Sales of private medical insurance (PMI) are seeing sustained growth for the first time in 15 years. Many who previously ruled out PMI have decided the price is worth paying as NHS waiting lists hit 7.8million.

Britons spent a thumping £5.3billion on PMI in 2022, according to health data provider LaingBuisson, plus another £1.4billion on other forms of private treatment such as dental insurance and cash plans.

PMI sales rose by an average of 6.1 percent a year between 2020 and 2022, up from…