TL;DR
Choosing the right private medical insurance in the UK can feel overwhelming. As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 900,000 policies, WeCovr understands the market inside out. Two names dominate the landscape: Aviva and Vitality.
Key takeaways
- Focus on Treatment: The policy is designed to activate when you are unwell. Its value is realised through swift access to specialists, diagnostics, and high-quality private hospitals.
- Predictability: Premiums are calculated using traditional factors like your age, location, and chosen cover level. A No-Claims Discount (NCD) rewards you for not making a claim, providing a clear and stable pricing structure.
- Comprehensive by Design: Aviva's core cover is extensive, with a particular focus on providing some of the most comprehensive cancer and mental health cover on the market as standard.
- Focus on Prevention: The 'Vitality Programme' is not an add-on; it's the engine of the policy. You are actively encouraged and rewarded for exercising, eating well, and completing health checks.
- Dynamic Pricing: Your initial premium is just a starting point. By engaging with the wellness programme and earning points, you can achieve a higher 'Vitality Status' (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum), which can directly lower your premium at renewal. Conversely, a lack of engagement can lead to increases.
Choosing the right private medical insurance in the UK can feel overwhelming. As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 900,000 policies, WeCovr understands the market inside out. Two names dominate the landscape: Aviva and Vitality. While both are leading providers, they offer fundamentally different approaches to your health and wellbeing. This definitive guide will dissect their cover, pricing, and unique benefits to help you decide which is the perfect match for your lifestyle.
Comparing cover depth, pricing, and wellness benefits
Aviva and Vitality represent two distinct philosophies in UK private health insurance. Aviva, a household name with a 300-year heritage, offers a traditional, comprehensive insurance model focused on providing robust cover when you fall ill. Vitality, a more modern and disruptive force, integrates your day-to-day wellness into the very fabric of your policy, rewarding you for staying healthy.
Your choice between them hinges on a simple question: Do you want a straightforward policy that provides security when you need it (Aviva), or do you want a dynamic policy that actively engages with your lifestyle and rewards you for healthy habits (Vitality)?
If you want to estimate your own points, try our Vitality Points Calculator.
When you buy Vitality cover through WeCovr, you still get Vitality's watches and rewards, plus our complimentary CalorieHero app at no extra cost compared to buying direct from Vitality; Vitality does not include CalorieHero, only WeCovr does.
Here is a high-level comparison of their core propositions:
| Feature | Aviva Healthier Solutions | Vitality Personal Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Core Philosophy | Traditional, comprehensive cover for acute illness. "Set and forget" security. | Wellness-centric, rewarding healthy behaviour. "Engage and save". |
| Pricing Model | Stable, predictable premiums based on age, location, and a No-Claims Discount. | Dynamic premiums influenced by engagement with the Vitality wellness programme. |
| Key Strength | Breadth of cover, strong cancer and mental health options, brand trust. | Integrated wellness programme with significant lifestyle rewards (Apple Watch, coffee). |
| Ideal Customer | Someone who wants reliable, comprehensive cover without needing to track activity. | An active individual motivated by rewards and saving money through healthy living. |
| Digital Tools | MyAviva portal and Aviva Wellbeing app for health services and discounts. | Fully integrated app for managing policy, claims, and earning wellness points. |
Understanding this fundamental difference is the first step. Now, let's delve deeper into the specifics of what each provider offers.
The Core Philosophy: Traditional Security vs. Modern Engagement
The most significant difference between Aviva and Vitality isn't a specific policy feature, but their entire approach to health insurance.
Aviva: The Pillar of Traditional Insurance
Aviva's 'Healthier Solutions' policy is built on a foundation of trust and reliability. It operates on the classic insurance principle: you pay a premium for the peace of mind that should you develop an eligible, acute medical condition, Aviva will be there to cover the cost of private diagnosis and treatment.
Key characteristics of the Aviva approach:
- Focus on Treatment: The policy is designed to activate when you are unwell. Its value is realised through swift access to specialists, diagnostics, and high-quality private hospitals.
- Predictability: Premiums are calculated using traditional factors like your age, location, and chosen cover level. A No-Claims Discount (NCD) rewards you for not making a claim, providing a clear and stable pricing structure.
