The Exeter Health+ Review 2026: Our Verdict

Health+ from mutual insurer The Exeter puts unlimited in-patient treatment and uncapped all-stages cancer cover in core, paid 90% of claims in 2025 (£51.9m), and offers the widest excess range (£0–£5,000) plus a genuinely useful free app (unlimited remote GP).

3 min read By Ben Darke · Updated 2026-07-17
Quick verdict: Health+ from mutual insurer The Exeter puts unlimited in-patient treatment and uncapped all-stages cancer cover in core, paid 90% of claims in 2025 (£51.9m), and offers the widest excess range (£0–£5,000) plus a genuinely useful free app (unlimited remote GP).

The Exeter at a glance (July 2026)

The Exeter
ProductHealth+ — traditional or lower-cost guided option
Published priceNone — quote only; NCD (max 75%) or community-rated pricing
Claims record90% of health claims paid, £51.9m paid, 16,500+ new claims (The Exeter, 2025)
UnderwritingFMU, moratorium (5-yr/2-yr), continued moratorium, CPME
Excess£0 / £100 / £250 / £500 / £1,000 / £3,000 / £5,000 — widest of the nine
HospitalsGuided specialist (no list, choice of 3 specialists) or Essential/Standard/Extended lists (approx. 447/531/567 facilities — our count of its Sept 2025 list)
CancerCore: all stages once diagnosed, no time or financial limit, incl. palliative
Mental healthAdd-on only: unlimited outpatient + 28 days inpatient/yr
AppHealthWise: unlimited remote GP, physio ×6, mental health ×6, annual blood-test MOT

Verified against The Exeter's own published documents, July 2026.

What stands out (July 2026)

Core cover is unusually deep: unlimited in-patient and day-patient treatment, CT/MRI/PET as standard, and cancer cover for all stages once diagnosed with no time or financial limit including palliative and terminal treatment (NICE is the benchmark for eligible drugs). The NHS cash benefit is the most generous we found: £250/night in-patient up to £10,000/year. As a mutual, The Exeter has no shareholders, and every Health+ policyholder becomes a member with an AGM vote.

The HealthWise app is a real differentiator at this price tier: unlimited remote GP appointments, six video physiotherapy sessions, six mental-health consultations, six dietitian sessions, a second-opinion service and an annual 20-marker blood-test kit — free, worldwide, and using it never counts as a claim. (It's a non-contractual benefit, so it can be varied or withdrawn.)

Pricing structure

No published from-price, but two transparent structures: a 15-level no-claims discount reaching 75% (small claims under £300 don't move you; £1,000–£2,000 claims cost two levels), or community-rated pricing where your premium follows the wider pool rather than your own claims. The guided option cuts premiums further: an open GP referral, then a choice of up to three specialists whose fees are paid in full.

Watch-outs

  • Mental health is not in core cover — it's an add-on (unlimited outpatient + 28 days in-patient a year). The app's six video sessions are helpful but non-contractual.
  • No dental or optical add-on exists at all — if you want those, look at Bupa (dental standard) or a cash plan.
  • The Exeter doesn't publish joining age limits — we could not verify any on its official documents, so get confirmation when quoting.
  • UK treatment only; you must be UK-resident, GP-registered and NHS-eligible.

Who it suits

Buyers who want maximum treatment depth per pound and will use the app benefits; fans of mutuals; high-excess strategists (a £3,000 or £5,000 excess turns Health+ into catastrophe cover at a much lower premium). Not for anyone who wants mental health or dental cover built in.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Its published 2025 claims record: 90% of health insurance claims paid, £51.9 million out (up from £41.8m in 2024) across 16,500+ new claims. Core cover includes unlimited in-patient treatment and uncapped all-stages cancer cover, which most rivals can't match without options.

A free member app (powered by Square Health): unlimited remote GP appointments, up to six video physio sessions, six mental health consultations, six dietitian sessions, a second medical opinion service and an annual home blood-test MOT. Using it doesn't count as a claim (verified July 2026; benefits are non-contractual).

Not in core cover — mental health is an optional add-on giving unlimited outpatient treatment and up to 28 days in-patient or day-patient care per year. Without the add-on you still get six video mental-health consultations a year via the HealthWise app (non-contractual).

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