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AIBU?

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Original poster

To cancel private health insurance

43 replies

Ethina · 23/04/2025 15:56

We have a health insurance through husbands work but to date every single claim has been turned down (I describe a few below) as nothing is ever covered by the policy. This is an expensive insurance which is supposed to be the flagship product of vitality but when we need help everything is deemed ‘chronic’ and hence not covered

I’ve heard that doctors often don’t use health insurance due to the above. Is there any truth to this? If anyone with a medical background could shed some light if be so grateful.

I really want to cancel as it’s essentially useless to us but is this somehow a bad idea with the NHS being so overwhelmed?

(most recent cases they’ve turned down include treating anaemia as they say it’s chronic - but apparently I need it addressed before they can get to the bottom of why my platelets are elevated, so now that investigation won’t go ahead. Second issue was a scan which I had for something else, it showed some changes which can be a cancer marker so a biopsy was recommended. Vitality say no as I don’t currently have any symptoms- I argued that the markers are the symptoms but I need to be experiencing discomfort for them to cover it? So I just need to wait until it potentially turns into something serious enough to cause pain, or…?)

OP posts:
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JustMyView13 · 09/05/2025 05:54

Ethina · 08/05/2025 23:49

…dh got laid off so no more insurance. Perhaps I shouldn’t have complained! 😬😂

🫣🫣 Yikes!
I guess that’s one problem solved.

PeloMom · 09/05/2025 00:22

I’ve had AXA and Bupa and both were great

Wibblywobblybobbly · 09/05/2025 00:11

Vitality sound shit. I've had a mixture of Bupa and AXA at various points over the last 20 years and have claimed loads, I've never had a claim rejected. Neither has anyone else in the family.

I'm forever using mine to check up on random symptoms etc. Most recently I had a full heart work up for random mild occasional palpations probably caused by peri (including wearing a wirless monitor for a fortnight), a colonoscopy to check it is in fact only piles causing mild occasional bleeding, a breast lump checked out and an appointment with a podiatrist for a sore little toe. In all cases with zero drama and on each occasion seeing a specialist within a week.

Get your husband to talk to his work to raise the concern and escalate it to their broker. They might be able to apply pressure or look to move provider next time they review.

Also, are you sure you don't have some mild symptoms?

DragonCity · 09/05/2025 00:00

I have cancer and I'm with BUPA, we've nearly cancelled a few times in the past, but so glad now that we didn't. I can't fault them at all. They are compassionate and easy to deal with.
That said, we also have Simply Health policies which cover other things, they are a bit different, only pay out to a maximum, but have always been good to deal with and never quibble.

AusBoundDD · 08/05/2025 23:55

HCP here - I have Axa through work alongside a Bupa policy for young adult DD. Both have always paid out with minimal fuss for what we need, Bupa are marginally easier to deal with though. The vast majority of consultants that I work with have themselves and their DC privately insured these days due to the state of the NHS. Personally I would never cancel my private health insurance as I simply just wouldn’t feel safe or comfortable to rely solely on the NHS, primarily due to long waiting lists.

Original poster
Ethina · 08/05/2025 23:49

…dh got laid off so no more insurance. Perhaps I shouldn’t have complained! 😬😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Ethina · 25/04/2025 12:51

Lou573 · 23/04/2025 22:25

Vitality are terrible, they wriggle out of paying for anything. They refused to cover treatment on my husband's knee because they said it was caused due to compensating for an old injury on the other knee that would not be covered. No other medical professional seemed to think this, it was a separate issue!

I'm with Aviva, and have previously had huge claims covered by AXA and Cigna, all 3 have been a pleasure to deal with.

That sounds crazy. Very on brand for vitality, sounds like all my conversations with them. My conclusion is that nothing is covered, because there is always some way for them to claim it’s chronic or preexisting

OP posts:
Lou573 · 23/04/2025 22:25

Vitality are terrible, they wriggle out of paying for anything. They refused to cover treatment on my husband's knee because they said it was caused due to compensating for an old injury on the other knee that would not be covered. No other medical professional seemed to think this, it was a separate issue!

