
As an FCA-authorised expert PMI broker that has helped arrange over 800,000 policies, WeCovr provides this guide to Aviva, a leading choice for private medical insurance in the UK. This review will help you understand if their cover is right for you.
Aviva is one of the most recognisable names in the UK insurance landscape. With a history stretching back over 300 years, it's a FTSE 100 company providing insurance, savings, and retirement products to millions of customers. When it comes to health, Aviva is a major player, known for its comprehensive private medical insurance (PMI) policies designed to offer a reassuring alternative and complement to the NHS.
This article breaks down everything you need to know about Aviva's health insurance offering, "Healthier Solutions." We'll explore the costs, benefits, customisation options, and the crucial details you must understand before taking out a policy.
Before diving into Aviva's specifics, let's be crystal clear about what private medical insurance is for.
PMI is an insurance policy you pay for that covers the cost of private healthcare for acute conditions that arise after your policy begins.
Crucially, standard UK private medical insurance, including Aviva's, does NOT cover:
PMI is designed to give you more choice, control, and convenience over your healthcare, helping you bypass long NHS waiting lists for eligible treatments. With NHS waiting lists in England remaining a significant concern for millions, according to recent NHS data, PMI provides a valuable safety net for prompt medical attention.
Aviva's flagship individual health insurance policy is called Healthier Solutions. It's built around a core level of cover, which you can then tailor with various add-ons to match your needs and budget.
Every Healthier Solutions policy includes comprehensive cover for in-patient and day-patient treatment as standard.
| Core Cover Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Hospital Charges | Covers costs for a private room in a participating hospital, including nursing care, drugs, and dressings. |
| Specialist Fees | Pays for the surgeons, anaesthetists, and physicians who treat you while you're in hospital. Aviva has fee guidelines to ensure fair charging. |
| Diagnostic Tests | Includes costs for tests like MRI, CT, and PET scans, as well as X-rays and pathology when you are an in-patient or day-patient. |
| Extensive Cancer Cover | A major benefit. This includes diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and monitoring. We'll explore this in more detail later. |
| NHS Hospital Cash Benefit | If you choose to have your in-patient treatment on the NHS, Aviva pays you a fixed cash sum for each night you spend in an NHS hospital. |
| Private Ambulance | Covers the cost of a private ambulance if medically necessary to transport you to a hospital for eligible treatment. |
This core cover ensures that if you need to be admitted to hospital for surgery or treatment, the major costs are taken care of.
One of the best features of modern PMI is its flexibility. You can adjust several elements of your Aviva policy to either increase your cover or, more commonly, reduce your monthly premium. Working with an expert PMI broker like WeCovr can help you navigate these choices to find the perfect balance.
Aviva offers several hospital lists. The list you choose dictates which private hospitals you can use for treatment. A more extensive list gives you more choice but comes at a higher price.
| Hospital List | Description | Impact on Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Key | Aviva's value option. A curated list of several hundred quality private hospitals and NHS private units across the UK. Excludes most central London hospitals. | Lowest Cost |
| Signature | Previously known as 'Expert Select', this list offers access to a broader range of hospitals, but you must use a guided consultant option for out-patient consultations. | Medium Cost |
| Extended | The most comprehensive list, including premium private hospitals in central London (e.g., The London Clinic, The Lister Hospital). Ideal for those who want maximum choice. | Highest Cost |
For most people outside central London, the Key list provides excellent nationwide coverage at a very competitive price.
Out-patient treatment refers to medical care that doesn't require a hospital bed. This includes specialist consultations, diagnostic tests, and scans before a diagnosis is made. This is an optional add-on, and choosing a lower level can significantly reduce your premium.
An excess is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim each year. After you've paid the excess, Aviva pays the rest of the eligible costs. Choosing a higher excess will lower your monthly premium.
Aviva typically offers excess options ranging from £100 up to £5,000.
Example: If you have a £250 excess and your first claim of the year is for a £2,000 procedure, you would pay the first £250, and Aviva would pay the remaining £1,750. You would not have to pay the excess again for any other claims in that same policy year.
