Vitality versus AXA health insurance
Discussion
Hello, can recommendations on the choice of Vitality (Medical History reviewed) versus AXA with a medical history disregarded policy?
There is a slight premium for AXA, like 5% and they also claim (1) option to have pre-authorised treatment at a hospital in Europe (2) unrestricted hospital options.
Thank you
There is a slight premium for AXA, like 5% and they also claim (1) option to have pre-authorised treatment at a hospital in Europe (2) unrestricted hospital options.
Thank you
Doesn’t answer your question but am currently with AXA and undergoing cancer treatment so have a bit of feedback on them from many dealings over the last few months. The service is pretty underwhelming tbh, I have spent hours on hold or waiting callbacks and answering online questions takes forever. They advertise 10 working days to respond to online claims and that seems to be a best case….
The staff are really nice when you do get through but I have also been given some very wrong advice (to the tune of £4k- luckily found out the advisor was wrong by a complete coincidence) from one of them. So nice people but utterly abysmal service - been with a few other insurers and whilst I never used them like I have with AXA I found them to be a lot more responsive and helpful.
The staff are really nice when you do get through but I have also been given some very wrong advice (to the tune of £4k- luckily found out the advisor was wrong by a complete coincidence) from one of them. So nice people but utterly abysmal service - been with a few other insurers and whilst I never used them like I have with AXA I found them to be a lot more responsive and helpful.
I am with Vitality. A close friend is with them.
She lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
She lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
Surprised you can get MHD on an individual basis especially with just a 5% premium. You need to state what plans you are comparing. Why have you ruled out Aviva, BUPA etc? I’ve had a couple of claims this year with Aviva and they’ve been excellent.
Find a decent broker rather than go direct.
Find a decent broker rather than go direct.
Castrol for a knave said:
I am with Vitality. A close friend is with them.
She lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
What haven’t they paid out for? Generally most treatment needs to be preauthorised.She lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
craig1912 said:
Surprised you can get MHD on an individual basis especially with just a 5% premium. You need to state what plans you are comparing. Why have you ruled out Aviva, BUPA etc? I’ve had a couple of claims this year with Aviva and they’ve been excellent.
Find a decent broker rather than go direct.
I had a small and very old critical illness policy with Aviva, to be fair they were ok if a bit slow. One of the advisers even backdated the date of my claim to increase it a bit more, which was very nice of him.Find a decent broker rather than go direct.
craig1912 said:
Castrol for a knave said:
I am with Vitality. A close friend is with them.
She lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
What haven’t they paid out for? Generally most treatment needs to be preauthorised.She lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
Siko said:
Doesn’t answer your question but am currently with AXA and undergoing cancer treatment so have a bit of feedback on them from many dealings over the last few months. The service is pretty underwhelming tbh, I have spent hours on hold or waiting callbacks and answering online questions takes forever. They advertise 10 working days to respond to online claims and that seems to be a best case….
The staff are really nice when you do get through but I have also been given some very wrong advice (to the tune of £4k- luckily found out the advisor was wrong by a complete coincidence) from one of them. So nice people but utterly abysmal service - been with a few other insurers and whilst I never used them like I have with AXA I found them to be a lot more responsive and helpful.
A colleague and his wife have all sorts of health issues, including the wife having breast cancer for a few years now and he thinks Axa are utterly brilliant. When I had neck/shoulder trouble I was impressed they OK’d me to see two consultants at the same time. The staff are really nice when you do get through but I have also been given some very wrong advice (to the tune of £4k- luckily found out the advisor was wrong by a complete coincidence) from one of them. So nice people but utterly abysmal service - been with a few other insurers and whilst I never used them like I have with AXA I found them to be a lot more responsive and helpful.
Never done anything online with them - just call them up. My wife had a cancer issue back end of 2020 and they gave an open authorisation and said to do whatever we needed to, no need to come back to us. In the event, apart from some checking of another lump, it was all done under NHS.
All that said, the renewal premium for wife (63) & I (65) was £13K this year and I just couldn’t ask the company to pay that, so have switched to Aviva at £4K, but of course on a moratorium basis. The Axa cover did include all the London hospitals which my colleague wanted but I didn’t.
