WeCovr reviews Aviva's PMI pricing and benefits for individuals and families
As an FCA-authorised broker that has helped arrange over 800,000 policies, WeCovr understands the importance of clear, reliable information when choosing private medical insurance in the UK. This guide provides an expert breakdown of Aviva's private health cover, exploring the costs, benefits, and hidden details to help you decide if it's the right choice for you and your family.
Navigating the world of private healthcare can feel daunting. With NHS waiting lists remaining a significant concern for many, private medical insurance (PMI) offers a valuable alternative, providing peace of mind and swift access to high-quality medical treatment. Aviva is one of the UK's most recognised and established insurance providers, making its "Healthier Solutions" policy a popular consideration.
But what does it actually cost? And what do you get for your money? Let's dive in.
What is Private Medical Insurance (PMI)? A Quick Refresher
Before we explore Aviva's costs, it's essential to understand what PMI is and, crucially, what it isn't.
In simple terms, PMI is an insurance policy you pay for, typically through monthly or annual premiums. In return, it covers the cost of private medical treatment for acute conditions that arise after you've taken out the policy.
An acute condition is a disease, illness, or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and lead to a full recovery. Think of conditions like cataracts, joint problems requiring replacement, or hernias.
The Critical Distinction: Acute vs. Chronic Conditions
This is the single most important concept to grasp in UK private medical insurance. PMI is not designed to cover chronic conditions. A chronic condition is one that is long-lasting and often has no known cure. It can be managed with medication and treatment but not resolved.
| Condition Type | Description | Examples | Covered by PMI? |
|---|
| Acute | Curable, short-term conditions. | Broken bones, appendicitis, cataracts, hernias. | Yes |
| Chronic | Long-term, manageable but not curable. | Diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, arthritis. | No |
Furthermore, standard PMI policies do not cover pre-existing conditions. This means any illness or injury you had symptoms of, received advice for, or were treated for in the years leading up to your policy start date (usually the last 5 years) will be excluded.
The primary benefit of PMI is bypassing NHS waiting times. According to the latest NHS England data, the waiting list for consultant-led elective care stood at around 7.54 million treatment pathways in April 2024. PMI allows you to be diagnosed and treated faster, often in a private hospital with your choice of room and consultant.
Who is Aviva? A Snapshot of a UK Insurance Giant
Aviva is a household name in the UK, with a history stretching back over 300 years. As one of the country's largest insurers, they provide everything from car and home insurance to pensions and investments. Their private medical insurance arm is a significant part of their business, focusing on a holistic approach to health that combines treatment with proactive wellness support.
Their flagship PMI product, Healthier Solutions, is designed to be flexible, allowing individuals and families to build a policy that suits their specific needs and budget.
How Much Does Aviva Private Medical Insurance Cost in the UK?
This is the million-dollar question—or rather, the hundred-pound-a-month question. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all price. The premium you pay is unique to you and is calculated based on several key factors.
Key Factors Influencing Your Aviva PMI Premium
- Age: This is the most significant factor. As we get older, the likelihood of needing medical treatment increases, so premiums rise accordingly.
- Location: Medical costs vary across the UK. Living in London and the South East, where hospital and consultant fees are higher, will result in a more expensive policy.
- Level of Cover: A basic policy covering only in-patient treatment will be much cheaper than a comprehensive one with full outpatient, therapies, and dental cover.
- Excess: This is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim. A higher excess (e.g., £500 or £1,000) will lower your monthly premium, as you are sharing more of the risk.
- Hospital List: Aviva offers different tiers of hospital lists. Opting for a list that excludes the most expensive central London hospitals can significantly reduce your cost.
- Underwriting Method: You can choose 'Full Medical Underwriting' (where you declare your full medical history upfront) or 'Moratorium' (where conditions from the last 5 years are automatically excluded). The choice can sometimes affect the initial premium.
- Smoker Status: Smokers are considered higher risk and will always pay more for health and life insurance.
Illustrative Monthly Costs for Aviva Health Insurance (2025)
To give you a clearer idea, the table below provides estimated monthly premiums for Aviva's Healthier Solutions policy. These examples are for non-smokers with a standard policy including £1,000 of outpatient cover and a £250 excess.
| Age | Location | Estimated Monthly Premium (Individual) | Estimated Monthly Premium (Family of 4*) |
|---|
| 30 | Manchester | £45 - £60 | £110 - £140 |
| 30 | London | £60 - £80 | £150 - £190 |
| 40 | Manchester | £65 - £85 | £160 - £200 |
| 40 | London | £85 - £110 | £210 - £260 |
| 50 | Manchester | £90 - £120 | £230 - £290 |
| 50 | London | £120 - £155 | £300 - £380 |
*Family of 4 consists of two adults of the specified age and two children under 10.
