AXA PPP offer the full range of health insurance products that you’d expect from a large company. In an attempt to stand out from the competition they’ve created some innovative features to help make claiming under your policy easier. They’re the only ‘big 4’ insurer where you can claim on your medical insurance on-line, meaning claims can be submitted from your work PC without the need to discuss your medical problems over the phone if you prefer.
AXA have been providing private healthcare since before the formation of the NHS, so you can be safe in the knowledge your medical needs are in experienced hands. The company slogan is ‘redefining standards’ which demonstrates a commitment to improving industry standards and offering a comprehensive service superior to that offered by their competitors. Whether they have achieved this is open to debate, but it’s clear they’ve developed some innovative solutions to improve existing products.
Policy types
Individual – A flexible range of cover is available for individual customers. Cover starts from as little as £1.24 a day for a basic policy with added cancer care.
Company – There is comprehensive cover available for businesses of all sizes including specialist packages for the self employed.
International – Unlike many other international private medical insurance providers AXA PPP include evacuation and repatriation as standard. This means not only can you recieve treatment abroad, you’ll be brought back home to the UK as soon as you’re well enough. Marine medical cover is also available, including off the ship evacuation if you need it.
Advantages
Award winner – AXA PPP were voted the Best Private Medical Insurance Company in the Your Money Direct Awards, an award voted for by a panel of consumers.
Quality assessed hospitals – while they only offer 250 hospitals throughout the UK in comparison to the 400 plus offered by other providers, each hospital is quality assessed by AXA PPP themselves. Although you might think all insurers would take this measure, unfortunately they don’t – with AXA you can be safe in the knowledge you’ll be using clean and comfortable facilities.
Heart and cancer support – If you’ve recieved a distressing diagnosis you can recieve one-on-one support over the phone from a qualified nurse with real life experience in the sector. This can help to put your mind at ease, and give you the information you need to make informed decisions regarding your treatment.
Be healthy site – AXA PPP aim to support customers in sickness and in health, so they’ve put together a website helping you to improve your well being with recieipes and up to date articles and advice.
Satisfied customers – A recent survey of customers who had taken out a medical insurance product rated the company overall with 4.5 out of 5 stars.
On-line claims – No need to discuss your medical information with someone over the phone.
Simple policy building – The website is clear and concise, explaining exactly how you can tailor your policy to meet your needs, and reduce premiums if necessary.
Disadvantages
Less hospital choice – Although it’s great that hospitals are quality assessed, they offer almost half the choice of other major insurers such as Bupa. This could mean you have further to travel when you need treatment.
Complicated claims process – they have received criticism for their complex claims process and poor customer service, on many occasions customers have been promised call backs which they haven’t received. Although this is more the exception than the rule, no-one wants to be waiting round for a phone call that never materialises, particularly when you are ill. The emphasis is placed on the individual policyholder to chase up specialists and hospitals, at other insurers this is carried out as standard by claims handling staff.
AXA PPP offers an innovative claims management service which adds an on-line presence to the claims process and allow policyholders increased flexibility when submitting a new claim or managing an existing one. Not everyone feels comfortable talking about their medical problems to a stranger over the phone, and this provides a valuable solution which will probably be adopted by competitors in the near future. In spite of this the customer service side of AXA PPP is clearly lacking in some instances, with complaints of unhelpful staff and callback requests being ignored. However, its important to stress these instances are exceptions and there is a high level of customer satisfaction. If you don’t mind taking more of an active role in managing your claim AXA PPP could provide the perfect solution to your healthcare needs.
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