Trust dropped among customers aged 31 to 64 as use of private medical insurance increased, Fairer Finance’s Trust in Private Medical Insurance Index found.
The index showed trust went up in the youngest (18 to 30) and oldest (65 plus) groups in spring 2025, but fell for those aged 31 to 64.
The biggest fall was for 46 to 64 year olds, with their average trust score down by nearly 2% since autumn 2024.
In autumn 2024, trust had dropped with age, but this pattern changed in the latest results.
The fall in trust came even as private hospital admissions reached a record high.
The Private Healthcare Information Network said there were 939,000 private admissions in 2024, up 3% on the previous year.
Of those, 664,000 were funded by private medical insurance, a 6% year-on-year increase.
People in their 50s remained the biggest users of private healthcare, which may explain the drop in trust for that age group.
As more people moved to private cover to get away from long NHS waits, some found existing conditions were excluded or premiums were much higher.
These issues could be leading to less trust from the group using it most.
WPA and Freedom Health Insurance were the most trusted private medical insurance brands.
WPA had the highest trust score in spring 2025 after a rise of 3.6% since autumn 2024.
Freedom Health Insurance dropped 2.5%, giving WPA the top spot.
Meanwhile, SAGA’s trust score fell by nearly 7%, down to 46.9%.
Claim satisfaction scores kept rising, with the average score going up by about 1% from the previous quarter, reaching 61.9%.
WPA had the highest claim satisfaction at 73% in spring 2025.
Freedom Health Insurance, Bupa and AXA Health also scored above average.
James Daley, managing director at Fairer Finance, said: “As more people turn to private healthcare, with many buying PMI for the first time, the sector is at a critical moment.
“The current boom in demand reflects growing concern over the NHS – but it’s also putting more pressure on insurers to deliver clear, fair, and transparent products.
“Too many consumers still find themselves confused about what their policy covers or frustrated when they realise the care they expected is out of reach due to exclusions or geography.”
Daley added: “Trust is built not just on paying claims but on matching expectations.
“The sector needs to do more to support people at the point of sale and beyond.”