- Comprehensive by Design: Aviva's core cover is extensive, with a particular focus on providing some of the most comprehensive cancer and mental health cover on the market as standard.
Aviva is for the person who sees health insurance as a safety net. You want to know it's there, that it's robust, but you don't necessarily want it to be part of your daily life.
Vitality: The Health and Wellness Partner
Vitality turned the UK PMI market on its head by linking insurance premiums to healthy behaviour. Their central belief is that by helping you stay healthy, they can reduce the likelihood of you needing to claim, creating a win-win scenario.
Key characteristics of the Vitality approach:
- Focus on Prevention: The 'Vitality Programme' is not an add-on; it's the engine of the policy. You are actively encouraged and rewarded for exercising, eating well, and completing health checks.
- Dynamic Pricing: Your initial premium is just a starting point. By engaging with the wellness programme and earning points, you can achieve a higher 'Vitality Status' (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum), which can directly lower your premium at renewal. Conversely, a lack of engagement can lead to increases.
- Reward-Driven Motivation: The programme is gamified with tangible rewards. Members can get weekly coffees, cinema tickets, discounts on healthy food at Waitrose & Partners, and even a heavily subsidised Apple Watch to track their activity.
Vitality is for the person who wants to be an active participant in their health. You are motivated by incentives and see the value in a plan that rewards your positive lifestyle choices today, not just one that pays out if you get sick tomorrow.
A Deep Dive into Cover Options and Depth
While their philosophies differ, both providers offer excellent medical cover. The key is to understand how they structure their policies and where their respective strengths lie.
All standard UK private health insurance policies, including those from Aviva and Vitality, are designed to cover acute conditions—illnesses that are curable and likely to respond to treatment—that arise after you join. They do not cover pre-existing conditions or the routine management of chronic conditions like diabetes or asthma.
Aviva 'Healthier Solutions' Cover Breakdown
Aviva's policy is known for its clarity and comprehensiveness.
- Core Cover: This is standard on all policies and is very robust. It includes all in-patient and day-patient fees (hospital charges, specialist fees, anaesthetists) in full. It also features extensive cancer cover, including diagnostics, surgery, and advanced treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
- Outpatient Options: This is the main area for customisation. You can choose:
- No outpatient cover (for a lower premium).
- Illustrative estimate: A monetary limit (e.g., £500, £1,000, or £1,500) for specialist consultations and diagnostic tests.
- Full outpatient cover.
- Mental Health: Aviva offers strong mental health cover as part of its core package, covering in-patient and day-patient treatment. You can also add further outpatient mental health cover.
- Therapies: This optional add-on covers treatments like physiotherapy, osteopathy, and chiropractic care.
Vitality 'Personal Healthcare' Cover Breakdown
Vitality’s cover is also modular, allowing you to build a plan that suits your needs.
- Core Cover: Provides full cover for in-patient and day-patient treatment, just like Aviva. It also includes their 'Advanced Cancer Cover', which is comprehensive.
- Outpatient Options: Vitality offers a choice between a monetary limit or full cover for outpatient consultations and diagnostics. A key difference is that they often include a certain number of physiotherapy sessions within their core cover, linking it to their wellness ethos.
- Mental Health: Cover is included for short-term talking therapies and in-patient care, with options to extend this. Vitality integrates mental wellness into its app, providing access to resources and support.
- Therapies: Vitality places a strong emphasis on therapies, often including an initial block of physiotherapy, osteopathy, and chiropractic sessions as part of their standard offering, encouraging early intervention.
