Private health and protection insurance expert and editor
Aviva may well be a household name, but they perhaps aren't the first company that comes to mind when you think of health insurance. However, their flagship product Healthier Solutions is comparable and, for some people, more suitable than policies from other market leaders. In this guide, we introduce you to Aviva and dig into their products and independent reviews to give you a thorough understanding of the services they provide.
Astonishingly, Aviva can trace their history back to London in 1696, some 320 years ago! Of course, three centuries of doing business has seen the company change, grow and expand into new markets domestically and overseas. Today, Aviva is the UK's largest general insurer and a significant pension and life insurance provider.
With products ranging from car insurance and breakdown cover to travel insurance and life cover, you've likely had an Aviva insurance policy at some point. With approximately 15.5 million customers in the UK and many more internationally, it would be fair to categorise them as a significant player in the market.
In this guide we focus on Aviva's Healthier Solutions product, if you'd like to see how it compares to others in the market, please click here and read our reviews of the leading providers.
Aviva's health insurance product, Healthier Solutions, is what we would class as a comprehensive policy, meaning that it covers in-patient, day-patient and out-patient services. That implies that diagnostic tests, scans, treatments and post-op care will be covered. But let's look at their coverage in more detail, so you can see what to expect.
Note: Policy information sourced from Aviva's website and accurate as of 1st January 2023.
Assuming there are no exclusions on your policy owing to pre-existing conditions, all of the following will be covered by Aviva's Healthier Solutions:
Under Aviva's cancer pledge, they commit to support you every step of the way with their dedicated oncology team. You'll receive first-class in-patient and out-patient treatment and a high level of aftercare.
Aviva pledge states that they'll cover all of the cancer treatment and palliative care you need, as recommended by your consultant.
They want to make thighs as comfortable as possible following your cancer treatment and therefore provide an excellent level of aftercare, including consultations with specialists such as dietitians and a contribution towards the cost of prostheses and a wig.
Here is a list summarising Aviva's cancer cover; for a complete list, please download their policy terms and conditions.
As you can see, Aviva has prioritised cancer care, and its level of cover stands out among the other best providers.
Similarly to all health insurance policies, Aviva's flagship product does have some standard exclusions. It's important to note, what is and isn't covered will be based on your circumstances, so treat this purely general information:
Key exclusions:
For a complete list of what is and isn't covered, please open Aviva's Healthier Solutions product information document.
There are further options that you should give some consideration and discuss with your health insurance broker when you speak to one. You should pay particular attention to things such as your hospital list to make sure facilities close to you are included.
The cost of an Aviva health insurance policy will differ depending on your requirements, age and medical history, among some other factors. To answer the question, we've requested several quotes from Aviva and can provide the results below. These numbers are purely indicative, and the price you pay will be different. You should also ensure you consult with an expert health insurance broker to compare providers and policies.
For this article, we've requested quotes based on a non-smoker, without any medical history, who lives in Reading and works in a management role. We have opted for the standard product without any additional extras and have chosen an excess of £200. We're also opting for full coverage.
30 years of age - £49.65 per month
40 years of age - £61.59 per month
50 years of age - £76.51 per month
60 years of age - £108.16 per month
With Aviva's family health insurance, you can save 9% if you add your partner to your policy, compared to the combined price if you took out two separate policies. However, as with all health insurance, it can work out cheaper for partners to take out policies with different providers, as, after all, you're individuals with individual characteristics and medical histories. An added financial benefit of taking out a family policy with Aviva is that if you add more than one child aged 19 or under, you'll only pay for the eldest. Let's now dig into the numbers; similarly to before, we're basing the quote on a family living in Reading.
30 years of age couple - £87.56 per month
40 years of age couple - £108.62 per month
50 years of age couple - £134.94 per month
60 years of age couple - £190.76 per month
For this guide, we're assuming that there are two school-aged children on the policy, one who is ten years old with the other fifteen. The only variable will be the parent's ages which we'll step in the same levels as the previous two sections.
30 years of age couple with two children - £107.38 per month
40 years of age couple with two children - £128.44 per month
50 years of age couple with two children - £154.76 per month
60 years of age couple with two children - £210.58 per month
As you can see, adding two children to a policy doesn't affect the cost significantly.
There doesn't appear to be separate reviews of Aviva's health insurance currently available from what we can see. The only ones we can find of note are those for the company as a whole. Aviva enjoys an excellent Trustpilot rating of 4.6/5 presently from over 8,700 reviews as of June 2021. This volume of positive reviews is incredibly encouraging, especially for a financial services company that is so large and has such a diverse customer base. One can only assume that with their premium products such as health insurance, the level of service is excellent.
