A battered white box with a scuffed red cross just visible on the lid, the first aid kit lived on top of the cabinet in the bathroom. A treasure trove of plasters, creams, sticky syrups and bandages. As a child, even the sight of it somehow made me feel better, as my tears were wiped away, and a plaster carefully stuck on a grazed knee. When you’re a kid, it doesn’t feel like there are many problems the first aid kit can’t solve, but as we grow up, we understand that, unfortunately, it isn’t always so simple.  At Lime, we like to think of ourselves as an extension of the family first aid kit, with a helping hand for those times when a plaster isn’t enough.

Most people have some sort of first aid kit, even if it’s just a packet of paracetamol and a few plasters at the back of a kitchen cupboard. It isn’t expensive, it’s easy to buy and top up or adjust the contents as life and needs change. You know exactly what it is in there and how to use it. Just having it in the house gives you a bit of peace of mind. Sometimes, you will need more than your first aid kit can provide. That’s when you head to your local pharmacist, GP or even A&E to get expert medical attention.

At Lime, we think that our bite size health top-ups are like an extension of the family first aid kit.We top-up, rather than replace or duplicate, the care provided by the NHS. Our customers can pick and choose exactly what they need, and it’s so flexible they can adjust, and even cancel without penalty if things change.

A top-up might help to solve a problem (like a cash sum to help pay your bills when you’ve just been diagnosed with cancer and may find it hard to work) or catch a problem early (like quick access to diagnostic tests). Plus, just like the plasters in your first aid kit, it doesn’t cost a fortune. Prices start from just a few pounds a month.

Take our Rapid Diagnostics cover for example. When you’re waiting for a diagnosis even a few days can feel like a lifetime and we know that waiting lists can, sadly, belong (at the moment, one in three people who need a diagnostic test on the NHS are waiting for more than six weeks). We designed Rapid Diagnostics to give people the choice to protect themselves from long waiting lists in the future with a simple and easy top-up. So, now our customers can pay a monthly amount to access private diagnostic tests fast when they need to. No waiting list. No faff. Not even an excess. Tests are paid for up front – so customers never pay a penny more than their monthly payment (which they can cancel at any time without penalty).  

Ultimately, having a first aid kit close by makes you feel better. Every day, knowing it’s there.Every time you need to use it to deal with life’s bumps and scrapes. At Lime, we want people to feel good and stay healthy. We design our products to focus on what people really need, whether it’s a bit of financial help following a cancer diagnosis, access to a wider range of cancer fighting drugs or being able to avoid the long NHS waiting list to get access to diagnostic tests fast. We are excited about the future and we are adding more products and services for all of life’s ups and downs.

That battered old first aid kit saw our family safely through a lifetime of cuts and bruises, sprains, stings and fevers. A first aid kit may well be simple, but it certainly is essential.

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