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Spring can often feel like a time of fresh starts; a time to dust away the cobwebs and get our lives in order. Many of us clean our homes and re-evaluate our start-of-year goals, whether that’s reaching a financial savings target or making progress with a new hobby. Some people also use the warmer, lighter days as a chance to get outside and be more active or start making healthier food choices.
If you’ve been thinking about getting private health insurance, now could also be the time – particularly with 83% of surveyed Rest Less members saying they’re worried about NHS care. Like most life admin, taking out a policy is easy to put off, especially if you feel well.
But one of the biggest mistakes people make with private health care is waiting until they become ill or injured to consider it. Because many providers cover only new and unexpected conditions that arise after the policy start date and exclude pre-existing ones, many people will find themselves without coverage when they need it most.
To explore how private healthcare, alongside other healthy choices, can improve your quality of life this spring, we’ve partnered with HMCA (Hospital and Medical Association), a provider of trusted medical and health plans since 1978. HMCA’s Medical Plans have no age limit and offer guaranteed acceptance. HMCA is also unique in that healthcare plans are available exclusively through partnerships and associations and membership groups – like Rest Less – allowing them to deliver a more tailored, attentive service.
For anyone transferring from another provider, 90% of HMCA members who joined between 1st January 2025 and 30th June 2025 saved money when switching to HMCA. Any future claims made for acute conditions originating at the time you were participating in your previous plan will also be honoured, offering continuity of care that many providers don’t match.
As a welcome benefit, new HMCA members can also choose between a £100 gift card for Amazon, Marks & Spencer, or John Lewis, or take £150 off their annual subscription.
So if you’re looking to take control of your health and life this spring, keep reading for five ways to do so.
1. Organise important health checks
It’s easy to let routine health checks slip down the to-do list, especially when life is busy, and you feel fine. But many conditions – from high blood pressure and cholesterol to type 2 diabetes – can develop without obvious symptoms, which is why regular checks are so important.
Spring can be a good reminder to book anything you’ve been putting off: a GP appointment, an eye test, a dental check-up, or any screening you’re due. In England, those between the ages of 40 and 74 who haven’t been diagnosed with a pre-existing condition are also eligible for a free NHS Health Check, which looks at your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and diabetes. If you’re eligible, you should receive an invitation from your GP every five years – so if you’re yet to receive one and think you should have, it’s worth getting in touch.
If you struggle to get GP appointments, private healthcare plans can also offer 24/7 GP Advice Lines and thorough health checks with shorter waiting times. And, if a check does flag something, you’ll have quick access to diagnostic tests and specialist referrals, so you’re not left waiting months for answers.
With HMCA, 90% of claims are processed on the same day – something that will be particularly valuable for the 86.5% of Rest Less members who said shorter waiting times were their top priority when choosing a healthcare plan. As well as medical plans, you can also choose from cash, dental, and travel plans, depending on your needs.
2. Review what your current healthcare plan actually covers
If you already have private health insurance, it might be a while since you last looked closely at what it includes. Many people take out a policy and don’t revisit it for years, only to find that when they need to make a claim, their cover has gaps they weren’t aware of.
It’s worth checking whether your current plan covers the things that matter most to you – whether that’s consultant appointments, diagnostic tests, or inpatient treatment – and whether what you’re paying still represents good value.
For those considering switching, it might be helpful to know that 90% of HMCA members who joined between 1st January 2025 and 30th June 2025 and transferred from another provider saved money. Even better, any future claims for acute conditions that originated while you were on your previous plan will still be honoured – something many providers don’t offer.
Worried about accessing the NHS care you need?
83% of Rest Less members are worried about accessing the healthcare they need on the NHS#, making fast access to treatment more important than ever.
HMCA private medical cover offers affordable, flexible plans, with 90% of members saving money when they switch. Enjoy peace of mind. Join today and get £150 off your subscription.
#Data from over 1,000 Rest Less members surveyed in 2025
^Data from HMCA members who joined between 01/01/25 and 30/06/25
3. Try to move more
Longer days and milder weather make spring one of the easiest times of year to build more movement into your routine. You don’t necessarily need to take up running or join a gym – even a regular walk can make a meaningful difference to cardiovascular health, mood, and energy levels.
If you’ve been less active over winter, health experts generally recommend starting gently and building up gradually. Setting a small, specific goal, like a 20-minute walk three times a week, tends to be more sustainable than an ambitious overhaul that’s difficult to maintain. Though if you’re looking to challenge yourself, you might want to consider taking up an outdoor sport like pickleball, football, or tennis.
While increased activity does occasionally bring minor injuries or niggles, the helpful thing about having private health cover in place is that if something does flare up, you can get seen and treated quickly rather than waiting weeks for an NHS appointment.
4. Take stock of your mental wellbeing
Physical health often gets more attention than mental health, but the two are closely linked. Spring can be a good time to honestly assess how you’re feeling, not just physically, but emotionally, too.
If you’ve been persistently feeling low or anxious, it’s worth speaking to your GP rather than waiting to see if it passes. Many people find it easier to take their mental health seriously when they frame it the same way they would a physical symptom – as something worth getting checked, not pushed aside.
It’s also worth knowing that mental health support doesn’t have to mean a lengthy wait. HMCA’s plans include optional mental health cover, meaning that if you do want to speak to someone, access to therapy or counselling can be much faster than going through the NHS.
5. Sort out any life admin you’ve been putting off
Most of us have a list of things we know we should do but keep deferring, and taking out private health cover can be one of them. It can feel less urgent when you’re well, which is why so many people wait until they need it to think about it.
The problem is that most private health plans only cover new conditions that arise after your policy’s start date. Pre-existing conditions are typically excluded, which means that waiting until something goes wrong often means missing out on coverage for the very thing you need help with. If you’ve been considering a plan, doing it now while you’re in good health can give you the broadest possible cover when you need it.
Taking out a plan also doesn’t mean that you can’t receive NHS care. If you’re admitted to an NHS hospital during an emergency, you’ll receive up to £200 a night spent in hospital, for up to 30 nights, tax-free.
While you’re in the mindset of getting things in order, it’s also worth casting an eye over a few other health-related tasks that tend to get pushed aside. Check that your GP records are up to date, including your address and next of kin details. If you’re on any repeat prescriptions, make sure they’ve been reviewed recently.
None of these things takes long to sort, but they’re easy to overlook until you actually need them.
Worried about accessing the NHS care you need?
83% of Rest Less members are worried about accessing the healthcare they need on the NHS#, making fast access to treatment more important than ever.
HMCA private medical cover offers affordable, flexible plans, with 90% of members saving money when they switch. Enjoy peace of mind. Join today and get £150 off your subscription.
#Data from over 1,000 Rest Less members surveyed in 2025
^Data from HMCA members who joined between 01/01/25 and 30/06/25
Final thoughts…
Spring is a natural moment to pause and think about what we want the next few months to look like – and for many of us, health sits at the heart of that. Whether you’re booking an overdue check-up, getting outside more, or finally sorting out the cover you’ve been meaning to look into, small steps taken now can make a real difference later.
If private health insurance is something you’ve been considering, the best time to act is before you need it. HMCA has been providing trusted medical and health plans since 1978, with no age limit, guaranteed acceptance, and plans available exclusively through membership groups like Rest Less, so you can be confident you’re getting a service built around you.
New members can also take advantage of a welcome benefit: choose between a £100 gift card for Amazon, Marks & Spencer, or John Lewis, or take £150 off your annual subscription.