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Aviva: Health insurance reviews

Name: Health insurance
Rating: 2.38 (202 reviews)

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2.38

Based on 202 reviews, last reviewed 16th Jul 2026

67% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

33% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

19%

72%

Latest highest rating:

5

It’s very reassuring to have this policy in place my husband purchased our policy after 13 hour wait in A&E left us upset and un cared for. There was definitely a stigma around it and I wasn’t sure wh... Read more Reviewed on: 16th July 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

My wife was admitted to hospital for emergency treat... My wife was admitted to hospital for emergency treatment-we wrote to them and said what do you need from us.No reply. We sent bills £8ks worth, nothin... Read more Reviewed on: 14th June 2026

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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 (202)

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

Total con

Honestly the biggest con. Our policy is worth 19k a year, they refuse treatment, try and force you to do everything via zoom, you don’t get to choose your dr, they force you through triages so they put people off accessing care, they only allow you to use some of the least qualified and least exspensive physios etc it’s just a total sham. I’m so annoyed we ever moved from AXA. I would have spent far less just paying for everything directly myself. Total con. Reviewed on: 30th November 2021

Awful

Well, I have bought a health insurance FMU in which I agreed at the beginning of the policy to aviva request my full medical records and send a copy to me (which they never did) they sent me my underwriting exclusions just according to what I declared after several weeks without even checking my medical records, 5 months later I did a claim for a gastroenterologist and after almost 4 weeks they declined my claim because I had last year a pain in my rips and left side of my abdomen, whilst my current claim was about completely different symptoms and the only "similarity" was a pain in the upper abdomen and center no even in the same area as my left side pain last year they refused to cover claiming that is the same condition when I didn't even get any diagnosed from the GP by the NHS last year when I had that rib pain, so basically if you ever had even a pill for your stomach in your records it doesn't matter what your symptoms are when you do the claim they'll find a way not to cover, so in that case if I had pancreatitis same area of pain in the abdomen they won't cover because I had a rib pain last year for which I didn't get treatment or diagnosed but yes for them obviously is linked. Why do they offer a FMU if they won't check the medical records and state from the beginning what they are not covering instead they choose to make me waste my time and be as neglected or worst than the NHS with waiting times and resources. I cancelled my policy obviously and I wouldn't recommend aviva to anyone at all. Try with another insurance and make sure they do check your medical records from the beginning. Reviewed on: 15th October 2021

3 year moratorium turns to 5

Aviva could not care less when you phone to make a claim; it became clear at the outset that the person taking the call was just after a way to find any evidence at all to stop them paying out. When I brought my insurance I was told I had a 3 year moratorium, however when I phoned to claim that somehow became 5? They blamed this on the insurance broker and a misunderstanding, but honestly it was apparent from the outset that they were going to move heaven and earth not to pay out. I feel I've been paying out every month for worthless cover. The staff member thought I'd started my policy in July 2019 and wouldn't pay because of the amazing time-travelling moratorium, but when I pointed out my cover started in December 2019 somehow, by sleight of hand, had I had my cover for 3 months longer I actually would have been covered. How does that work? Reviewed on: 22nd September 2021

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

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