I'm with Aviva, and have previously had huge claims covered by AXA and Cigna, all 3 have been a pleasure to deal with.

EmeraldRoulette · 23/04/2025 22:17

@Ethina so it's still costing you a lot of money?

With the cancer treatment, she was partly treated at UCH. But there were other treatments, including I think initial surgery, where she was at a private clinic and had her own room. She said that she was really relieved to have access to private health. But I don't think she was paying for it at all. It sometimes gets taxed differently, I think?

anyway, when it came up for renewal, they said it would be excluded going forward.

Original poster
Ethina · 23/04/2025 22:06

So it seems that private health insurance can make a real difference in the event of a cancer diagnosis, so I guess that’s what my decision will come down to. Maybe it’s not wise to gamble on these things and I should keep things as is - although with vitality I’m sure they’ll find a way to not cover it…

In answer to a previous poster I have suggested that my husband asks if the company could change providers as everyone on his team hates them just as much as we do

OP posts:
Original poster
Ethina · 23/04/2025 22:03

EmeraldRoulette · 23/04/2025 20:30

@Ethina I presume there's an element of cost to your DH otherwise you wouldn't be thinking about this? And it will come through some complicated tax thing?

Obviously insurers vary, but I do know someone who had their cancer treatment privately because of work health insurance.

I do resent the cost given that they have yet to help me with anything since four years, I feel like I’m donating cash to vitality for no reason! I could have paid for the iron infusion vitality refused with the money we pay them.

like a previous poster pointed out, they don’t cover menopause - but their customer service team is very happy to blame any and all ailments on menopause. My gp heard something on my heart and referred me to a cardiologist- vitality says that’s normal for menopause and hence not covered. I’m not even in menopause yet despite my age.

OP posts:
EmeraldRoulette · 23/04/2025 20:30

@Ethina I presume there's an element of cost to your DH otherwise you wouldn't be thinking about this? And it will come through some complicated tax thing?

Obviously insurers vary, but I do know someone who had their cancer treatment privately because of work health insurance.

ThatGladTiger · 23/04/2025 20:29

How big is your husbands employer? Are they aware of the issues you have?

Company private health cover is a competitive market and he could raise his concerns and ask them to consider AXA/bupa? Your family may not be the only ones having issues?

The company should want a benefit that their staff can actually use!

EBearhug · 23/04/2025 20:27

My previous work one didn't cover anything menopause related. I thought, what am I most likely to want to contact them about? So I didn't see the point.

Jc2001 · 23/04/2025 20:23

Jc2001 · 23/04/2025 20:14

My experience of private health care is to get a back operation in a matter of weeks which would have taken a minimum of 12 months on the NHS even to talk to a consultant.

I couldn't walk for more than about 5 minutes and couldn't move my foot properly so made a thud with my foot when I did walk.

I wouldn't be without it. Also provided by the company I work for and pay extra for my partner.

Edited
Show quote history

This was Bupa, btw.

Jc2001 · 23/04/2025 20:14

Ethina · 23/04/2025 15:56

We have a health insurance through husbands work but to date every single claim has been turned down (I describe a few below) as nothing is ever covered by the policy. This is an expensive insurance which is supposed to be the flagship product of vitality but when we need help everything is deemed ‘chronic’ and hence not covered

I’ve heard that doctors often don’t use health insurance due to the above. Is there any truth to this? If anyone with a medical background could shed some light if be so grateful.

I really want to cancel as it’s essentially useless to us but is this somehow a bad idea with the NHS being so overwhelmed?