At-a-Glance Cover Comparison
| Cover Element | Aviva Healthier Solutions | Vitality Personal Healthcare | Adviser Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-patient/Day-patient | Covered in full (standard) | Covered in full (standard) | Both are excellent and provide full cover for hospital stays and procedures. |
| Cancer Cover | Comprehensive cancer pledge, covering diagnostics, surgery, and advanced therapies. No time limits on chemotherapy. | Advanced Cancer Cover, including diagnostics, surgery, and therapies. Access to a wide range of treatments. | Both offer market-leading cancer cover. Aviva's "no time limit" promise is a powerful statement of reassurance. |
| Outpatient Cover | Optional: Choose from £0, £500, £1000, £1500, or Full Cover. | Optional: Choose from a monetary limit or Full Cover. | Aviva's tiered limits offer slightly more granular control over your premium. |
| Mental Health Cover | Strong cover for in-patient/day-patient as standard. Optional outpatient add-on. | Good standard cover with options to extend. Integrated with the wellness app. | Aviva is often cited as having one of the most comprehensive mental health pathways in the market. |
| Therapies Cover | Typically an optional add-on for physiotherapy, osteopathy etc. | Often includes a set number of therapy sessions as standard, promoting early treatment. | Vitality's inclusion of therapies as standard is a significant benefit for active people prone to sports injuries. |
Deciding on the right level of cover can be complex. An expert broker like WeCovr can walk you through these options, ensuring you don't pay for cover you don't need or miss out on something vital.
The All-Important Question of Price: How Do They Compare?
Price is a crucial factor for any private medical insurance UK policy. Here, the two providers' differing philosophies have a direct and significant impact.
The cost of any PMI policy is determined by several key factors:
- Age: Premiums increase as you get older.
- Location: Treatment costs vary across the UK, with London being the most expensive.
- Cover Level: The more comprehensive the cover (e.g., full outpatient), the higher the premium.
- Excess (illustrative): This is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim. A higher excess (£500 or £1,000) will lower your monthly premium.
- Underwriting: The method used to assess your medical history.
Aviva's Pricing: Stability and the No-Claims Discount (NCD)
Aviva uses a pricing model that will be familiar to anyone with car insurance. Their No-Claims Discount system rewards you for not claiming.
- You start with a certain NCD level.
- For every year you don't claim, your NCD increases, helping to offset age-related price rises.
- If you do make a claim, your NCD will reduce, likely increasing your premium at renewal.
This model provides predictability. You have a clear understanding of how your actions (claiming or not claiming) will affect your price next year.
Vitality's Pricing: The Dynamic Wellness Model
Vitality's pricing is unique. While your initial quote is based on the same factors as Aviva's, your renewal premium is heavily influenced by your Vitality Status.
- Earn Points: You earn points for activities like steps tracked on a wearable, gym visits, health checks, and even buying healthy food.
- Improve Status: These points determine your status: Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.
- Impact on Premium: The higher your status, the bigger the discount applied to your renewal premium. A Platinum member might see their age-related increase completely wiped out or even reduced, while a Bronze member could see their premium rise more significantly.
Real-World Scenario: A 35-year-old with a Vitality policy might have a base premium of £50 per month. (illustrative estimate)
- Illustrative estimate: As a highly active Platinum member, they could receive a 25% discount, bringing their effective premium down to £37.50, plus the value of any rewards they earn.
- Illustrative estimate: As an inactive Bronze member, they might face a 10% surcharge, pushing their premium up to £55.
This model puts you in control, but it requires commitment. If you're confident you'll stay active, Vitality can offer exceptional value. If you're not, Aviva's stable model may be more suitable.
Wellness & Rewards: Where Vitality Shines and Aviva Responds
This is the battleground where the two providers are most different.
The Vitality Rewards Ecosystem
Vitality's programme is the most talked-about feature of any UK health insurance policy. It's designed to make healthy living both affordable and fun.
Key Rewards Include:
- Apple Watch: Members can get a new Apple Watch for a small upfront payment and then fund the rest through their activity. The more you move, the less you pay per month.
- Weekly Rewards: By earning activity points, members can unlock a free handcrafted drink from Caffè Nero or a cinema ticket at Vue or Odeon each week.
- Food Discounts: Get up to 25% cashback on healthy food items at Waitrose & Partners (and up to 40% for top-tier members).
- Gym Discounts: Up to 50% off monthly memberships at Virgin Active and Nuffield Health.
- Travel Perks: Discounts on flights with British Airways and hotel stays with Mr & Mrs Smith.
For an active person, the monetary value of these rewards can be substantial, often exceeding £50-£100 per month, which can completely offset the cost of the policy itself. (illustrative estimate)
Aviva's Wellbeing Offering
Aviva has not ignored the trend towards wellness. They offer the Aviva Wellbeing app, which provides useful tools and discounts but is not integrated into the insurance premium in the same way as Vitality's.
