TL;DR
As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 900,000 policies, we at WeCovr know the UK private medical insurance market inside out. This guide explains Aviva's My Healthy Discount programme, a popular wellness scheme that rewards you for healthy living with lower premiums. How Aviva's reward scheme works, earning discounts through healthy behaviours, comparing Aviva's approach to Vitality's more established rewards system The landscape of UK private health cover is changing.
Key takeaways
- Goal-Oriented: The main reward is a single, significant discount on your renewal premium.
- Points-Based: You earn points for a range of activities, from health checks to daily steps.
- Personalised: The journey starts with a health assessment to give you a baseline and personalised goals.
- Tech-Driven: It uses the Aviva MyWellbeing app and syncs with popular fitness trackers to monitor your progress automatically.
- Start with a Health Check: All eligible members get a free annual health check. This provides valuable insights into your current health (like BMI, cholesterol, and blood pressure) and automatically awards you a large chunk of points.
As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 900,000 policies, we at WeCovr know the UK private medical insurance market inside out. This guide explains Aviva's My Healthy Discount programme, a popular wellness scheme that rewards you for healthy living with lower premiums.
How Aviva's reward scheme works, earning discounts through healthy behaviours, comparing Aviva's approach to Vitality's more established rewards system
The landscape of UK private health cover is changing. Insurers are no longer just there for you when you're unwell; they are actively encouraging you to stay healthy in the first place. This is where wellness reward programmes come in, and two of the biggest names in this space are Aviva and Vitality.
At its core, Aviva’s ‘My Healthy Discount’ is a simple proposition: engage in healthy activities, earn points, and get a discount on your private medical insurance premium when you renew your policy. It’s a direct financial incentive tied to your wellbeing.
This approach contrasts with the more "gamified" system offered by Vitality, which provides a stream of smaller, regular rewards like free coffee and cinema tickets throughout the year. This article will break down how Aviva's scheme works, what you need to do to earn your discount, and how it stacks up against its main competitor, helping you decide which approach might be the best fit for your lifestyle and health goals.
What is Aviva My Healthy Discount? A Deeper Look
Aviva's My Healthy Discount is a wellness programme integrated into their 'Healthier Solutions' and 'Speedy Diagnostics' private medical insurance policies. The central idea is to empower and reward customers for taking proactive steps to manage and improve their health.
Instead of just paying for treatment when you get sick, this programme gives you a tangible financial reason to stay well. The better your engagement with the programme, the higher your potential discount at renewal time.
Key Features at a Glance:
- Goal-Oriented: The main reward is a single, significant discount on your renewal premium.
- Points-Based: You earn points for a range of activities, from health checks to daily steps.
- Personalised: The journey starts with a health assessment to give you a baseline and personalised goals.
- Tech-Driven: It uses the Aviva MyWellbeing app and syncs with popular fitness trackers to monitor your progress automatically.
This system is designed for individuals and small businesses (SMEs) who are looking for a straightforward way to reduce the long-term cost of their private health cover.
Earning Your Discount: How the Aviva Points System Works
The path to securing your discount is based on accumulating points throughout your policy year. Aviva has designed a simple structure where different healthy activities are worth a set number of points. The more you do, the more you earn.
Here are the primary ways to earn points:
- Start with a Health Check: All eligible members get a free annual health check. This provides valuable insights into your current health (like BMI, cholesterol, and blood pressure) and automatically awards you a large chunk of points.
- Complete Online Assessments: The MyWellbeing app features several questionnaires about your lifestyle, diet, and mental health. Completing these earns you points and helps tailor the app's guidance to your specific needs.
- Track Your Physical Activity: This is where consistent effort pays off. You can earn points for:
- Daily Steps: Hitting step targets (e.g., 7,500 or 12,500 steps a day).
- Gym Visits: Checking in at a partner gym.
- Active Calories: Burning a certain number of calories through exercise.
- Engage with Wellbeing Modules: The app offers modules on topics like nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness. Completing these educational resources also contributes to your points total.
From Points to Pounds: The Discount Structure
The points you collect over the 12 months of your policy year determine the discount applied to your premium at renewal. While the exact thresholds can be adjusted by Aviva, the structure is designed to be clear and motivating.
Here is an illustrative example of how the points-to-discount system typically works:
| Points Earned During Policy Year | Illustrative Discount on Renewal Premium |
|---|
| 0 - 499 | 0% |
| 500 - 999 | 5% |
| 1,000 - 1,499 | 10% |
| 1,500 - 1,999 | 15% |
| 2,000+ | 20% or more (subject to policy terms) |
Important Note: The discount is applied to your renewal premium. It's a reward for a year of healthy living, not an instant saving. This "delayed gratification" model is a key feature of Aviva's approach.