Defaqto provides star ratings for a range of financial services products, including insurance. Their independent ratings are based on policy facts, not opinion, giving you a meaningful way to compare the quality and comprehensiveness of policies. Like several other leading comprehensive health insurance policies, Aviva's Healthier Solutions scores defacto's top mark of five stars. With only six other health insurance products in the UK achieving a five-star score, it indicates the quality and level of cover you can expect to receive.
In 2020 Aviva won two awards at the Health and Protection Awards for both the Health Insurance & Protection Company of the Year and Best Individual PMI Provider. These industry awards are fiercely competitive. The fact that Aviva has come away with two demonstrates the quality of their private health insurance offering.
Our article has so far focused on Aviva in general and more on its policies for consumers. Still, they also have a range of business-focused health insurance policies. Aviva's business health insurance protects businesses regardless of their size; whether you have one or 2,000 employees, Aviva will be able to create a tailored policy to suit your requirements.
Many of the features of their policies are carried over into their business offering, albeit there are some subtle differences. Suppose you're looking for a company scheme. In that case, we'd strongly recommend speaking with an independent broker to ensure that your policy is configured precisely to your requirements. You get the best deal by comparing all of the leading providers.
As we hope we have illustrated, Aviva's health insurance is excellent, provided by a rich history and extensive experience of supporting individuals, families and businesses in the UK.
Aviva Healthier Solutions is a product that myTribe endorses, and our partner brokers often recommend it to our clients.
We always recommend speaking to an independent health insurance broker to ensure you are getting the best deal. While it may be convenient to pick a provider and buy their policy, what is and isn't covered between providers will vary, as will the price. By working with a broker, who incidentally won't charge you a penny, you will get an independent view of the market and recommendations tailored to your needs.
Disclaimer: This information is general and what is best for you will depend on your personal circumstances. Please speak with a financial adviser or do your own research before making a decision.
Chris Steele is myTribe’s resident expert in private health insurance and healthcare, with over a decade of experience in the field. As a Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) qualified professional, he has helped countless consumers navigate private medical insurance. Regularly quoted by national media, Chris is a trusted voice in the UK insurance industry, with his insights featured in leading consumer finance publications.
You can contact Aviva directly using the following telephone numbers:
Health insurance customer services - 0800 068 3827
Monday to Friday: 8:00am - 6:30pm
Saturday: 9:00 - 1:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Health Insurance claims UK - 0800 068 3827
Health insurance overseas emergency assistance line - +44 238 124 7290
Monday to Friday: 8:00am - 6:30pm
Saturday: 9:00 - 1:00pm
Sunday: Closed
You can also make a claim online here.
Individuals can expect to pay approximately the following for an Aviva Health Insurance policy:
30 years of age - £49.65 per month
40 years of age - £61.59 per month
50 years of age - £76.51 per month
60 years of age - £108.16 per month
A family with two adults and two children can expect to pay roughly the following:
30 years of age couple with two children - £107.38 per month
40 years of age couple with two children - £128.44 per month
50 years of age couple with two children - £154.76 per month
60 years of age couple with two children - £210.58 per month
*Prices are based on several assumptions, and the price you pay will be different.
Aviva's Healthier Solutions health insurance has a five-star defacto rating and won two awards at the most recent Health Insurance and Protection Awards. In addition, as a company, they have over 8,500 reviews with an average score of 4.6/5 on Trustpilot. Based on all of this information, we believe Aviva's health insurance is excellent.
Aviva is the UK's largest insurer, and they have a current Trustpilot score of 4.6 out of 5 from over 8,500 customer reviews. Based on this and their reputation and history in the market, we would say they are a good insurance company.
Aviva will cover you for diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare for eligible medical conditions at a list of private healthcare facilities around the UK by paying a monthly premium.
Pre-existing conditions will usually be excluded from an Aviva health insurance policy. Suppose you opt for moratorium underwriting. You don't suffer from any symptoms relating to that condition for two years after starting the policy. In that case, that condition will become covered by the policy.
Aviva's health insurance gives you access to their Aviva Digital GP, which Square Health powers. You get 24/7 access to five GP video consultations, per member, per policy, per year. You can also be referred for private assessment and treatment by an NHS or private GP. Still, Aviva's won't cover any GP charges, therapy or diagnostic tests.
As soon as a GP has referred you, you should call Aviva to make a claim.
Save up to 37%* on your insurance by comparing policies
*Based on 461 quotes between 01/22-01/23
