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Axa Health private health insurance review

Read Which?'s expert review of Axa Health's private health insurance
Which? Money Team

In this article

Axa Health is the second-largest health insurer in the UK and part of the Axa group.

Originally founded in France, Axa is now an international company that operates in 51 countries globally. 

As well as private health insurance, Axa offers several other types of insurance in the UK, including car insurance, home insurance and dental insurance. 

Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.

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Does Axa Health offer the best private health insurance?

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What does Axa Health offer?

Axa Health's private health cover lets you build your own policy. When you get a quote, you'll be asked to select what you want to be covered for, out of:

  • outpatient diagnosis and care, including scans, tests, minor outpatient treatment, and complementary therapies such as physiotherapy and osteopathy
  • inpatient and day patient care, including overnight or day surgeries, follow-up treatments and consultations, and physiotherapy while you're in hospital
  • cancer care, including treatment for cancer after it's been diagnosed, psychological support, genetic testing, surgery and hospital costs, and wigs or specialist clothing you might need
  • mental health care, including access to mental health professionals, psychiatric treatment, and support following treatment for a mental health condition. 

As standard, you'll also get access to online GP appointments, a 24/7 health support line, mental health support by phone and app, discounted gym membership and health assessments, and a blood test kit to check cholesterol and blood sugar levels. 

You can tailor your cover further by choosing the number of consultations included in your cover, whether you want the flexibility to choose your own specialist, and the range of hospitals you want access to. 

What doesn't Axa Health cover?

Like most private health insurers, Axa Health excludes some key things from its policies. For example, it won't cover chronic conditions, pregnancy and childbirth, dental or optical treatment, or fees for outpatient drugs, dressings and private prescriptions. And it usually won’t cover treatment for medical conditions that you had, or had symptoms of, before joining.

How much does Axa Health private health cover cost?

As with most types of insurance, the cost of private health insurance depends on a range of factors, including your health, age, smoking status and where you live. 

Someone in their 70s, for example, is likely to pay much more for private health insurance than someone in their 30s. 

We used Axa Health's website to get quotes for annual cover for two couples (aged 35 and 55) living in south London. We assumed that they were in good health, didn't smoke and had no pre-existing medical issues.  

ProviderPolicy nameQuote for a 35-year-old coupleQuote for a 55-year-old couple
Axa Health Health Plan£2,698£4,569

Table note: These are illustrative quotes obtained from Axa Health's website in January 2025. When getting quotes for all providers, we selected cover that provides full inpatient care and full outpatient care, comprehensive heart and cancer cover, diagnostic tests and scans, and some cover for complementary therapies (such as physiotherapy) for a non-smoking couple, in good health, living in south London. Where possible, we excluded mental health, dental and optical cover. We selected the standard hospital and specialist lists. We selected no excess, but did select a waiting time if offered. We opted not to protect our no-claims discount.

We also got equivalent quotes for Axa Health's major rivals: Aviva, Bupa, Saga, Vitality and WPA. For both our scenarios, Axa Health was the most expensive provider. Bear in mind, though, that these quotes are purely illustrative, and Axa Health may offer better value for other scenarios, depending on personal circumstances.

How can you save money on Axa Health private health insurance?

Compare quotes from different providers

You can buy Axa Health private health insurance directly from Axa Health; via general price comparison sites such as Compare the Market, Confused.com and Money Supermarket; or through specialist brokers. 

We'd always recommend shopping around for the best private health insurance, rather than only getting quotes from one provider, as this will help you get the cover you need for the best price. Price comparison sites can be a good starting point, especially if you know what cover you need. 

But as health insurance is a complicated and sensitive area, it can be a good idea to speak to a specialist broker who can talk you through your options and offer guidance on the best cover and features. You can find a broker using the searchable directories offered by the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) or the Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries (AMII)

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Adjust your cover

Axa Health's plan lets you build your own policy from the four modules of cover: outpatient and diagnostic, inpatient, cancer, and mental health. You can keep costs down by excluding any of these modules from your cover. 

There are other ways to tweak your cover to reduce costs:

  • Opt for a higher excess – the amount you'll need to pay towards any claim. The higher the excess you choose, the lower your premium is likely to be. 
  • Let Axa Health source your specialist. While it will try to find a conveniently located specialist, it may not be at the closest location to you. If you want the freedom to choose your own specialist, this will cost more. 
  • Opt for a smaller hospital list. This will cost less but limit the locations at which you can be treated. 
  • Cap the number of consultations included in your cover. Unlimited consultations will cost more. 

Warning

Be cautious when switching private health insurance

Switching private health insurance often isn't as straightforward as with other types of insurance, such as car or home insurance. 

That's partly because any new provider may not continue to cover any conditions that you developed while you held your previous policy. So, if you're thinking of switching to get a better deal, check carefully what the terms of the switch would be and if you'd risk losing valuable cover. 

How do I make a claim for Axa Health private health insurance?

The first step if you have a health condition that you think needs attention is to see your GP. If they recommend seeing a specialist or getting further tests or treatment, ask them for an 'open referral'. This outlines the type of treatment you need but doesn't name a specific specialist or hospital. 

Then, get in touch with Axa Health, either by phone or by logging into your online account. Axa Health will confirm whether your treatment is covered and advise if it needs any more details beyond what's in your GP's referral. 

Depending on the details of the plan you've chosen, Axa Health will either source a specialist or care service provider for you, or help you to find one of your choice. Your plan should also cover you if you decide you want a second opinion. 

Usually, Axa Health will settle any bills directly with the healthcare provider. If you receive any bills directly, let it know. Axa Health will advise you if and how you need to pay any excesses, or for any part of your treatment that's not covered under your plan. 

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