UK Insurance Cover For Drug and Alcohol Rehab

Laura Smart - Author for Rehab Clinics Group

Laura Smart - Last Updated: May 26, 2023

Last reviewed: September 20, 2022 by Dr Alexander Lapa. All information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

About This Page

If you are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, rehab could be your best way forward. Residential alcohol and drug rehab programmes provide the opportunity for detoxification and complete a range of therapies aimed at addressing every part of the addiction, all delivered in a safe environment where you can really focus on your recovery.

This is the most effective way to treat a serious addiction, but it can be expensive. If you have private medical insurance, however, that may cover all or part of the cost. Continue reading to find out more.

UK Insurance Cover For Drug and Alcohol Rehab

How Do I Pay For Rehab?

The cost of rehab can be a significant factor to consider, as in most cases, people will pay for drug and alcohol rehab themselves.

There may be payment plans available that allow you to spread the payments, but typically you will put down a deposit when arranging admission, with the balance to be paid sometime after.

There are some other possibilities, though:

  • Private health insurance: Providers like BUPA, CIGNA, AXA, and others all have policies that will cover the costs of drug and alcohol treatment including residential rehab.
  • NHS-funded rehab: Most NHS drug and alcohol treatment is provided on an outpatient basis. In certain cases, they may fund a place at a private rehab, although this is very rare, and the process can be long and complex.
  • Free alternatives: As mentioned, the NHS does provide outpatient rehab. This tends not to be as effective as residential rehab for serious problems, but it is free at the point of care. Some people also find mutual support groups and fellowships like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous valuable.

 

Will Insurance Pay For My Rehab Treatment?

Insurance is there to help provide protection when unexpected or unfortunate events occur. Your car insurance will provide cover of you are involved in an accident or have your vehicle stolen and your home insurance may provide a pay-out if your home is damaged in a storm.

In the UK most of us can receive free healthcare from the NHS but many people still choose to take out private healthcare as well.

This can help you to avoid NHS waiting lists, provide different standards of treatment, and sometimes cover treatments that are not generally available on the NHS. This may include private residential rehab for a properly diagnosed substance misuse or addiction issue.

 

How Do I Know if Private Insurance Will Cover My Treatment?

Several health insurers in the UK provide cover that will pay some or all of the costs of rehab treatment, including (but not limited to):

  • BUPA
  • Aviva
  • AXA PPP
  • Cigna
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Aetna
  • JSIS
  • WPA
  • Tricare

BUPA is one of the biggest private health insurance and healthcare providers in the UK and many people access rehab through this route. Its website currently states: “Bupa’s health insurance covers you for any addiction. We’ll even cover you for a period of rehab to help you recover from your dependency.”

It is worth noting, that BUPA will only fund one addiction treatment programme per membership lifetime. This makes it vital that you find a rehab that is right for you. Some insurers will have a list of preferred or approved rehabs and Rehab Clinics Group can help you to find the right one for you.

You also need to be fully committed when attending rehab. This is not only important because you might only get funding for one attempt, but because rehab works best when people participate honestly and openly in the therapeutic treatments.

Just because you have private health insurance though, don’t assume that it automatically covers a stay in private drug and alcohol rehab. Different levels of coverage are available even from the same insurance providers. Check your policy carefully and speak to your insurer if necessary.

Some insurance policies will not cover a pre-existing condition, which can be a bit of a grey area with addiction. You might have had a problem with drink or drugs when you took out the policy for example, which has worsened over time. In this case, addiction may still be covered.

If you have previously been diagnosed and treated for a substance misuse disorder before taking out private health insurance to fund residential rehab, however, the provider may turn you down. As with any insurance, you should check all wording carefully, including the small print.

 

How Much Will My Insurance Pay?

The amount paid out by your insurer can also vary depending on the provider and policy. There is likely to be an upper limit or cap on how much the insurance will pay out, which may affect the duration of your stay and the rehabs available to you.

The policy may cover a 28-day programme for example, but not a 90-day stay or longer. Some of the more luxurious ‘celeb-style’ rehabs may also be too pricey for insurance to cover.

Your policy may also have an excess, which means you must pay that amount towards the cost of any treatment you claim for. This is standard practice in the insurance industry. If, for example, the treatment costs £10,000 and you have an excess of £1,000, you would pay £1,000 and the insurer would cover the remaining £9,000.

 

Admissions To Rehab Using Insurance

All our rehabs and admission teams are used to dealing with insurance admissions and will make the process as streamlined and straightforward as possible. We will help you to liaise between the insurer, the rehab clinic, and other parties like your GP and explain every step of the process.

This will involve a pre-admission screening where an individually tailored treatment plan can be drawn up and submitted to the insurer.

 

Need More Information?

If you need any more information on insurance, payment plans, or any other issue, get in touch today or call on 0800 470 0382. Our friendly and experienced referral teams can answer any questions you might have in complete confidence and could help you start the ball rolling.

Laura Smart - Author - Last updated: May 26, 2023

Laura is a qualified counsellor and behavioural therapist specialising in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy), ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy), ICT (Inner Child Therapy), MI (Motivational Interviewing), Hypnosis and Mindfulness practice. She has experience working with individuals suffering from conditions such as problem behaviours, internet and social media addictions, depression, anxiety, anger management and trauma.

Dr Alexander Lapa - Psychiatrist & Clinical Reviewer for Rehab Clinics Group

Dr Alexander Lapa - Clinical Reviewer - Last reviewed: September 20, 2022

MBBS, PG Dip Clin Ed, OA Dip CBT, OA Dip Psychology, SCOPE Certified

Dr Lapa graduated in Medicine in 2000 and since this time has accrued much experience working in the widest range of psychiatric settings with differing illness presentations and backgrounds in inpatient, community and secure settings. This has been aligned to continuation of professional development at postgraduate level in clinical research which has been very closely related to the everyday clinical practice conducted by this practitioner as a NHS and Private Psychiatrist.
He is fully indemnified by the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) and MIAB Expert Insurance for Psychiatric and Private Medical practice. He is fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK with a licence to practice.

Dr Lapa is approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act (1983)

Member of Independent Doctors Federation (IDF), British Association for Psychopharmacology (BMA) and The Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO)

Dr Lapa’s extensive experience has also concentrated on the following areas of clinical practice:
– Assessment, Diagnosis and Pharmacological Treatment for Adults with ADHD.
– Drug and Alcohol Dependency and maintaining abstinence and continued recovery
– Intravenous and Intramuscular Vitamin and Mineral Infusion Therapy
– Dietary and Weight Management and thorough care from assessment to treatment to end goals and maintenance
– Aesthetic Practice and Procedures