Covering the alternatives.

Public interest in alternative therapies has encouraged some insurers to cover their use in private medical insurance policies, although there are still some obstacles to be overcome, says Ian Lindisfarne.

Just 10 years ago, anyone mentioning an interest in alternative
therapies risked being labelled as a crank. Nowadays, you would be much
more likely to be seen as progressive and open-minded.


"Interest in this area has doubled over the last five years. Specialists
in complementary medicine are often seen as more accessible than
conventional practitioners and clients want this sort of cover from their
private medical insurance," confirms George Connelly, principal at Health
Care Matters.


Many leading