Disclaimer: These prices are for illustrative purposes only. The only way to get an accurate figure is to request a personalised quote. An expert PMI broker like WeCovr can do this for you, comparing Aviva's price against other leading insurers to ensure you get the very best deal.
Decoding Aviva's Healthier Solutions Policy: What's Included?
Aviva's policy is built around a core foundation, with optional extras you can add to enhance your cover. Understanding this structure is key to tailoring a policy that fits your budget.
Core Cover: The Foundation of Your Policy
Every Aviva Healthier Solutions policy includes the following as standard:
- In-patient and Day-patient Treatment: This covers costs if you are admitted to hospital for treatment, including surgery, accommodation, and nursing care.
- Comprehensive Cancer Cover: This is a major strength of Aviva's offering. It includes diagnostics, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and monitoring. Their 'Cancer Pledge' promises to cover all eligible cancer drug treatments that are licensed for use in the UK.
- Some Outpatient Cover: Limited cover for specialist consultations and diagnostic tests before and after you receive eligible in-patient treatment.
- Mental Health Support: Access to up to £2,000 for eligible out-patient mental health treatment with a specialist.
- 24/7 Stress Counselling Helpline: Confidential support is available over the phone at any time.
This is where you can fine-tune your policy to match your needs and budget. Adding these will increase your premium.
- Full Outpatient Cover: This is the most popular add-on. It covers the cost of specialist consultations and diagnostic tests (like MRIs, CT scans, and blood tests) before you are admitted to hospital. You can choose a limit, such as £500, £1,000, or an unlimited amount. A higher limit means a higher premium.
- Therapies Cover: This adds cover for services like physiotherapy, osteopathy, and chiropractic treatment, which are vital for recovery from many musculoskeletal issues.
- Mental Health Upgrade: This significantly enhances the standard mental health cover, providing more extensive support for both in-patient and out-patient psychiatric treatment.
- Dental and Optical Cover: This provides a cash benefit towards routine dental check-ups, treatments, and the cost of glasses or contact lenses. It's typically a basic level of cover.
- Protected No Claims Discount (NCD): For an extra fee, you can protect your NCD, meaning your discount level won't be reduced even if you make a claim.
| Feature | Included in Core Cover? | Available as an Optional Extra? |
|---|
| In-patient Hospital Stays | Yes | N/A |
| Full Cancer Cover | Yes | N/A |
| Consultations before admission | Limited | Yes (Full Cover) |
| Diagnostic Scans (e.g., MRI) | Limited | Yes (Full Cover) |
| Physiotherapy | No | Yes |
| Extensive Mental Health Care | Limited | Yes (Upgrade) |
| Routine Dental & Optical | No | Yes |
Standout Benefits of Choosing Aviva PMI
Beyond the core policy structure, Aviva offers several features that add significant value and set them apart from some competitors.
Aviva DigiCare+ A&W App
This is a fantastic added-value benefit available to all Healthier Solutions members. It's a smartphone app that provides a suite of digital health and wellbeing services at no extra cost, including:
- Digital GP: 24/7 access to a GP for video consultations, often available within hours. They can issue prescriptions and make referrals.
- Mental Health Support: Access to qualified therapists for consultations and support.
- Nutrition Advice: Consultations with nutritionists to help you improve your diet and lifestyle.
- Annual Health Check: A yearly check-up involving a simple blood test to check key health markers like cholesterol and diabetes risk.
Flexible Hospital Lists
To help manage costs, Aviva provides several hospital list options:
- Key: A nationwide list of private and NHS hospitals, excluding the most expensive options in central London. This is the most budget-friendly choice.
- Extended: A more comprehensive list, including some central London hospitals.
- Trust: This option gives you access to treatment in a private patient unit within an NHS Trust hospital.
Choosing the 'Key' list can reduce your premium by as much as 15-20% compared to the 'Extended' list, making it a powerful cost-saving tool if you don't live near or need access to prime London clinics.
Leading Cancer Care
Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is incredibly stressful. Aviva's cancer cover is designed to alleviate some of that burden. Key features include:
- No time limits on treatment like chemotherapy and radiotherapy on their core policy.
- Cover for the latest licensed cancer drugs and treatments, even if they aren't yet available on the NHS.
- Access to a dedicated oncology team to support you through your treatment journey.
6 Practical Ways to Save Money on Your Aviva Health Insurance
High-quality private medical insurance UK wide comes at a price, but there are smart ways to make it more affordable without sacrificing essential cover.
- Increase Your Excess: Agreeing to pay the first £250, £500, or even £1,000 of any claim yourself will have a direct and significant impact on reducing your monthly premium.
- Choose the Right Hospital List: Unless you specifically need access to top London hospitals, selecting the 'Key' or 'Trust' list is one of the easiest ways to lower your costs.
- Opt for the '6-Week Wait' Option: This is a clever compromise. With this option, if the NHS can provide the in-patient treatment you need within six weeks of it being recommended, you will use the NHS. If the wait is longer than six weeks, your Aviva policy will kick in. This can reduce your premium by up to 25%.
