Vitality private health insurance review

Vitality is a UK-based subsidiary of Discovery Limited, an international financial services company based in South Africa. One of its key selling points is its Active Rewards Scheme, which rewards members for keeping fit and living healthily. 

As well as private health insurance, Vitality also offers life insurance and income protection insurance. 

In April 2026, Which? surveyed Vitality customers who have made a recent claim to find out how they rate their insurer. Read on to see the results.

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.

• Find out more: Best private health insurance 

Does Vitality offer the best private health insurance?

Here's how Vitality scored in our latest survey:

• 72% customer score – 7th out of 7 providers.

See how this compares with the best private health insurance. 

How did customers rate Vitality?

In our latest customer satisfaction survey, Vitality came bottom of the table with a customer score of 72%, compared with an overall average of 77% and a top score (for WPA) of 86%. 

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

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What does Vitality offer?

Vitality's standard health insurance policy provides full inpatient cover and cancer care, outpatient surgical procedures, plus hospital fees and diagnostic tests. You can also add on extras such as mental health cover, therapies cover and travel insurance, though these need to be added by phone rather than online.

As standard, outpatient cover is limited to £500 a year, but you can customise this to remove cover, increase it, or opt for unlimited cover. 

Vitality customers also get access to Vitality's video GP service, an NHS Hospital Cash Benefit (which pays you a cash amount for opting to have NHS rather than private treatment), and access to Vitality's rewards programme. This earns members discounts and other rewards in exchange for being healthy and active, which can be redeemed with partner companies such as Apple, Odeon or Vue, and Caffe Nero.

What doesn't Vitality cover?

There are a few things that most private health insurers exclude from cover as standard, and Vitality is no exception. You usually won't be covered for pre-existing medical conditions, most chronic conditions (such as diabetes or allergies), overseas treatment, cosmetic treatment, and conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth. 

• Find out more: critical illness protection explained

How much does Vitality private health cover cost?

As is typical with insurance, private health insurance premiums depend on a range of personal factors – such as your age, where you live, and your lifestyle – as well as the type of cover you choose.

To provide an indication of possible costs, we used the provider's website to get quotes for an annual single policy for a person aged 35, 55 and 75, 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 equivalent quotes for Vitality's major rivals: Aviva, Axa Health, Bupa, Saga, Westfield Health, and WPA. 

Vitality's premiums were the third most expensive for both a 35-year-old and 55-year-old. It was also the second priciest option for a 75-year-old.  

Bear in mind, though, that these quotes are illustrative, and Vitality may offer better value or worse for other scenarios.

How can you save money on Vitality private health insurance?

Compare with competitors

While you can buy Vitality private health insurance directly from Vitality, by phone or online, we'd recommend shopping around before making a final decision. You can also buy Vitality health cover via price comparison sites, or through a specialist life and health insurance broker.

Using a price comparison site or a broker makes it easier to compare policies and make sure you get the best deal for you. If you know exactly what you want, a price comparison site can be a good starting point. Or, 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. 

To find a broker, you can check out the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) or the Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries (AMII).

Adjust your cover

If you've compared your options and decided Vitality is the right provider for your needs, you can tweak some aspects of its cover to keep your premiums down. For example, you can:

• Reduce or remove the level of outpatient cover, if you're happy to have outpatient treatment under the NHS.
• Increase your excess. Vitality sets this to £250 by default. By increasing it to £500 or £1,000, you should see your premiums drop.

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

How do I arrange treatment under Vitality private health insurance?

Just as you would if seeking care under the NHS, the first step if you're concerned about a health condition is to speak to a GP – either your normal GP, or by using Vitality's video GP service. The GP will provide a referral for any further treatment they recommend – you'll usually need to ask for an open referral, rather than to a specific consultant or therapist. 

As with any private health cover, it's important to contact Vitality before you book in any private treatment, so that it can check you're covered and authorise the treatment. You can do this via your online account, the Member app, or by calling Vitality. 

In most cases, Vitality will be able to authorise and arrange treatment based on the initial claim details you provide, though in some cases it may request you and your GP to complete a more detailed claim form. 

Vitality has arrangements with the hospitals on its lists, which mean that the hospitals can bill Vitality directly. If you receive any invoices yourself, you should pass them on to Vitality as soon as possible. 

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