Case study

Maurice Surphlis says a business associate nagged him into buying comprehensive private medical cover - and he is glad he did so.

"He actually forced me. I didn't like to say no because he supplied our company," said Mr Surphlis, who runs an animal feed and hardware business in Northern Ireland.

But now he says he has converted dozens of other people, so convinced is he that his associate was right. For shortly after buying cover, Mr Surphlis, 62, got bad news.

He recalled: "After two years, I developed prostate cancer. The good part was that the doctor looked at his list and said 'Prostate - that'll be at least 18 months for an operation.' I said: 'Well, listen I've got medical insurance' and he said 'Ah, that's different.' And I had the operation inside a month.

"The total bill, when you take in the MRI scans, the consultant appointments and the operation was around £10,000 but I can't sing the praises of WPA too highly - they were very good to deal with."

Mr Surphlis had the insurer's Flexible Health Freelance plan. The comprehensive scheme contains a discount for the self-employed, reflecting the below average sickness record of people who work for themselves. He pays £2,000 a year for both policies.

His wife, Mary, 60, followed his example but bought a different scheme, Shared Responsibility, so called because the policyholder pays a proportion of claims. This helps keep down premiums for all policyholders, according to the not-for-profit insurer.