(most recent cases they’ve turned down include treating anaemia as they say it’s chronic - but apparently I need it addressed before they can get to the bottom of why my platelets are elevated, so now that investigation won’t go ahead. Second issue was a scan which I had for something else, it showed some changes which can be a cancer marker so a biopsy was recommended. Vitality say no as I don’t currently have any symptoms- I argued that the markers are the symptoms but I need to be experiencing discomfort for them to cover it? So I just need to wait until it potentially turns into something serious enough to cause pain, or…?)

My experience of private health care is to get a back operation in a matter of weeks which would have taken a minimum of 12 months on the NHS even to talk to a consultant.

I couldn't walk for more than about 5 minutes and couldn't move my foot properly so made a thud with my foot when I did walk.

I wouldn't be without it. Also provided by the company I work for and pay extra for my partner.

Roselilly36 · 23/04/2025 20:10

I would recommend Benenden too, been a member for about 30 years, whole family is covered, good value and unfortunately have had to use it many times,never had any issues relating to cover.

Paialu · 23/04/2025 20:09

is there a really huge gap between going private and the nhs? Is this in terms of speed or also types of treatment?
for me it was, obviously will vary on situation to situation, but it took me going private to even get diagnosed. Lots of people have great experiences of cancer pathway on nhs, but when it falls apart (I was struggling to get past the gp) it’s amazing to have a backup.
and I got treatment that was not available in my area on the nhs

Original poster
Ethina · 23/04/2025 20:08

(Glaucoma and diabetes runs in my family and they definitely won’t cover any of those)

OP posts:
Original poster
Ethina · 23/04/2025 20:07

Happy for everyone in this thread who have had excellent support and coverage from their insurers! We had axa in the past and were happy with them.

I’ve had enough of vitality so am very tempted to cancel but I’m just not sure what I’d risk if I do. Perhaps a really stupid question but in the event of a cancer diagnosis, is there a really huge gap between going private and the nhs? Is this in terms of speed or also types of treatment?

Vitality seems to categorise everything as chronic and they don’t cover emergencies so I really don’t know what I’d use them for. Anything which has the potential to come back won’t be covered, they told me. This really makes me wonder whether they would step in at all even for something more serious

OP posts:
Original poster
Ethina · 23/04/2025 20:01

AllTheChaos · 23/04/2025 17:43

I have had Bupa for years and never had any problems with them. Have had to use them for various things during that time. When DD was having some mental health issues they were actually amazing, sat on the phone with me and went through all the possible people she could see, considering their specialisms and reviews etc. I was falling apart, and the staff went over and above to ensure that DD and I both got the help we needed.

Wow, amazing. So happy it worked out for you. Conversely I called vitality to ask a general question re whether eating disorders are covered by them- they said no and then insisted I name which of my children this would be regarding. I said I would not be sharing that info with them given that they would not be helping us, so I did not want it on their record. They kept insisting and were really aggressive about it so I ended up hanging up without giving them the info. Definitely put me off turning to them for anything related to mental healt

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BatshitCrazyWoman · 23/04/2025 18:49

I've had all my cancer treatment through AXA and they've been brilliant. All chemo, surgery, radiotherapy, physiotherapy... thousands and thousands of pounds worth of treatment. Can't fault them.

JustMyView13 · 23/04/2025 18:04

In my experience, I’ve managed the company private medical schemes. Vitality is usually popular for their Apple Watches & other such likes. The coverage is less good. You can’t beat an AXA or a BUPA in my experience.

Given one of your issues is a cancer marker, get your DH to raise a complaint at work with HR. There are levers that can be pulled. It might be that you’ve not explained your situation the right way. If you get me?

ememem84 · 23/04/2025 17:47

I have axa through work. Have really tested it the last 8 months following a cancer diagnosis. They have been amazing at sorting thibgs.

AllTheChaos · 23/04/2025 17:43

I have had Bupa for years and never had any problems with them. Have had to use them for various things during that time. When DD was having some mental health issues they were actually amazing, sat on the phone with me and went through all the possible people she could see, considering their specialisms and reviews etc. I was falling apart, and the staff went over and above to ensure that DD and I both got the help we needed.