Rankings combine each provider's published pricing examples (with their stated bases), verified policy terms from provider documents, published claims statistics where they exist, and fit for this specific audience. This is editorial research, not advice — formal recommendations come from an independently FCA-authorised adviser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bupa — both Bupa By You policies include one dental appointment a year at a Bupa Dental Care practice plus a £300 allowance for clinically necessary restorative treatment, with no excess and no effect on your no-claims discount (verified July 2026). Everyone else sells dental as optional cashback.
For routine-only needs, usually: cash plans from £7.20–£8.58/month (Medicash/Westfield, July 2026) return dental, optical and therapy cashback without touching a PMI policy. PMI dental add-ons make sense when you already want the PMI and your dental spend is high (AXA's 80%-to-£400 is the biggest ceiling).
Bupa's dental is included in its standard premium (£44.89/month average example, May 2026); cashback add-ons elsewhere typically add a few pounds monthly — against cash plans at £7.20–£23/month standalone (July 2026 prices).