This is the point most people underestimate. Jersey and Guernsey have their own health systems and schemes that reduce the cost of treatment, but neither has an equivalent of the NHS. GP appointments are paid for directly, and the European Health Insurance Card does not apply.

If you are visiting the islands briefly, for a holiday or a business trip, you do not need private medical insurance: travel insurance is the right cover, and worth having, because medical costs are not underwritten for you the way they would be on the mainland. If you live here, a comprehensive private policy is a different proposition entirely.

The requirements of island clients differ from those of someone living in England, and in our experience many residents hold policies that were never designed for their situation. A UK plan bought at face value may not fund the travel that island treatment often requires, and may not contribute to GP fees at all.

We work with a wide panel of insurers, some of whom offer specific Island Plans for Jersey and Guernsey residents. Those plans typically include return trips to the mainland for treatment and cover towards GP charges. Which one suits you depends on where you expect to be treated and how often you travel.

Insurers cannot give you advice on their own products. That is a real limitation, and it is why so many island residents are unsure whether they need an Island Plan, a UK policy or full international cover. The three behave very differently on treatment location, GP fees and repatriation, and the cheapest is rarely the one that pays out the way you assumed it would.

Advising on exactly that question is what we do. We place business with both UK and international providers, so the recommendation follows your circumstances rather than a panel we happen to be tied to. If you are considering private health insurance in the Channel Islands for the first time, speaking to a specialist broker first will usually save both time and money.

If you already hold a private health insurance policy, a review costs you nothing, however complex your medical history. Clients often assume that switching insurer means losing cover for pre-existing conditions and so never test the market. That assumption is frequently wrong, and a number of our island clients have been pleasantly surprised once they went through the process.

Reviewing your cover with us is straightforward, and it can reduce what you pay significantly. We believe loyalty should be rewarded rather than quietly priced up at renewal.