What is health insurance?
It’s a type of cover that pays your private healthcare costs if you need treatment for an acute condition.
Whether it’s overnight care, outpatient treatment, diagnostic tests, scans or aftercare, you get the specialist private treatment you need, in comfortable surroundings, when you need it.
Our cancer pledge
Extensive cover and support at every stage of cancer treatment
Expert Select
With this option, we'll use our know-how to guide you to the best hospital and specialist for you
Wellbeing services
Supporting you towards a fitter, happier and healthier lifestyle
How does health insurance work?
You choose the healthcare benefits you need and pay a premium. Then, if you get a short-term illness or injury, and are referred by your GP, we’ll help you choose from a wide range of high-quality private facilities and hospitals.
If you make a claim, we’ll make sure It’s quick and hassle-free, so you can focus on getting better.
Also, some of the terms we use in health insurance can sound like another language, so we’ve put together a glossary.
Do you need health insurance?
Even if you have access to free NHS care, health insurance can help you feel more in control of when, how and where you’re treated. That's faster access to the diagnosis, treatment and aftercare you need, and the comfort of an en-suite room. Think of it as the care you need, without the wait 1.
Can you add your children and partner?
Yes. Add two or more children aged 19 or under to your policy, and you'll only pay for the eldest, until they turn 20. You'll also pay less if you add your partner to your policy than if you both take out individual policies.
Already have health insurance?
Leaving an Aviva health insurance scheme?
Continuing your cover with us is easy 2.
Just call us on:
0800 015 2470
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
Moving to us from another insurer
To talk about switching, call us on:
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
For our joint protection, telephone calls may be recorded and/or monitored and will be saved for a minimum of 5 years. Calls to 0800 numbers from UK landlines and mobiles are free. Our opening hours may be different depending on which team you need to speak to.
Choosing where you're treated
Expert Select
With Expert Select, you don’t have to decide which hospital list is right for you when you take out your policy.
When you make a claim, our knowledgeable team, backed by clinical expertise, will offer you a choice of around four or five quality-assured medical facilities, including leading hospitals, that suit your needs best.
Hospital Options
With this option, you choose a hospital list when you take out your policy. Then, when you make a claim, you choose a specific hospital or medical facility from that list.
You can find independent information about the quality and cost of private treatment available from doctors and hospitals from the Private Healthcare Information Network
What does our health insurance cover?
Our policy offers wide-ranging cover against illness, cancer, accidents and curable diseases.
- Acute conditions
Our health insurance covers treatment for short-term illnesses or injuries that respond quickly to treatment
- Access to 100s of hospitals
Whether you choose Expert Select or a hospital list, you'll have access to a wide range of private UK hospitals and facilities. These include BMI, Nuffield, Spire and NHS private units
Expert Select (PDF 1.02 MB)
Hospital Options (PDF 505 KB)
- Cancer care cover
Cover for cancer diagnosis, treatment and aftercare as standard – read more about our cancer pledge - Hospital charges and specialist fees
Comprehensive cover, including diagnostic tests like X-rays and scans, specialist treatment and aftercare
- Outpatient consultations and treatment
Comprehensive outpatient cover, including diagnostic tests, consultations with specialists and specialist treatment – including radiotherapy and chemotherapy
- Chronic conditions
We don't cover incurable long-term illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis, epilepsy and asthma – please note that cancer care is covered as standard
- Pre-existing conditions
If we look at your full medical history when you apply (full medical underwriting), we’ll usually exclude any conditions you had previously. If we don’t look at your full medical history when you apply (moratorium underwriting), when you make a claim, we’ll ask about any pre-existing conditions you had in the five years before you took out the policy. These conditions won’t be covered unless you’ve been free from medication, treatment, diagnostic tests or advice for them for two continuous years after taking out this policy. - Pregnancy and childbirth
We don't cover treatment for pregnancy and childbirth but we do cover related conditions that can also be experienced outside of pregnancy and childbirth, and the specific complications listed in the terms and conditions. 3
The language of Health insurance can be confusing, so here’s a simple guide to some of the key terms.
Your total wellbeing
The tools you need to make positive changes. Here's how our wellbeing services can be there for you.