A Real-Life Example: Meet David
Let's imagine David, a 42-year-old marketing manager in Manchester. He has an Aviva Healthier Solutions policy. Here’s how he could earn a 15% discount in a year:
- Month 1: He completes his free annual health check. (+500 points)
- Month 1: He fills out the online lifestyle and diet questionnaires in the app. (+200 points)
- Months 1-12: David connects his Fitbit. He's not a marathon runner, but he makes an effort to walk during his lunch break and averages 8,000 steps a day, hitting his target on most days. This earns him around 70 points per month. (+840 points over the year)
- Month 6: He completes a 4-week online module on improving sleep quality. (+100 points)
Total Points for David: 500 + 200 + 840 + 100 = 1,640 points.
Based on the table above, David would earn a 15% discount on his private medical insurance renewal premium. If his premium was £1,200 for the year, he would save £180 on his next policy.
The Technology Behind the Tracking: Compatible Apps & Devices
To make tracking seamless, the Aviva MyWellbeing app syncs with a wide range of popular fitness apps and wearable devices. You don't need to manually enter your steps or workouts; you simply connect your preferred device and let the technology do the work.
Commonly supported platforms include:
- Apple Health
- Google Fit
- Fitbit
- Garmin
- Withings
Setting it up is usually a straightforward process within the Aviva app. You simply go to the 'Connected Devices' section, choose your device or app, and authorise it to share activity data with Aviva. This integration is key to making the programme feel effortless for the user.
A Critical Comparison: Aviva My Healthy Discount vs. Vitality Rewards
While Aviva offers a compelling programme, it's impossible to discuss wellness rewards in the UK without mentioning Vitality, the provider that pioneered the concept. Understanding their different philosophies is key to choosing the right policy for you.
Vitality's programme is built around constant engagement and immediate rewards. Aviva's is focused on a single, major annual financial benefit.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the two approaches:
| Feature | Aviva My Healthy Discount | Vitality Rewards |
|---|
| Primary Reward | A discount (up to 20%+) on your renewal premium. | A mix of renewal discounts and immediate, ongoing rewards. |
| Reward Frequency | Annually, at policy renewal. | Daily, weekly, and monthly (e.g., free coffee, cinema tickets, Amazon Prime). |
| "Gamification" | Low. The focus is on a single, long-term financial goal. | High. Uses status levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) and weekly targets to drive constant engagement. |
| Complexity | Simple and easy to understand. Earn points, get a discount next year. | More complex. Involves tracking activity points, understanding status levels, and redeeming various rewards. |
| Partner Rewards | Fewer consumer brand partners. Focus is on health services and the premium discount. | Extensive network of partners (Caffè Nero, Odeon, Waitrose, Apple, Expedia). |
| Best For... | People who want a simple, "set-and-forget" financial incentive for staying healthy. | People who are motivated by frequent, tangible rewards and enjoy a "gamified" approach to their health. |
| Example Incentive | "Walk 10,000 steps a day this year and save £200 on your next premium." | "Hit your activity target this week and get a free coffee and a cinema ticket." |
The Verdict: Which Philosophy is Better?
There is no single "better" programme; it entirely depends on your personality and what motivates you.
-
Choose Aviva if: You prefer a straightforward, no-fuss system. The idea of one large financial reward at the end of the year is more appealing to you than small, weekly treats. You want to be rewarded for being healthy without feeling pressured to constantly interact with an app.
-
Choose Vitality if: You thrive on gamification and regular feedback. The promise of a free coffee for an active week gets you moving. You enjoy the ecosystem of partner benefits and are happy to engage more actively to unlock them.
As an expert PMI broker, WeCovr can provide detailed quotes for both Aviva and Vitality, helping you compare the specific policy terms and potential rewards based on your individual circumstances.
Is My Healthy Discount Right for You? Pros and Cons
To help you decide, let's summarise the key advantages and potential drawbacks of Aviva's programme.
Pros:
- Simplicity: The points-to-discount system is clear and easy to follow.
- Significant Financial Reward: The potential for a 20% or higher discount on a premium of hundreds or thousands of pounds is a powerful motivator.
- Low Pressure: Unlike programmes that demand weekly engagement for perks, you can accumulate points at your own pace throughout the year.
- Trusted Provider: Aviva is one of the UK's largest and most established insurers, providing peace of mind.
- Genuine Health Benefits: The free health check alone is a valuable benefit that can flag potential issues early.
Cons:
- Delayed Gratification: You have to wait a full year to see the financial benefit, which may be less motivating for some than instant rewards.
