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Aviva: Health insurance reviews

Name: Health insurance
Rating: 1.94 (189 reviews)

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1.80

Based on 189 reviews, last reviewed 5th Sep 2025

50% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

71% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

19%

71%

Latest highest rating:

5

Reasonable cost, clear communication, I have had thi... Reasonable cost, clear communication, I have had this account with them for the last 9 years and have no complaints so far - luckily I haven't had to ... Read more Reviewed on: 5th September 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

Discussed with the level of care been waiting 3 week... Discussed with the level of care been waiting 3 weeks now got an NHS appointment quicker Reviewed on: 4th September 2025

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About this product

Aviva health insurance helps pay for private medical care for short-term injuries or illnesses.

You'll have access to a range of private hospitals and facilities that include Circle, Nuffield, Spire and NHS private units. Aviva won't increase premiums at first renewal if you haven't made a claim that's reduced your no claim discount level.

Aviva health insurance reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used Aviva before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

Aviva Health insurance reviews (189)

Review of the Aviva, Health insurance:

Horrendous. Utterly diabolic!

Horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. A nightmare. Utterly diabolic system, specifically designed to put your in constant stress, strain and struggle, so you run out of energy and give up. I have been having Aviva health insurance policy for a few years at the time I had to make a claim. Everything was fine while I paid, its a big company, so you kind of thinking you are protected, they have such a nice and shiny web site… Then when you dare to make a claim, this is where a nightmare starts. 1. No one picks up the phone for hours. Literally, for hours. No customer service presence EVER. The phone automatic msgs constantly says they are extremely busy, whatever time and day you call. You need to wait at least 45 mins on the phone to get throgh to the real person (thats the quickest I ever managed to get through after my many efforts) Im pretty sure this shortage on staff and responce is there deliberately. 2. Once you made a claim on their web site, and added all supporting documents, including GP referral and previous tests and scans (its mandotory before they even look into your claim) they suppose to contact you within 7 days. Guess what? Noone does. You have to chase them. Again. Call and wait for hours or try to get throgh their chatbot on the web site. 3. The chatbot is another nightmare. Everything is made to kick you off and not get you through to the real person. It is really hard to get through their automatic system. Sometimes just impossible. It is also, Im sure, made deliberately. 4. Once you made a claim, they will start looking for anything, literally, anything in you medical record to reject the claim. Trying to say its pre existing medical condition and etc. They try really hard, mind you. 5. Once you managed to get through these previous steps, and your claim was accepted, you still cant go to the consultant, no. They need to AUTHORISE your treatment. Otherwise its not gonna be paid for you. And this is your owns fault if you went to the doctor before they authorised any treatment in their system. They also choose a hospital for you and provide you the names of the authorised consultant. Only after this you can call to the hospital and book the appointment with a consaltant they choose. 6. Same steps happen with everything, every appointment or test you need to make. Whether its scans or tests or doctor consultations. Time flies by, appointments are not happening immediately, and here we are many months after without health issue being solved or any real result. ;) Congrats. 7. After months and months of struggle with their system, my surgery have been eventually postponed by the Spire hospital on the last day before the actual surgery. 3 weeks after the surgery assesment they suddenly decided I have to go to see a cardiologist and a GP, just to make them feel safer with what they do. ;) I have done this. And guess what? To the time I have done this (it was another month or so) the consultant who was suppose to perform this surgery just left this hospital ;))))) The end. At this point I could stand it no more! So I went to Russia (this is where Im from), and in 2 weeks there they have done all the tests and scans from scratch, prepared me for the surgery and performed the actual surgery. Done. And guess what? It was free. After this I canceled this ridiculous, torturing insurance and never looked back.) Eveything is hard, to the extent, its too much effort to make anything work. This is made deliberately by Aviva, to kick you off when you need them and cynically get their profit. And when you having health issues the last thing you want is more stress, struggle and palaver in your life. Having health issies is streessful enough. Then Aviva just adds more streess and struggle in already very hard circumstances. The whole reason of having private health insurance in the first place, is to have a stress free healthcare and fast specialist appointments. This is not what this is about. They just take your money and dont care about the rest. They dont even pick up the phone. Reviewed on: 17th January 2025

Doesnt cover emergency

My partner went to A&E and NHS and was told they needed to have surgery urgently or go blind. We called Aviva who we have had insurance with for over a year and never used. We were told it would take two weeks to get the surgery done. If we waited that long my partner would be permanently blind. Do not buy this insurance. It isnt worth the paper it's written on. Absolutely horrible Reviewed on: 18th September 2021

Disgusting

Aviva is hands down the worst health insurance company I have ever been with unfortunately I have no choice as through my work but will be raising this with HR. It is very true per the other comments that customer service will do anything to find a way not to cover more than an initial appointment. Full diagnosis is not covered even though my policy says it does. I am left with no proper diagnose or management plan. I fail to understand what the point is of having this insurance. Not worth your time or money. AVOID. Reviewed on: 6th September 2021