MyHealthCounts
An online health and wellbeing tool that helps you find out how healthy you are. It could also help save you money when it’s time to renew your policy
Aviva Digital GP
An app that gives you access around the clock to five GP video consultations per member, per policy year, and repeat NHS prescriptions – at no extra cost ‡
Get Active
We’ll help you get fit and stay healthy with savings on gym services, discounted lifestyle products and offers at over 3,000 nationwide health and fitness clubs ‡ You could even try our BMI calculator if you think it'd help you.
24-hour helpline
If you’re stressed and want to talk to someone, our experienced counsellors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (for members aged 16 or over)
Mental health support
If you're struggling with stress, anxiety or poor mental health, it can be difficult to get back on track. We can help by providing easy access to information and articles, on a range of topics ‡
Cancer Care with Get Active
You can benefit from savings on products and services that can help make a small difference if you or someone close to you is living with cancer. The service provides you with discounted products and services that can help with the daily living adjustments a cancer diagnosis and treatment can bring, as well as offers on services and experiences that may enhance quality time spent with family and close friends ‡
‡ These services are non-contractual and can be changed or withdrawn at any time.
Aviva Digital GP is powered by Square Health. It’s available if you’re a resident of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, at home or abroad. Terms and conditions and the privacy policy can be viewed in the Aviva Digital GP app before you sign up, and mobile data charges may apply.
How much does health insurance cost?
It depends on things like your age and where you live and, if you’re switching to us, your claims history.
But you can control the features you have and don’t have, which can increase or decrease your premiums.
Enhance your cover
- Dental and optical cover: for routine dental treatment and optical expenses
- Mental health treatment: to add day patient and inpatient care to your core outpatient cover for acute psychiatric conditions
- Extended hospital list: increase the number of hospitals you can use, mostly in the Greater London area. This is instead of Expert Select, our core route to treatment or the standard Key hospital list
- Other treatment and therapies: such as a physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor or acupuncturist referral if you have a sports injury or whiplash after an accident
- No claim discount protection: a small sum to help keep future premiums down
Reduce your cover
- Use the NHS for some services: you'll still be covered for private inpatient and day patient care if NHS treatment isn't available within six weeks
- Policy excess: pay towards the cost of a claim – choose from £100, £200, £500, £1,000, £3,000 or £5,000 – no more than once per person, per policy year
- Reduced hospital lists: you can choose the Signature hospital list, which includes hospitals in Scotland and Northern Ireland only, or the Trust hospital list of NHS Trust and Partnership private hospital units, if you live within the catchment area
- Reduced outpatient cover: you can choose to reduce your outpatient cover to a limit of £0, £500 or £1,000. These reduced limits don't apply to cancer treatment
Types of health insurance
We offer two types of health insurance – full, private health insurance cover and diagnostics only cover. Both can help avoid NHS wait times, however because our diagnostics cover doesn’t pay for any treatment, it’s cheaper than traditional private health insurance.
This table shows the main differences between these two types of cover:
| Diagnostics Insurance | Private Health Insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Summary of cover | Speedy Diagnostics covers the costs of tests to find out what’s wrong, and helps you avoid waiting lists, but doesn’t pay for treatment. | With Healthier Solutions, you get access to prompt, private medical treatment, with many benefits as part of your core cover. |
| Cover for diagnostic tests with a specialist, including MRI scans, X-rays, blood tests and ECGs | until point of diagnosis | Yes |
| Hospital and specialist charges for inpatient and day patient diagnostic tests | until point of diagnosis | Yes |
| No claim discount (NCD) | Yes | Yes |
| Prompt access to treatment in quality private facilities | No | Yes |
| Cancer treatment and aftercare | No | Yes |
| Cover towards outpatient mental health treatment and specialist referred physiotherapy | No | Yes |
| Options to enhance or reduce your cover | No | Yes |
| Access to the Aviva Digital GP app with 5 GP video consultations per member, per policy year* | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 access to the Stress Counselling helpline. This service is available to members aged 16 and over | Yes | Yes |
| Get Active – savings on gym services, discounted lifestyle products and offers at over 3,000 nationwide health and fitness clubs* | Yes | Yes |
| Cancer Care with Get Active - savings on products and services that can help make a small difference if you or someone close to you is living with cancer. Provides access to discounted products and services that can help with the daily living adjustments a cancer diagnosis and treatment can bring, as well as offers on services and experiences that may enhance quality time spent with family and close friends.* | Yes | Yes |
| Mental health support – we provide easy access to information and articles on a range of topics* | Yes | Yes |
| MyHealthCounts – an online health and wellbeing tool that provides members over the age of 18 the chance to qualify for up to 15% off their renewal premiums | No | Yes |
*These services are non-contractual and can be changed or withdrawn by Aviva at any time.