This is a popular and clever way to save money. If you add the six-week option to your policy, you agree to use the NHS for in-patient treatment if the NHS waiting list for that procedure is less than six weeks.
If the wait is longer than six weeks, your Aviva policy activates, and you can proceed with private treatment immediately. As many routine procedures have NHS waiting times far exceeding this, it's a cost-effective feature that still provides a strong safety net.
The cost of private medical insurance varies hugely from person to person. It is calculated based on several risk factors.
Key Factors Influencing Your Premium:
To give you a rough idea, here are some illustrative examples. These are not quotes and are for guidance only.
| Profile | Assumed Cover Level | Estimated Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 30-year-old, non-smoker in Manchester | Core Cover, £1,000 out-patient, Key hospital list, £250 excess. | £45 - £60 |
| 45-year-old, non-smoker in Bristol | Core Cover, £1,000 out-patient, Key hospital list, £250 excess, Six-week option. | £70 - £95 |
| Couple, both 55, non-smokers in a London Suburb | Core Cover, Full out-patient cover, Extended hospital list, £100 excess. | £250 - £350 (total) |
Disclaimer: These are estimated costs as of late 2024/early 2025. The only way to get an accurate price is to get a personalised quote. An independent broker like WeCovr can provide you with quotes from Aviva and other leading insurers, ensuring you get the best value.
Beyond the core hospital cover, Aviva includes a suite of modern benefits designed to support your day-to-day health and wellbeing.
All Healthier Solutions members get access to a 24/7 digital GP service via an app. This allows you to book video consultations with a GP, often for the same day. It's incredibly convenient for getting quick advice, prescriptions, or referrals without leaving your home.
Aviva has a strong focus on mental health. Their policies typically provide cover for psychiatric treatment as an in-patient or day-patient. More importantly, they offer proactive support, often without needing a GP referral, for conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression. This can include access to a mental health support line and sessions with therapists or counsellors.
This is a standout feature. If you are diagnosed with cancer, Aviva's cancer cover is comprehensive. It typically includes:
Aviva encourages a healthy lifestyle through its support services and apps. Staying active, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep are fundamental to long-term health. Aviva's resources often include:
As a WeCovr client, you also get complimentary access to our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, CalorieHero, to further support your health goals.
When you apply for PMI, you'll be asked to choose a type of underwriting. This is how the insurer assesses your medical history to decide what they will and will not cover.
| Underwriting Type | How it Works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moratorium (Most Common) | You don't declare your full medical history upfront. Instead, the insurer automatically excludes any condition you've had symptoms, medication, or advice for in the 5 years before your policy started. | Quick and easy to set up. No medical forms. | Can be uncertainty at the point of claim as the insurer will investigate your history then. |
| Full Medical Underwriting (FMU) | You complete a detailed health questionnaire, declaring your entire medical history. The insurer then reviews this and tells you upfront exactly what is excluded from cover. This is a manual, longer process but offers clarity. | You know exactly what is and isn't covered from day one. No surprises. | Takes longer to set up. Any conditions you declare are likely to be permanently excluded. |
With Moratorium underwriting on an Aviva policy, a pre-existing condition may become eligible for cover, but only after you have completed a continuous two-year period on the policy without experiencing any symptoms, treatment, or advice for that condition.
Aviva is an excellent choice for many people seeking private medical insurance in the UK.
You might favour Aviva if:
However, the UK private health cover market is competitive. Other fantastic providers like Bupa, AXA Health, and Vitality each have their own unique strengths. The best provider for you depends entirely on your personal circumstances, health needs, and budget.
This is where an independent PMI broker is invaluable. At WeCovr, we don't work for any single insurer. Our job is to understand your needs and compare the market on your behalf, explaining the subtle but important differences between policies. We do this at no cost to you and can often find deals that aren't available by going direct. Plus, if you purchase PMI or Life Insurance through us, you can receive discounts on other types of cover you might need.
Ready to take the next step? Protecting your health is one of the most important decisions you can make.
[Get your free, no-obligation quote from WeCovr today and compare Aviva against the UK's leading insurers. Find the right cover at the best price.]