Comprehensive policy that is almost impossible to claim on

Do not take out a policy with these f*ckwits, they will find a way to weasel out of a claim any way they can. Reviewed on: 4th September 2021

Up against a brick wall

Staggeringly difficult to make a claim. If you were not feeling well, you would give up within ten minutes, which I can only imagine is what their `goalkeepers` who answer the phone are trying to achieve. I would not recommend this company to any one. Absolutely dreadful. This is a zero star (you have to give a minimum of one apparently - they are not worth one star) review. Reviewed on: 27th May 2021

Company seeking loopholes to avoid claim

Five months ago I bought health insurance. Under my policy, I cannot claim for anything I suffered within the two years prior to the start of the policy. I understand that. I accept that. It also says that if the issue can be treated by the NHS within six weeks they would not pay the claim. I understand that. I accept that. A painful medical issue has arisen which satisfies all criteria and for which I require private treatment. I called to enquire about the process as I have not used the insurance before. I was put on hold for a long time. Eventually, the lady returned to recite all the clauses of my contract and also to says that even though this occurred AFTER I bought the policy and I am now seeking treatment FIVE MONTHS after the purchase of the policy the first symptoms occurred TOO CLOSE after the purchase date. Therefore, they need to do a full investigation. They need to requisition complete medical history and get it assessed before making a decision. This was not the question I put to them but this is what they wanted to say anyway. It's a time-consuming process and I am in pain. I want this solved right now not six weeks from today. The reason I bought medical insurance was to access a fast health care as Covid-19 was hogging the show. The treatment is only a couple hundred pounds. If they treat me this way, for a couple hundred pounds, what would happen if it were thousands of pounds? The way this came over was that they were looking for the slimmest loophole to avoid a pay-out. This was my first time and first impressions count. The amount of money that I have paid in premiums in the last five months together with the excesses on the policy, it is worth my while to go to a private doctor, dentist and optician, pay their fully fees and the total cost will be a fraction of the cost of the premium. Needless to say, the policy has been cancelled and shame on me for falling under the spell of their sales pitch. I want an insurance that will work for me, not the other way around. Aviva is not it. Reviewed on: 22nd April 2021

Terrible service on the phone. . Disgraceful.

Long winded way to get to see a specialist taking up to 2 weeks for them to deal with even the initial enquiry. Disgraceful. I shall be meaning this company ASAP Reviewed on: 8th April 2021

Medical insurance

Don’t touch this company they are an utter con........., they don’t pay out at all. My daughter took pcos and said because she had acne teenager and fatigue it was a symptom. They also get you to fill in forms which Your gp take a fee. It’s an utter disgrace I don’t ever recommend them and will tell everyone happy to take your money but nt pay you out. Don’t use them!!!!!! Reviewed on: 20th March 2021

What a con!

Tip 1. when you go to the Doctor and they ask how long have you had the symptoms just reply "on the way in". Went to Doctors with pulled shoulder blade muscle from golf. 18 months later had to go with different symptoms and pain in top shoulder joint (not muscle strain). Turns out I need an operation which is NOT covered because I had complained of pain previosuly! Total crap service and 14 months of pain. Paid for the op myself and would cancel my companys health insurance if it wasnt for the other staff I have on it. Reviewed on: 15th January 2021

Simply awful service

Bought my company’s private medical insurance from Aviva on advice of broker against web advice to go for the No.1 provider AXA. Turns out that if you have something as simple as a bruise or a pulled muscle (in my case) in apart of the body you are automatically excluded from any claim for absolutely anything for two years from policy start. So, if you pull a muscle in January one year and then have pain in the shoulder due to bone cancer the following year you are not covered. Better still notes made by non medically qualified personnel are treated as if a Doctor had written them! MY strong advice is this: 1. When booking your Dr’s appointment just say you are ill with no mention of what is wrong or with what. Also only book a week or two before expected appt. 2. Do not say how long you have had the symptoms or indeed what they are but just say it started just before you walked in. 3. Do not mention or comment on any of your medical history. 4. Always request access to your medical records so you can see what is written about you. 5. Make sure if they diagnose something you are given the proper investigative procedure (X-ray, MRI, blood test etc). This will determine exact issue and if you then have another different issue some time later it should be treated as a separate claim. 6. Choose another private medical insurer. Reviewed on: 1st January 2021

Con artists

I was with bupa for over 15years through my works health insurance and not a problem even when my wife developed a condition that needed lots of treatment bupa were fantastic, then the company changed providers and whent with aviva that's when it all changed, aviva say they won't cover treatment if that treatment doesn't cure the condition permanently, they fail to mention this beforehand, absolute con artists, Reviewed on: 1st September 2020

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