AXA PPP Health Insurance

Personal Healthcare Insurance

Founded

1940

Company Type

Limited Company

Company Overview

AXA PPP Healthcare was incorporated in 1940 as the London Association for Hospital Services. In a pre-NHS era, the company launched its first recognisable Health Insurance policy, the Hospital Service Plan (HSP), in 1943.

As the NHS expanded healthcare to all free at the point of use, the company changed its name to Private Patients Plan or PPP, which still exists in its name today.

In 1998, the company was acquired by Guardian Royal Exchange, which was itself acquired in 1999 by Sun Life & Provincial Holdings, part of the global AXA Group.

In 2015, AXA completed the acquisition of fellow PMI provider Simplyhealth’s Medical Insurance and self-funded health plan business, as well as buying out Permanent Health Company Ltd and bringing it under the AXA brand.

Documentation

AXA Personal Private Health Insurance Overview

AXA PPP’s individual Health Insurance proposition was launched in 2015. It offers fast track appointments, a 24/7 telephone information line and 50% off an annual gym membership at the PureGym chain for policyholders.

• Fast track appointments
  AXA PPP will not only pay for you to see a specialist privately, they’ll also actively help you find one as quickly as possible
• Second Opinion Service
  Designed to make sure you’re absolutely confident with your specialist’s diagnosis and recommendations
• Doctor@Hand
  As part of AXA PPP’s Medical Insurance, you’ll get access to an expert 24/7 phone information line staffed by healthcare professionals
• Working Body
  AXA’s PMI gives you immediate access to physiotherapists without needing a referral from your GP
• NHS Cancer Support
  If you’ve previously been affected by cancer, you’ll be treated on the NHS but will still have access to licensed cancer drugs only available privately
• Heart and cancer commitment
  A dedicated team for those newly diagnosed with heart problems or cancer while on the plan, including the option to have genetic testing to match chemotherapy to you and your cancer.
• Extended Cover
  An optional extra that gives you access to private GPs (up to £500 per year) and no limits on specialists’ fees
• Gym discount
  A 50% discount for policyholders at the PureGym chain of gyms

AXA Health Insurance Policy Conditions

Drewberry Reviews AXA PPP Medical Insurance…

PMI from AXA PPP offers built-in flexibility with a number of policy options available to increase or decrease cover as dictated by your budget.

Key Comparison Points

• AXA PPP’s Medical Insurance has a mandatory £100 minimum excess; most other providers offer the option of zero excess.
• AXA’s PPP’s European or Worldwide insurance option also acts as a travel insurance of sorts, covering you for travel-related issues such as lost baggage/passports or delays, as well as the additional option for an upgrade for adventure sports (e.g. bungee jumping).
• If you opt for Extended Cover under AXA’s Private Health Insurance policy, you get access to a private GP – this isn’t the case for many other providers.
• Health Insurance from AXA PPP doesn’t cover therapies such as chiropractic treatment as standard – this is an optional extra at additional cost. Other insurers cover therapies as part of their core cover.
• AXA will cover newborns from birth on a parent’s PMI policy until the next renewal date. AXA’s Medical Insurance also offers allowances to cover a parent’s stay in hospital/a hotel to be near a child under 16 if they’re having treatment.
• AXA offers the chance to have what would normally be a day patient treatment, chemotherapy, in the comfort of your home.
• AXA PPP offers a 5% discount for paying your Private Medical Insurance premiums annually, one of the most generous such discounts on the market.

Policy Exclusions

AXA’s PMI exclusions are generally the standard across the industry, such as:

• Treatment required following suicide attempts or self-inflicted injury
• Cosmetic treatment for aesthetic reasons (with the exception of certain procedures for younger children)
• ‘Normal’ pregnancy and childbirth
• IVF/fertility treatment
• Emergency treatment
• The long-term management of chronic conditions
• Diabetes or any complications from diabetes.

Financial Strength

AXA PPP is one of the strongest Health Insurance providers in the market and has been at the driving force of a great deal of merger activity in the UK PMI market, acquiring both Simplyhealth and Permanent Health Company in 2015.

Although it only started offering Medical Insurance to individuals in 2015, the global AXA group has more than 50 million customers around the world, both individuals and business consumers and is active in 50 countries. The company has been operating for more than 75 years and has strong margins and a health appetite for acquisition to expand.

AXA PPP Medical Insurance: Questions and Answers

We aim to know the policies we advise on inside out and back to front. Below is a couple of frequently asked questions with regards to the policy coverage of AXA PPP’s Medical Insurance. If you need any further help please do not hesitate to call us on 02074425880.

Q. Will AXA PPP Health Insurance cover me for holidays and overseas trips?

A. AXA’s private medical insurance won’t cover you as standard when you travel overseas. However, you have the option of adding European or Worldwide Travel Cover to your cover. European cover will cover you for medical treatment in Europe for no longer than 25 days per trip up to 65 days per year. If you opt for Worldwide cover, you’ll be covered for trips of 65 days each up to 183 days per year.

AXA’s additional travel benefit will also act partly as a travel insurance product, offering cover for lost baggage and delays, although in most cases it will still be advisable to have a travel insurance policy running in parallel.

Q. Does AXA PPP PMI cover me for private GP appointments?

A. This is another optional extra, but if you opt for AXA’s Extended Cover option then you’ll be able to have up to £500 of consultations with a private GP paid for by your plan.

You’ll also have access to five appointments with AXA’s Doctor@Hand cover. This lets you see a GP via secure video or phone appointment from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week. If you don’t opt for this cover, you can use this service on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Need Expert Health Insurance Advice?

As you can see, there are a lot of points to consider when comparing insurers. With so many factors in play, it can be time-consuming to pull up key information across every single insurer in the market, so why not ask an adviser for help?

Why Speak to Us…

We started Drewberry because we were tired of being treated like a number and not getting the service we all deserve when it comes to things as important as protecting our health and our finances. Below are just a few reasons why it makes sense to talk to us.

• There is no fee for our service
• We are independent and impartial
  Drewberry isn’t tied to any insurance company, so we can provide completely impartial advice to make sure you get the most appropriate policy based solely on your needs.
• We’ve got bargaining power on our side
  This allows us to negotiate better premiums for you than you going direct yourself.
• You’ll speak to a dedicated expert from start to finish
  You will speak to a named expert with a direct telephone and email. No more automated machines and no more being sent from pillar to post – you’ll have someone to speak to who knows you.
• Benefit from our 5-star service
  We pride ourselves on providing a 5-star service, as can be seen from our 2754 and growing independent client reviews rating us at 4.92 / 5.
• Gain the protection of regulated advice
  You are protected. Where we provide a regulated advice service we are responsible for the policy we set-up for you. Doing it yourself or going direct to an insurer won’t provide this protection, so you won’t benefit from these securities.
• Claims support when you need it the most
  You have support should you need to make a claim. The most important thing when it comes to insurance is that claims are paid and quickly. We are here to support you during the claims process and make sure it’s as smooth and stress free as possible.

If it is all getting a little confusing and you want to talk you through your options to make sure you find the most suitable cover please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Pop us a call on 02074425880 or email help@drewberry.co.uk.

Drew Nelson
Health & Wellbeing Expert at Drewberry