Did you know that your private health insurance might cover the cost of your massage therapy or aromatherapy treatments? Many people are surprised to discover that their policy includes complementary therapy benefits – and I’m here to help you take advantage of them.
As a registered therapist with the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), I can provide the documentation you need to claim back your treatment costs. This could mean free or significantly reduced treatments, depending on your policy.
Let me explain how it works and how you can check if you’re eligible.
The Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) is the UK’s leading regulatory body for complementary healthcare practitioners. Set up with government support, CNHC maintains a voluntary register of practitioners who meet nationally recognised standards of competence, conduct, and safety.
When you see a CNHC registered therapist, you can be confident that:
Many major health insurance providers in the UK offer coverage for complementary therapies when provided by CNHC registered practitioners. These include:
Bupa – Various plans include complementary therapy cover
Aviva – Select policies cover CNHC registered treatments
AXA Health – Many corporate plans include complementary therapy
Vitality – Some packages include therapy benefits
WPA – Certain policies cover complementary medicine
Benenden Health – Offers complementary therapy benefits
Important note: Coverage varies significantly between policies and individual plans. Just because your provider is listed here doesn’t automatically mean your specific policy includes complementary therapy cover. You’ll need to check your individual policy documents or contact your provider directly.
As a CNHC registered therapist, I can provide documentation for claims related to:
Massage Therapy – including pregnancy massage, therapeutic massage, and remedial treatments
Aromatherapy – clinical aromatherapy sessions and aromatherapy massage
Combined Treatments – sessions that incorporate both massage and aromatherapy
Treatments that may be covered include:
Please note that some insurance policies may have specific exclusions or may only cover certain conditions. Wellness or relaxation treatments are less likely to be covered than treatments for specific therapeutic purposes.
Follow these simple steps to find out if your health insurance covers complementary therapy:
Look through your health insurance policy booklet or online policy summary. Search for terms like:
“Complementary therapy”
“Alternative medicine”
“CNHC therapists”
“Massage therapy”
“Aromatherapy”
If your policy mentions complementary therapy, note:
If you’re unsure, call your insurance provider’s customer service line and ask:
“Does my policy cover treatments from CNHC registered therapists?”
“What is my annual limit for complementary therapy?”
“Do I need pre-authorisation before booking treatments?”
Step 4: Get It in Writing If your provider confirms coverage over the phone, ask them to email you confirmation with the specific details. This protects you if there are any disputes later.
Once you’ve confirmed your policy includes complementary therapy cover, the claiming process is straightforward:
Request a detailed receipt from me (I’ll provide everything you need)
The receipt will include:
Most insurers offer multiple ways to claim:
Most claims are processed within 10-14 working days, though this varies by provider. Payment is typically made directly to your bank account.
The amount you can claim depends entirely on your individual policy. Here are some typical scenarios:
Beyond the insurance benefits, choosing a CNHC registered therapist offers several advantages:
CNHC registration means I’ve met rigorous educational and professional requirements. I’m required to maintain professional indemnity insurance and adhere to strict codes of conduct.
CNHC therapists must undertake continuing professional development to maintain their registration. This ensures I stay current with the latest techniques and best practices in complementary therapy.
If you ever had concerns about your treatment (though I hope you won’t!), CNHC provides a complaints procedure and holds therapists accountable to professional standards.
As you’ve learned, CNHC registration is the standard most health insurers require for complementary therapy claims. Without it, even if your policy covers treatments, you wouldn’t be able to claim.
If your policy includes complementary therapy cover, here are some tips to maximise your benefits:
Book treatments early in the year – Don’t wait until December to use your annual allowance
Plan regular sessions – If your policy allows 10 sessions, spread them throughout the year for ongoing wellbeing support
Combine with other benefits – Some policies also cover classes or wellness activities
Keep all receipts – Even if you’re not claiming immediately, you may want to later
Ask about family cover – Some policies extend benefits to partners or dependents
Don’t leave money on the table! If you have private health insurance, there’s a good chance your policy includes complementary therapy benefits that you’re not currently using.
I’m here to support you not just with professional treatments, but also with all the documentation you need to make successful insurance claims. Whether you’re looking for pregnancy massage, postnatal support, stress relief, or help managing chronic pain, I can provide the treatments you need along with the proper receipts for your claims.
Next Steps:
Have questions about whether your specific policy or treatment would be covered? Feel free to get in touch – I’m happy to help you understand your options.
The Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council was set up with government support to protect the public by providing a UK voluntary register of complementary healthcare practitioners.
CNHC’s register has been approved as an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. For more information, visit www.cnhc.org.uk
Please note: This blog post provides general information about health insurance coverage for complementary therapies. Coverage varies significantly between insurance providers and individual policies.
Always check your specific policy documents and contact your insurance provider directly to confirm your coverage before booking treatments with the expectation of reimbursement.