Features Include:
- Health Tracking: Sync with fitness trackers to monitor your activity.
- Digital GP: Access to a GP 24/7 via phone or video call.
- Gym Discounts: Access to a network of discounted gym memberships across the UK.
- Mental Health Support: Resources and guidance on mental wellbeing.
Aviva's approach is to provide these as valuable bolt-ons to a traditional insurance policy. They enhance the membership but don't define it. For many, this is a perfect balance—getting the benefits without the pressure to perform.
Underwriting Options: Moratorium vs. Full Medical Underwriting
When you apply for private health insurance, the insurer needs to know about your medical history to decide what they can cover. Both Aviva and Vitality offer the two standard industry options.
-
Full Medical Underwriting (FMU): You complete a detailed health questionnaire, declaring all your past conditions. The insurer then reviews this and gives you a definitive policy document stating precisely what is and is not covered from day one.
- Best for: People who want absolute clarity and have a complex medical history.
-
Moratorium Underwriting (Mori): This is a simpler and quicker option. You don't have to provide your medical history upfront. Instead, the policy automatically excludes any condition you've had symptoms, treatment, or advice for in the 5 years before joining. This exclusion can be lifted if you go 2 full, consecutive years on the policy without any symptoms, treatment, or advice for that condition.
- Best for: People who are generally healthy and want to get cover in place quickly.
WeCovr Expert Tip: A common mistake is choosing moratorium underwriting to avoid declaring a known issue. Insurers have the right to access your full medical records when you make a claim, and any non-disclosure can invalidate your claim. It is always best to be transparent. A specialist PMI broker can help you present your medical history to an insurer to secure the most favourable terms.
Who is Aviva Best For?
Aviva is the ideal choice for individuals and families who:
- Value tradition and trust: They want the backing of one of the UK's largest and most established insurers.
- Seek comprehensive cover: Their priority is having a robust safety net with market-leading cancer and mental health benefits.
- Prefer predictable costs: They like the stability of the No-Claims Discount model and want to avoid premiums linked to lifestyle tracking.
- Want a 'set and forget' policy: They see insurance as something for when things go wrong, not as a daily engagement tool.
Who is Vitality Best For?
Vitality is the perfect match for those who:
- Are active and health-conscious: They already go to the gym, track their steps, and eat well, and want to be rewarded for it.
- Are motivated by incentives: The prospect of a cheaper Apple Watch, free coffee, and discounted gym memberships is a major draw.
- Want to control their premium: They are confident they can engage with the programme to keep their renewal costs down.
- Are tech-savvy: They are comfortable using an app and wearable technology to manage their health and their policy.
As part of our commitment to your health, WeCovr also provides all our clients with complimentary access to our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, CalorieHero, which can help you hit your goals, whether you choose Vitality or another provider.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does UK private health insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Can I switch from Aviva to Vitality, or vice versa?
Is private medical insurance worth it in the UK with the NHS?
The Final Verdict: Which Path is Yours?
There is no single "best" provider between Aviva and Vitality. The best private health insurance is the one that aligns with your personal circumstances, your attitude to health, and your budget.
- Choose Aviva for rock-solid, traditional insurance from a trusted brand. It offers peace of mind with a predictable pricing structure and some of the most comprehensive cancer and mental health cover available.
- Choose Vitality if you want to be an active partner in your health. If you are motivated by rewards and are prepared to engage with their wellness programme, you can unlock unparalleled value and significantly reduce your costs.
The most effective way to make a final decision is to see personalised quotes for both. The price and cover options can vary significantly based on your individual details. At WeCovr, we provide a whole-of-market comparison service at no cost to you. Our expert advisers can model scenarios for both providers, explain the fine print, and help you secure the perfect policy for your needs.
Furthermore, when you arrange your health or life insurance with us, we can offer exclusive discounts on other insurance products you may need.
Take the next step. Get a clear, impartial comparison and find the health insurance that truly fits your life.
Sources
- Department for Transport (DfT): Road safety and transport statistics.
- DVLA / DVSA: UK vehicle and driving regulatory guidance.
- Association of British Insurers (ABI): Motor insurance market and claims publications.
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Insurance conduct and consumer information guidance.












