By Steve Fay, FAYTH Health
Over the past few months, we've had several conversations that didn't result in someone becoming a client.
We're pleased they didn't.
That may sound unusual for a business, but it reflects exactly how we believe health insurance advice should work.
It’s exactly the point I want to make in this post. Our role isn't simply to provide a health insurance policy. It's to help people make the decision that's genuinely right for them. Then to say so, honestly, either way.
Recently, that's meant advising people to:
Stay with their existing insurer, because it was the best option for their circumstances
Consider a different type of solution altogether, because private medical insurance wasn't right for them
Do nothing for now, because the timing simply wasn't right
None of those conversations ended in a sale. All of them, we think, ended with someone honestly better off than if we’d just said “yes” to whatever they walked in asking for. That matters more to us than the sale ever could.
“Doesn’t specialising in one insurer limit you?”
It is a fair question and one we are often asked, particularly by financial advisers and accountants considering whether to introduce their clients to us.
We have chosen to develop genuine depth in one provider rather than trying to maintain the same detailed knowledge across numerous insurers.
Specialising in WPA means:
We understand the situations in which WPA’s products can be an excellent fit and, equally importantly, where they may not be.
We understand how WPA’s underwriting works in practice, not simply what is written in a brochure.
We can explain the options clearly and help clients understand how the policy would work for them.
We can identify where the cover could genuinely benefit someone and where another course of action may be more appropriate.
That depth of knowledge allows us to tell someone confidently when WPA is not right for them, without hesitation or ambiguity.
Being a specialist does not mean trying to make one solution fit every client. For us, it means understanding our area well enough to recognise when it fits and being honest when it doesn’t.
Why we chose WPA
When we established FAYTH Health, we wanted to build our business around a provider we genuinely believed in.
We had seen WPA support our own family through some incredibly difficult times. That personal experience, combined with our professional understanding of its products and service, gave us the confidence to specialise.
By focusing on one provider, we have developed a depth of knowledge that benefits our clients every day.
However, believing strongly in WPA does not mean recommending it regardless of someone’s circumstances. Our role is to establish whether WPA offers the right solution for the client in front of us. If it doesn’t, we will say so.
What happens when someone comes to us?
Every conversation starts with listening.
We take the time to understand the person, family or business in front of us, including their circumstances, concerns, priorities and what they actually want their healthcare cover to achieve.
We then consider whether WPA can provide a suitable solution.
If it can, we explain the available options clearly, including how the cover works, what it includes, what it does not include and any important limitations the client needs to understand.
If WPA is not a suitable fit, we explain that just as clearly.
That might mean recommending that someone remains with their existing insurer, explores a different type of healthcare solution or waits until their circumstances change.
We would rather lose a sale than allow someone to make a decision that is not right for them.
Our support does not stop at the sale
Being unwell is stressful enough without also having to navigate an unfamiliar claims process.
Most people do not find it particularly difficult to buy private medical insurance. The challenge often comes when they need to use it.
At exactly the moment they are worried about their health, they may not know which number to call, whether something could be covered, what authorisation they need or how to arrange an appointment with the right specialist.
That is why our role does not end once a policy has been arranged.
FAYTH Health runs regular drop-in sessions for clients, alongside providing ongoing support whenever they need us. We help clients understand and use the cover they are paying for, not only at renewal but throughout the life of their policy.
Our job is not simply to arrange cover. It is to make sure our clients feel supported when it matters.
A Real Example
We recently worked with a business that initially believed it needed private medical insurance.
The business had experienced a difficult year. Employees had been absent through sickness and the owners understandably felt that something needed to change.
We understood why the situation felt urgent. However, after taking the time to explore what was actually happening, it became clear that a full private medical insurance policy was not the solution that would help them most.
A flexible health cash plan was far better suited to their immediate needs. It provided support towards everyday healthcare costs that employees were more likely to use regularly, including dental, optical and GP charges. This sat alongside occupational health support focused on the particular issue contributing to the absences.
It cost the business considerably less than a full private medical insurance policy and gave its employees benefits they could use in their everyday lives, not only when facing a major health concern.
The client received a solution genuinely suited to its business and its people. The owners also know exactly where to come if full private medical insurance becomes appropriate in the future.
That is the type of long-term relationship we value and the version of success by which we would rather be measured.
Specialist knowledge, honest advice
Specialising in one insurer is not about assuming WPA will be right for everyone.
It is about developing the knowledge and experience to understand when it can genuinely help, explaining the options clearly and being honest enough to say when it cannot.
We believe that is what specialist advice should look like.
If you are unsure whether private medical insurance is the right answer for you, your family or your business, let’s talk.
Sometimes the answer will be yes. Sometimes it won’t. Either way, you will receive clear, honest and specialist advice.
Get in touch
Call: 07983 124873
Visit: faythhealth.co.uk/contact-us
About the author
Steve Fay is a Director of FAYTH Health, a specialist health insurance adviser working exclusively with WPA. Alongside his wife and business partner, Jo, Steve helps individuals, families and businesses understand their healthcare options and receive ongoing support when they need to use their cover.
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