Wellbeing Tools Without the Coverage? Why Insurers Must Do More
Global insurers like Bupa, Aviva, and Vitality are increasingly bundling preventative tools – like mini health check-ups, genetic testing, and wellness reward schemes – into their offerings. These initiatives are often promoted as a way to improve long-term health outcomes, reduce claims, and empower employees to take control of their wellbeing.
But here’s the catch:
While these tools are becoming more visible, they’re not always covered under the core health insurance policy, and access can be limited to short-term promotions, specific geographies, or certain plan tiers.
Take Bupa’s recent example: they’re offering free mini health checks for new UK private medical insurance members until the end of September. That’s great – but it’s also temporary, limited in scope, and only available in one market. Similarly, Bupa’s previous move to offer genetic tests to certain members wasn’t backed by a commitment to cover such tests under standard policies. Aviva is experimenting with more tests and behaviour-linked incentives via its MyHealthCounts platform, while Vitality rewards healthy behaviours with upgrades, discounts, and other perks.
These are promising steps – but they raise bigger questions:
- Will these features be integrated long-term into global offerings?
- Are these benefits available to your employees in all regions?
- Are they included in the plan as covered benefits, or only as opt-in extras or limited-time incentives?
At One World Cover, we believe these tools can have a real impact – but only when embedded thoughtfully into a broader employee health strategy. That means:
- Aligning benefits with usage patterns and employee demographics
- Negotiating for meaningful coverage of preventative tools where possible
- Using the right communication and activation campaigns to boost uptake
- Ensuring ROI by tracking engagement and claims impact
If you’re unsure whether your employees are getting the most out of their wellbeing tools – or whether your insurer is doing more PR than prevention – we can help.
Let’s make your wellbeing strategy work for you, your budget, and your people.
READ MORE >> Why Annual Health Check-Ups Should Be a Must-Have for Your Expat Team
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