I have AXA coverage. Never used them until the last 6 weeks or so. I've found them to be very good. I've either got straight through on the phone or their callback option is very efficient. The only claim I made where I'd paid, was settled in a few days, whilst online authorisations were quick & easy.
Talking with the medical staff who were doing my treatment, they were surprised how quick & easy the authorisation came through, citing examples where AXA had challenged them on locations of treatment, etc.. Reading some review comments I'd seen similar. I do wonder if they have different ways of working for corporate over private clients. My coverage is part of a corporate policy, so I suspect they give a better service to their corporate clients.
Talking with the medical staff who were doing my treatment, they were surprised how quick & easy the authorisation came through, citing examples where AXA had challenged them on locations of treatment, etc.. Reading some review comments I'd seen similar. I do wonder if they have different ways of working for corporate over private clients. My coverage is part of a corporate policy, so I suspect they give a better service to their corporate clients.
Siko said:
That’s interesting - my cover is corporate too. I want to like them - as I said the staff are lovely when you do get through but getting to that point is the hard bit in my experience.
How do you try to get through? I've used the number on the site, then if I'm not through to somebody in a minute or so use their callback feature & they usually call me within an hour. Saves me hanging on the phone.Siko said:
Doesn’t answer your question but am currently with AXA and undergoing cancer treatment so have a bit of feedback on them from many dealings over the last few months. The service is pretty underwhelming tbh, I have spent hours on hold or waiting callbacks and answering online questions takes forever. They advertise 10 working days to respond to online claims and that seems to be a best case….
The staff are really nice when you do get through but I have also been given some very wrong advice (to the tune of £4k- luckily found out the advisor was wrong by a complete coincidence) from one of them. So nice people but utterly abysmal service - been with a few other insurers and whilst I never used them like I have with AXA I found them to be a lot more responsive and helpful.
Thank you, this is useful. I doubt AXA have a parallel healthcare service, so there must be considerable overlap with BUPA, Vitality and the others. So, it probably comes down to customer service, Vitality (current provider) is OK, wait times can be long but not hours and everyone I've spoken to is very helpful.The staff are really nice when you do get through but I have also been given some very wrong advice (to the tune of £4k- luckily found out the advisor was wrong by a complete coincidence) from one of them. So nice people but utterly abysmal service - been with a few other insurers and whilst I never used them like I have with AXA I found them to be a lot more responsive and helpful.
Castrol for a knave said:
I am with Vitality. A close friend is with them.
She lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
This sounds really *bad*, my experience of Vitality with minor conditions has been OKShe lost her 50 yr old husband of myocarditis a year ago. Uber fit chap, policy up to date.
They have still not paid out, she is facing financial difficulties and the service has been not only shockingly poor but brutal.
I am cancelling my policy and gping elsewhere.
.
craig1912 said:
Surprised you can get MHD on an individual basis especially with just a 5% premium. You need to state what plans you are comparing. Why have you ruled out Aviva, BUPA etc? I’ve had a couple of claims this year with Aviva and they’ve been excellent.
Find a decent broker rather than go direct.
Ah, sorry, the company has shortlisted down to Vitality (current) and AXA (maybe the replacement).Find a decent broker rather than go direct.
I've received both quotes for taxation purposes and surprisingly AXA is only 5% more
I have had both Vitality and Axa, currently with Axa. As someone said above getting hold of them is hard work. Its been a little better recently, but last year I had to wait on hold for 1hr45mins. When you do get through they are really helpful, I have had about £1.5k worth of treatment on a shoulder injury and they have never questioned or not approved treatment. I did have a bit of an issue with them a couple of years ago though, but it was sorted in the end.
Vitality seems good on the surface, you get discounts and free cinema tickets etc if you are an active person. Claiming with them was painful though, I only tried once and then we swithced to Axa (company scheme), so not sure if that was just unlucky or thats what they are like.
I would give Axa a decent 7/10
Vitality seems good on the surface, you get discounts and free cinema tickets etc if you are an active person. Claiming with them was painful though, I only tried once and then we swithced to Axa (company scheme), so not sure if that was just unlucky or thats what they are like.
I would give Axa a decent 7/10
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