- Be Smart with Optional Extras: Do you really need full dental and optical cover, or could you pay for that out-of-pocket? Only add the extras you genuinely value and are likely to use.
- Live a Healthy Lifestyle: Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to lower your premium. Maintaining a healthy weight and an active lifestyle not only benefits your wellbeing but also helps keep your insurance costs down over the long term.
- Use an Expert Broker: This is where WeCovr adds immense value. Instead of going directly to Aviva, our experts can compare their quotes against Bupa, AXA, Vitality, and other leading providers. We know the market inside-out and can often find discounts or policy structures you wouldn't find on your own. Our service is completely free to you.
As a WeCovr client, you also get complimentary access to our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, CalorieHero, to support your health goals. Furthermore, customers who purchase PMI or life insurance through us are eligible for discounts on other types of cover, like home or travel insurance.
Real-Life Scenarios: When Aviva PMI Proves Its Worth
It can be hard to appreciate the value of PMI until you need it. Here are a few examples:
- The Worried Parent: Sarah's 8-year-old son, Leo, has been suffering from persistent earaches and hearing loss. The NHS wait for an ENT specialist is nine months. With her Aviva family policy, Sarah gets a referral, sees a private specialist within a week, and Leo has grommets fitted two weeks later.
- The Active Professional: Mark, a 48-year-old cyclist, injures his knee. His GP suspects a torn meniscus. An NHS MRI scan has a 10-week waiting list. Mark uses his Aviva policy's outpatient cover, gets an MRI the same week, and is booked in for keyhole surgery a fortnight later, getting him back on his bike and back to work months sooner.
- The Stressed Executive: Emily, 35, is experiencing severe anxiety and burnout from her high-pressure job. The thought of a long wait for therapy feels overwhelming. She uses the Aviva DigiCare+ app to speak to a mental health professional that evening and is referred for a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which starts the following week.
WeCovr's Expert Verdict on Aviva Private Medical Insurance
Aviva is undoubtedly one of the best PMI providers in the UK market, offering a robust and highly credible product.
Pros:
- Strong, trusted brand with a long history in the UK.
- Excellent, comprehensive cancer cover as standard.
- Superb value-added benefits through the DigiCare+ app, including a Digital GP.
- Highly flexible policy that can be tailored to your budget.
- Clear and fair claims process.
Cons:
- Premiums can be higher than some competitors for a like-for-like policy, especially for older individuals.
- Core policy's outpatient cover is limited, making the full outpatient add-on almost essential for most people.
- The 'Therapies' cover is not standard, which could be a drawback for those with active lifestyles.
Ultimately, Aviva's Healthier Solutions policy is a top-tier option, particularly for those who prioritise comprehensive cancer care and digital health services. However, it's crucial to compare it against other market leaders. A provider like Bupa might offer different benefits, while Vitality's focus on rewarding healthy living could be more appealing to some.
This is why seeking independent advice is so important. Our team at WeCovr can provide a full market review, presenting you with quotes from Aviva alongside its main competitors, ensuring you find the perfect private health cover for your unique circumstances.
Does Aviva health insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
No, in line with the standard UK private medical insurance market, Aviva does not cover pre-existing or chronic conditions. Their policies are designed to cover new, acute medical conditions that arise after your policy begins. When you apply, you can choose 'moratorium' underwriting, which automatically excludes conditions you've had in the last 5 years, or 'full medical underwriting', where you declare your medical history upfront.
How does the '6-week wait' option work with Aviva?
The '6-week wait' option is a cost-saving feature. If you need eligible in-patient treatment, you will first check the NHS waiting list for that procedure. If the NHS can treat you within six weeks, you will use the NHS. If the waiting list is longer than six weeks, your Aviva policy is activated, and you can proceed with private treatment immediately. This significantly reduces your premium because you agree to use the NHS for quicker procedures.
Can I add my family to my Aviva policy later on?
Generally, yes. You can usually add your partner, spouse, or children to your policy. The easiest time to do this is at your annual renewal. However, it's often possible to add a new baby or a new partner as a mid-term adjustment, though you should always check the specific terms with the insurer or your broker first.
Is Aviva the best private medical insurance UK provider?
Aviva is one of the top-tier private medical insurance providers in the UK, renowned for its excellent cancer cover and digital health services. However, the "best" provider is entirely dependent on your individual needs, budget, and health priorities. For some, Bupa's direct access to services or Vitality's wellness rewards may be a better fit. The best approach is to compare them all, which is where an independent PMI broker like WeCovr can provide invaluable, free advice.
Ready to take control of your health? Let our friendly experts help you navigate your options. Get a free, no-obligation quote today and compare Aviva against the UK's other leading health insurers to find the perfect cover at the best price.