Using Medical Insurance

As a clinic and as individual therapists we work with a number of private medical insurers. We are autonomous practitioners and chose which insurers we accept to work with based on policies and reimbursement rates. Insurance rules also differ between companies, so please read this page before you book. It will save you from unexpected costs, disputes over unknown excess or other shortfalls and uncovered costs.

The short version

Always get authorisation from your insurer before your first appointment.
Check that your insurer covers the treatment and recognises your therapist.
Insurance covers physiotherapy and osteopathy only. Ultrasound scans, injections and rehabilitation classes are not covered.
Any sessions that are not authorised, or that were booked with incorrect details, will be billed to you directly, regardless of what your insurer informs you.
Whilst an insurer's customer service representatives can confirm your policy cover and authorisations, they do not determine whether ongoing treatment is clinically appropriate.
Pre-authorised sessions are indicative of the treatment available under your policy, but the treating clinician remains responsible for determining what treatment is clinically necessary and appropriate, in accordance with the insurer's clinical guidelines and policy requirements.

Before you book

Whichever insurer you use, please:

Contact your insurer and get an authorisation code for physiotherapy or osteopathy.
Confirm that the treatment is funded under your policy.
Confirm that your chosen therapist is registered with your insurer.
Give us your insurer, policy details and authorisation code when you book.

You do not need a GP referral to see us if you are paying yourself. Some insurers do require a GP referral or a triage call with their own physiotherapist or nurse first, so check with yours.

Bupa

We are a recognised Bupa provider. Our Bupa provider number is 80011520.

You can see most of our practitioners using Bupa medical insurance. This applies to:

Shockwave therapy: Bupa authorises up to six shockwave sessions. This is on a separate code from your physiotherapy authorisation, so please ask Bupa for a separate shockwave authorisation code before you book.

AXA Health

A small number of our therapists accept AXA Health. Currently these are:

Please check with AXA first and give them the provider number of the therapist you want to see. You can see any of these therapists at any of our clinics under their provider number.

A few things to know about AXA:

Unlimited Although AXA may describe your policy as providing “unlimited” treatment, this remains subject to AXA’s clinical guidelines and policy terms. There is not necessarily a fixed number of sessions available for every condition, and further treatment may be limited where symptoms are chronic or recurring, or where treatment is providing only temporary relief rather than lasting improvement. As an AXA-registered provider, each therapist is required to follow these guidelines when determining whether further treatment is appropriate, regardless of the number of sessions authorised.
We cannot provide maintenance treatment under an insurance code.
Each body part needs its own authorisation code. AXA may sometimes tell you that you can carry on using the same code for a different body part. We do not allow this, so please get a new code for each new area.
Shockwave can usually be provided in your authorisation code, however you must inform AXA of this as it is billed differently to physiotherapy.

We do not accept AXA Global.

WPA

We work with WPA. As with all insurers, you need an authorisation code for physiotherapy or osteopathy before you book. Shockwave therapy may also be funded by WPA, but you must clear it with them first.

Aviva

Some of our team work with Aviva. As with all insurers, you need an authorisation code for physiotherapy or osteopathy before you book. Shockwave therapy can also be funded by AVIVA but you must clear it with them first.

Bupa Global

We can also accept Bupa Global. Please check your cover and get authorisation before booking. Shockwave can usually be provided in your authorisation code, however you must inform BUPA International of this.

Allianz

We work with Allianz. Please check your cover and get authorisation before booking.

Healix

We work with Healix. Please check your cover and get authorisation before booking.

HCML

We work with one intermediary, HCML. Under our service level agreement, HCML appointments cover basic physiotherapy only: manual therapy, exercise and advice. Advanced treatments and shockwave are not included, and our agreement does not cover anything beyond this. With HCML, your first appointment is an assessment only, and treatment usually begins at your next appointment.

Insurers we do not work with

We do not work with:

If you are insured with one of these, you are welcome to pay for your treatment yourself.

Not covered by insurance

Advanced services are not covered by medical insurance, and are self-pay:

You can see the cost of every service on our price list.

Excesses, cancellations and unauthorised sessions

If an authorisation is missing, expired or entered incorrectly, or a session is not authorised, you will be billed directly for that session.
Most policies have an excess. It is your responsibility to find out what the excess on your policy is and pay any excess owed to the provider as insurers do not share policy details with providers. Any excess owed and that remain unpaid will be passed on to debt collection.
We ask for at least 24 hours' notice to change or cancel an appointment. Cancelled appointments with less than 24 hours' notice, and missed appointments, cannot be billed to your insurer and will be billed to you directly.
If you pay yourself and claim back from your insurer or cash plan, we can provide a receipt.
We are not liable for, and will not reimburse, any shortfall between our fee and what your insurer reimburses you.

Not sure about your cover? Check with your insurer first, then call us on 020 3322 9455 or book online. We’re happy to help.

Using Medical Insurance