Aviva today announced the launch of MyHealthCounts, an innovative health management service that encourages individuals to take pro-active steps to improve their lifestyle and rewards them with up to 15% Wellness Discount for any positive impact their efforts have on their health. The unique Wellness Discount is awarded off the customer’s next private health insurance renewal premium irrespective of whether they have made a claim on their policy.
Designed by medical experts, MyHealthCounts contains a wealth of invaluable information including a health assessment tool, nutritional information and an online coach offering personalised advice on the steps individuals can take to improve their health and help reduce their risk of developing serious illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and cancer. Customers can also purchase a range of discounted health and lifestyle products including gym membership, kinetic activity monitors and blood pressure monitors.
To discover how healthy they are compared to 100 other people in their demographic peer group, individuals can complete a short online health and lifestyle questionnaire to generate their “Q Score”. Their personalised result and recommendations are based on their health information including BMI, resting heart rate, cholesterol level, blood pressure and lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking and exercise.
Recognising that many people may not know their true health measurements, Aviva has also arranged preferential rates for pharmacy health checks at over 600 pharmacists across the UK.
Customers simply book their appointment online and once they’ve visited the pharmacist, their results are automatically uploaded onto their MyHealthCounts account. If customers prefer, they can have the checks at their GP or local gym and upload the results themselves.
Once their “Q Score” is calculated, the online coach suggests ways to maintain and improve their health. Individuals are encouraged to set realistic goals and choose their own exercise programme which could be anything from going for a lunchtime walk, joining a jogging club or taking up yoga. Customers can monitor their “Q Score” to find out how their efforts are improving their health and wellbeing and contributing to their Wellness Discount.
Neal Archbold, senior proposition development manager, Aviva UK Health, said: “People often associate medical insurance wellness discounts with going to the gym but we recognise that everyone is different. MyHealthCounts rewards people for taking steps to improve their health and wellbeing, however they choose to do it.
“And because we want to reward people for their efforts and understand that some medical insurance claims are inevitable, unlike other reward systems our customers will receive up to 15% Wellness Discount irrespective of whether they have made a claim on their medical insurance policy.”
Dr Doug Wright, head of clinical governance, Aviva UK Health, adds: “As medicine evolves, we’re seeing a significant increase in the cost of some medical treatments which inevitably has a knock-on effect to future insurance premiums. Any steps our customers can take to pro-actively look after their health will offer numerous benefits to all parties.
“In addition to the financial rewards, MyHealthCounts offers some important medical benefits. With illnesses such as cancer and heart disease on the increase, it’s essential that individuals understand how healthy they are and take pro-active steps to improve any areas of concern. With access to pharmacy tests and online support and advice, MyHealthCounts helps them to do just that.”
