Leading insurers AXA and Aviva enhance cancer cover

Feb. 1, 2012 - PRLog -- Welcome to the health insurance industry news roundup from The Health Insurance Group. We   provide independent, impartial advice on the best medical insurance policies for individuals and businesses. Our news articles aim to provide information on the latest stories from the private healthcare industry. If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about private medical insurance, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Private Medical Insurance Premiums on the rise
The latest big story from the private healthcare market is that the UK’s largest health insurance providers are increasing premiums by up to 20% this year. This record rise in premiums is due to the increasing cost of medical treatments and consultant’s fees. And with household budgets still feeling the squeeze, the number of medical insurance policyholders overall continues to be affected: 2010 alone saw a fall of 11.5%, according to analysts Laing & Buisson.
Enhancing cover
The pressures of affordability have been widely evident over the past two years, with private medical insurance seeing less uptake as the volume of disposable income continues to decrease.
Health insurance providers have been working hard to balance these pressures with the demand for improved cancer cover. Leading providers AXA and Aviva have taken steps to enhance their health cover for cancer and its associated treatments.
AXA’s enhanced offer now includes cover for experimental drug treatments as long as they are part of an ethical trial and pre-agreed with the insurer. Experimental surgery will also now be considered for approval by clinical teams. Additionally, outpatient consultations for cancer won’t count towards member outpatient limits.
Aviva have removed time limits on their targeted drug therapies, from 12 months to full policy cover. Aviva now cover scans that look for changes in the bones, and also drugs that help keep bones strong during cancer.
Choice
Private health insurance providers – both established and new – are now, more than ever, focussed on delivering choice to their members.
Initiatives to increase policies’ flexibility, cover for managed care or overseas treatments – while offering competitive pricing – will be the aims for all health insurers in 2012.
These objectives will help to introduce significant choice into the healthcare market – and since the consequences of making the wrong choice can be profound at point of claim – this makes it more important than ever for customers to select an independent intermediary for help in guiding them through the options.

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The Health Insurance Group provides independent, impartial advice on the best medical insurance policies for individuals and businesses. For more information please visit http://www.healthinsurancegroup.co.uk/