Find out more about our Diagnostics Insurance cover.
Health insurance overseas
Can I get health cover if I live outside the UK?
No, you need to be a permanent UK resident to take out our health insurance.
Healthier Solutions Insurance Product Information Document (PDF 75KB)
Will health insurance cover me for travel outside the UK?
No, we don't offer international health insurance.
Renewal price guarantee
Take out a new health insurance policy with us, and we'll guarantee your premiums won't increase at first renewal if you haven't made a claim that's reduced your no claim discount level.
Why choose us
We’re delighted to have won Moneyfacts private medical insurance 2022 and we're proud that our cover's 5 Star rated by Defaqto – a trusted industry expert.
What do I need to get a health insurance quote?
When you get a quote from us, we’ll ask for a few details, including:
- Your personal information — like your name, date of birth and address.
- When you want your cover to start — today or a date in the future.
- If you want to add anyone else to the policy — if you include a partner or children, we’ll need to know their details too.
- What type of cover you want — you can customise this by choosing add-ons and your hospital option.
- Any medical history — we’ll ask you to pick either moratorium underwriting or full medical underwriting, which deal with pre-existing medical conditions in different ways.
Ready to get cover?
If you already have a health insurance policy with us and need to speak to someone, head to Already with us?
Call us for a private health insurance quote
Monday to Friday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays: Closed
For our joint protection, telephone calls may be recorded and/or monitored and will be saved for a minimum of 5 years. Calls to 0800 numbers from UK landlines and mobiles are free. Our opening hours may be different depending on which team you need to speak to.
Already with us?
Make a claim online
You can make a claim quickly online using MyAviva or over the phone. We'll just need to know your symptoms, when they started, and what you've been referred for. If we approve your claim, you'll get the private treatment you need.
Need to contact us?
If you have a question about your policy, you can contact us by email and we'll get back to you.
Make a private health insurance claim
Monday to Friday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Speak to our health insurance customer services team
Monday to Friday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
For our joint protection, telephone calls may be recorded and/or monitored and will be saved for a minimum of 5 years. Calls to 0800 numbers from UK landlines and mobiles are free. Our opening hours may be different depending on which team you need to speak to.
Manage your cover with MyAviva
- Update your details
- Start a claim
- View your policies
- View your discounts
Please note the MyAviva app is not currently available in the Isle of Man.
Other health cover options
From diagnostics insurance to cover for specific conditions, here's how else you can help protect yourself.
Diagnostics insurance
Find out what's wrong quickly with fast access to diagnostic tests and consultations.
Age: No age limit for cover
Cover: Diagnostic tests and consultations that lead to an initial diagnosis of your symptoms. It doesn’t cover any treatment resulting from your diagnosis.
Making a claim
If you’re already covered by our health insurance and you need to make a claim, we’ll make sure it’s as smooth as it can be.
Health articles
Keep on top of your health and wellbeing with our guides and articles.
Reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a serious condition that causes your blood sugar levels to climb too high. Find out more on how to prevent type 2 diabetes here.
Why do my health insurance premiums go up?
When we’re figuring out the price of your health insurance, there are a few different factors we need to think about. Some of them are about you and your lifestyle, and others are about the world around us and what’s happening in the insurance market.
Lowering your blood pressure
Simple ways to help lower your blood pressure and protect yourself from serious illness.
Ways to enhance or reduce your health insurance
Discover the difference between our health insurance cover types, and what your options are.
Is mental health care covered by health insurance?
Health insurance can offer a helping hand for both your body and mind. But what’s covered and what support you can get will depend on the individual policy.
Health insurance: the different types and how affordable they are
Before you buy health insurance, consider your needs and your budget
How much does health insurance cost?
Learn about the key factors that might affect the cost of health insurance.
Are pre-existing conditions covered by health insurance?
Here's why your health insurance might not cover a pre-existing condition