Aviva private health insurance review

Aviva traces its roots back more than 320 years, when it was established as a mutual society focusing on fire insurance, called Hand in Hand.

Aviva now has more than 18.7 million customers in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. As well as private health insurance, Aviva offers a wide range of insurance, including car insurance, home insurance, life insurance, critical illness cover, and income protection insurance. It also provides savings, investment and pension products. 

Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.

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• Find out more: Best private health insurance 

Does Aviva offer the best private health insurance?

Here's how Aviva scored in our latest survey:

• 68% customer score – 2nd out of 6 providers 
• 76% claims score – 2nd out of 6 providers

See how this compares with the best private health insurance. 

How did customers rate Aviva?

Aviva received a customer score of 68% in our customer satisfaction survey, placing it second of six providers rated. It was rated four out of five stars for most aspects of its cover, including clarity of communications and choice of medical professionals, and three out of five stars for everything else. 

We also asked Aviva customers who had recently made a claim how they felt about their health insurance. Aviva scored 76% – again, second out of the six providers in our analysis – getting five stars for clarity of process and ease of making a claim.

Select a table to see how customers rated Aviva in various areas of service.

What does Aviva offer?

Aviva's standard health insurance policy is called 'Healthier Solutions'. Its core policy includes consultations and/or treatment with a specialist, diagnostic tests, hospital charges, full cancer cover, and outpatient mental health treatment. 

If you wish, you can choose to enhance or reduce your cover. 

• Enhanced cover lets you add optional extras for an additional fee. These include dental and optical treatments, a mental health upgrade, complementary therapies such as osteopathy, physiotherapy and chiropractic care. You can also opt for a more extensive hospital list, and to protect your no-claims discount. 
• Reduced cover allows you to dial down elements of your policy in order to reduce your premium. For example, you can opt for a shorter hospital list, reduced out-patient cover, an increased excess, or to only have access to private inpatient and day-patient care if NHS treatment isn't available within six weeks. 

Aviva also offers a more streamlined policy that focuses on diagnosing health problems, called 'Speedy Diagnostics'. This gives you quick access to diagnostic specialists and, if needed, tests and scans, so you can get to the bottom of issues. But, as the name implies, the cover ends once a condition has been diagnosed. If you require treatment, you'll need to use the NHS or pay an additional fee for private treatment. 

With both policies, customers get access to a selection of wellbeing services, including a stress counselling helpline, 24/7 access to GP video consultations, and discounts on lifestyle products and health and fitness club memberships.

What doesn't Aviva cover?

As with any private medical insurance, Aviva's policies have some exclusions. For example, its policies don't cover pregnancy and childbirth, cosmetic procedures, overseas treatment, and – usually – pre-existing conditions. And it won't cover ongoing treatment for most chronic conditions, such as diabetes and arthritis. 

• Find out more: critical illness protection explained

How much does Aviva private health cover cost?

As is usually the case with insurance, the cost of private health insurance can vary dramatically based on your personal circumstances, including your health, age, and where you live. 

Older people or those that smoke, for example, are likely to pay significantly more than younger, non-smokers. 

To give you an idea of possible costs, we used Aviva's website to get quotes for annual cover for two couples (aged 35 and 55) living in south London. We assumed that they were in good health, didn't smoke, and had no pre-existing medical issues. 

We also got quotes for Aviva's major rivals: Axa Health, Bupa, Saga, Vitality Health, and WPA. For couples of both ages, Aviva offered the cheapest quote. Bear in mind, though, that these quotes are purely illustrative, and other providers may offer better value depending on individual circumstances.

How can you save money on Aviva private health insurance?

Compare with competitors

You can buy Aviva private health insurance directly from Aviva, via general price comparison sites such as Compare the Market, or through a specialist life and health insurance broker. 

It's well worth comparing Aviva's quotes with those from other providers, to ensure you can get the best policy for you at the right price. A price comparison site can be a good way to get an indication of costs. However, if you're not quite sure what you need in terms of life and health insurance, speaking to a specialist broker can help you understand your options better and ensure you're getting the right cover, especially if you have more complex needs. 

The British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) and Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries (AMII) both have searchable directories of brokers that specialise in this kind of cover. 

Reduced cover options

If you've compared the alternatives and have decided that Aviva is the right provider for you, you can use Aviva's 'Reduced cover' options to cut your premiums by removing options you don't need from your cover – such as opting for a less comprehensive list of hospitals – or increasing your excess.  

Make sure to strike the right balance between price and quality of cover, though. You may regret dialling back your cover too far if it limits your options when you need to claim. 

• Find out more: is private health insurance worth it?

How do I make a claim for Aviva private health insurance?

The first step in starting a claim for Aviva's private health insurance is to speak to your GP about your condition. They'll be able to give you a referral for the private treatment that you need. 

There are two types of referral: a named referral, where the GP refers you to a specific consultant; and an open referral, where your GP says what kind of treatment you need but doesn't specify a consultant or hospital. Aviva recommends getting an open referral, as this gives you more choice of where to be treated. 

You can then start the claim with Aviva either by logging in to your MyAviva account, or by calling Aviva. You will need to provide details of your condition and the treatment that your GP has referred you for. 

Aviva will confirm whether the treatment is covered and, if it is, connect you with a hospital or specialist. 

If the consultant you see refers you for more tests or treatment, you'll need to update Aviva to make sure the additional treatment is covered. 

Once you've completed your treatment, Aviva will settle any bills that it has authorised directly with the provider. 

• Find out more: Health insurance for over-60s