- Data Sharing: Like all such programmes, it requires you to be comfortable sharing your health and activity data with your insurer.
- Requires Consistency: While low-pressure, achieving the top discount tiers still requires consistent healthy habits over 12 months.
- Fewer "Fun" Perks: If you're excited by the idea of free cinema tickets or discounted gadgets, you won't find them here.
A Crucial Note on UK Private Medical Insurance
It is vital for anyone considering private medical insurance in the UK to understand what it is designed for. This knowledge prevents disappointment at the point of claim.
PMI is for acute conditions that arise after you take out your policy.
- An acute condition is a disease, illness, or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and lead to a full recovery. Examples include joint-pain requiring a hip replacement, hernias, or cataracts.
- A chronic condition is a disease, illness, or injury that has one or more of the following characteristics: it needs ongoing or long-term monitoring, it has no known cure, it comes back or is likely to come back. Examples include diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure. Standard private health cover does not cover the management of chronic conditions.
Furthermore, pre-existing conditions—any illness or injury you have had symptoms or treatment for before your policy starts—are also excluded from standard cover. Insurers use two main methods to handle this:
- Moratorium Underwriting: A popular and simple option where the insurer automatically excludes any condition you've had in the 5 years before joining. However, they may cover that condition if you remain completely symptom-free and treatment-free for it for a continuous 2-year period after your policy begins.
- Full Medical Underwriting (FMU): You provide a full medical history upfront. The insurer then tells you exactly what is and isn't covered from day one. It's more administration initially but provides complete clarity.
How WeCovr Can Help You Navigate Your Options
Choosing between Aviva, Vitality, Bupa, AXA, and the many other providers can feel overwhelming. This is where an independent, expert broker like WeCovr becomes your most valuable asset.
- We Are Experts: We live and breathe the private medical insurance UK market. We understand the nuances of each policy, from the reward schemes to the small print on hospital lists and outpatient limits.
- It Costs You Nothing: Our service is free to you. We are paid a commission by the insurer you choose, which doesn't affect the price you pay. You get expert, unbiased advice at no extra cost.
- Whole-of-Market Comparison: We don't just favour one provider. We compare policies from across the market to find the one that truly fits your needs, budget, and lifestyle. Whether Aviva's simple discount or Vitality's gamified perks are better for you, we'll help you see the full picture.
- Exclusive Benefits: When you arrange your health or life insurance through WeCovr, you get complimentary access to CalorieHero, our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, to support your health journey. We can also provide discounts on other types of cover, such as life insurance, when you buy a PMI policy with us.
- Highly-Rated Service: Our focus on clear, human-friendly advice has earned us high satisfaction ratings from thousands of happy customers.
Rather than spending hours trying to decipher policy documents yourself, a 15-minute call with one of our advisors can give you all the clarity you need.
Is my health data safe with Aviva's My Healthy Discount programme?
Generally, yes. Major insurers like Aviva are subject to strict UK data protection laws (like GDPR) and invest heavily in cybersecurity. Your data is primarily used to calculate your points and discount. It is not typically used to penalise you or deny claims. However, you should always read the specific privacy policy of any wellness programme before signing up to understand exactly how your data will be used.
What happens if I don't earn any points with Aviva? Will my premium go up?
No, you will not be penalised. The My Healthy Discount programme is designed to reward, not punish. If you earn zero points, you simply will not receive a discount at renewal. Your renewal premium will be calculated based on standard factors like your age, claims history, and medical inflation, just as it would be without the wellness programme. The discount is purely a bonus for engagement.
Can I get private medical insurance if I have a pre-existing condition?
It is difficult, but not always impossible. Standard UK private medical insurance is designed for new, acute conditions and typically excludes pre-existing ones. However, under 'moratorium' underwriting, if you remain free of symptoms, treatment, and advice for that condition for a continuous 2-year period after your policy starts, it may become eligible for cover. An expert PMI broker can discuss your specific situation and explore any specialist options that may be available.
Do I have to pay to use a broker like WeCovr?
No, our advice and support are completely free for you. As an independent broker, we receive a commission from the insurance provider you choose to proceed with. This does not affect the premium you pay. Our goal is to provide you with impartial, expert guidance to help you find the best possible private health cover for your needs.
Take the Next Step Towards Healthier, More Affordable Cover
Wellness-linked insurance is a fantastic way to take control of your health and your premiums. Whether the straightforward annual discount from Aviva or the daily perks from Vitality appeal more, the most important step is finding the right underlying private medical insurance policy.
Ready to explore how a wellness-linked policy could work for you?
Get a free, no-obligation quote from WeCovr today and let our friendly experts find the perfect private health cover for your needs and budget.