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QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE

AXA Health Plans FAQs

How does health insurance work?

  • The AXA Health Plan takes some of the worry out of accessing healthcare. It covers private treatment for new conditions, and includes access to an online private GP service.
  • You can see everything about what we do and don’t cover in the information we’ll give you before you buy.
  • You pay a monthly or yearly cost, and then if you become ill or have an accident, you can choose to use private healthcare, so long as it’s covered by your membership.
  • You usually start off by seeing a GP – that can be an NHS GP or a private one. Then if you need to see a specialist, you can get in touch with us and we’ll walk you through what you’re covered for.
  • If you choose an option that covers seeing a specialist or having hospital treatment, this will usually be in a private hospital – we cover hundreds across the UK. We can help you find a specialist near you, and even book the appointment for you.

What does health insurance cover?

Private health insurance covers private treatment for new medical conditions – it’s not designed to cover conditions you already have symptoms of when you join. The treatment that’s covered will depend on the cover you choose – we offer a range of options so you can select what matters to you. For example, you could choose to have cover for:

  • seeing a specialist for your first visits to discuss diagnosis
  • inpatient or day patient treatment, including operations, in a private hospital
  • cancer treatment if you ever get a cancer diagnosis
  • help with mental health conditions

You can work out a combination that’s right for you – and choose different combinations for any family members too.

As with most insurance, there are some things we don’t cover under any care option:

Chronic conditions

  • We don't cover treatment or monitoring of ongoing, recurring and long-term conditions (chronic conditions).

Pregnancy and childbirth

  • We don't cover pregnancy or childbirth

Dental or optical treatment

  • We don't cover dental procedures.
  • We don't cover services that a dentist or optician would usually carry out (primary care).

Treatments, drugs and dressings

  • We don't cover fees for outpatient drugs, dressings and private prescriptions.
  • We don't cover services that a GP practice would usually carry out (patient care).
  • We don't cover preventative treatment or tests when there are no apparent symptoms.
  • We only cover treatment shown to be safe and effective by NICE, or by clinical trials that we recognise.
  • We only cover the approved Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (medicines based on genes or tissues) listed on our website.

You can see everything about what we do and don’t cover in the information we’ll give you before you buy.

How do you cover existing conditions, and what is a moratorium?

Most health insurance, from any insurer, is designed to cover new medical conditions, not those you have already. So your cover for conditions that started before you joined will be limited.

For most people joining the AXA Health Plan, we won’t cover any condition you had symptoms of in the three years before you joined. This includes if you had symptoms of a condition that hadn’t been diagnosed. This will last until you’ve been a member for at least two years, and you’ve had at least two years in a row trouble-free from the condition. Trouble-free means haven’t gone to a medical practitioner, had any treatment or advice, followed a special diet, or taken medication, including over-the-counter medication.

As well as this rule, we also have specific rules for some conditions too - including:

  • chronic conditions – we'll only cover acute episodes, not long-term treatment.
  • cancer - we'll only cover new cancer, not cancer that you had at any point before you joined. This includes if the previous cancer comes back or spreads.
  • diabetes - we won’t cover diabetes or some other specified conditions.
  • raised PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) - if you've had a raised PSA that has led to investigation, monitoring or treatment, we won't cover any prostate conditions.

How can I contact AXA Health?

If you are thinking of joining AXA Health, simply start a quote – it doesn’t take long, and we won’t ask tricky medical questions. You can also give us a call on 0800 169 7593.

If you’re already with AXA Health, it’s easiest to contact us through your online account.