More than a quarter of Bitons have paid for medical treatment over the last five years, according to a survey by Howden.
The intermediary found 27% of the 2,000 adults it surveyed had paid out of pocket for medical treatment for themselves or their family, with dental treatment being the top cause.
It added they spent almost £6,000 on average with one in seven spending more than £15,000.
Of those who had paid for care, 59% paid for their own treatment, 36% funded treatment for their child and 35% for their partner.
Wider family were also included with almost a third paying for either their parents (24%) or another family member (9%).
Dental was the main contributing factor noted by 35% of respondents, followed by diagnostic tests and scans (22%), injuries (19%) and mental health services (15%). (See table)
Notably, three-quarters (75%) of respondents said they had spent more than £1,000 over the last five years with more than one in ten (11%) spending more than £15,000. (See table)
Howden’s research also found six in ten adults (60%) would prefer their employer to fully fund private medical insurance (PMI) – well ahead of extra holiday allowance (41%), paid time off (40%), or life insurance (37%).
Ian Sawyer, commercial director at Howden Life and Health, (pictured) said: “With NHS waiting lists continuing to rise, a postcode lottery dictating the quality and speed of treatment, and one in five people losing sleep over fears of not being able to access the care they need, it’s clear that health anxiety is becoming a major concern for millions.
“That growing unease is reflected in the sharp increase in searches for PMI over the past year and the fact that more than a quarter of people have already self-funded treatment in the past five years.
“As pressure on public healthcare builds, demand for flexible, reliable access to private care is only rising. And while many still feel PMI is a luxury, it’s worth exploring the options available – there are more affordable and adaptable solutions than many people realise.”