The AXA Health Plan reviewed: care options, hospital directory, excess, no-claims discount and cancer care, sourced from AXA's own documents.
AXA Health Insurance Review — from £42.05/mo
AXA Health UK private medical insurance review — cover, hospital list, underwriting, claims and pricing from PremierPMI.
What AXA Health cover includes
A build-your-own plan: choose outpatient, inpatient, cancer and mental health care separately, for each person on the policy.
AXA Health's personal policy is the AXA Health Plan. Instead of a fixed core, you choose care options: Outpatient diagnosis and care, Inpatient and day patient care, and Cancer care can each be bought on their own, and Mental health care is added to one of them. Different people on the same plan can have different options, and the plan can include a partner, children, parents, grandparents and grandchildren even if they live at different addresses. Every member aged 18 or over gets a 24/7 online and phone GP and 24/7 health and mental health support lines. AXA leads our 2026 assessment at 4.5 out of 5 on our published method, mainly on depth of cover and cancer cover; it scored lower on value across ages, where we score every insurer the same way.
AXA Health at a glance
- Established: AXA PPP Healthcare Limited, incorporated 15 January 1996 (Companies House 03148119).
- Head office: Registered office: 20 Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 0BG.
- Regulation: AXA PPP Healthcare Limited is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA (FRN 202947).
- Best suited to: Building cover in separate blocks; Families with different needs on one plan; Cancer cover with no time limit on drug treatment
- Indicative starting premium: £42.05/mo
- PremierPMI broker rating: 4.5 out of 5
- Personal plan: AXA Health Plan, built from care options (checked 15 Oct 2026)
- Outpatient: Up to three specialist consultations a year, or no yearly limit; tests and scans on specialist referral
- Cancer care: Chemotherapy and biological therapies with no time limit on how long drugs are covered; outpatient drugs not covered
- Mental health care: Optional; talking therapies with GP referral, specialist and initial inpatient care
- NHS cash benefit: £50 a day or night, up to £2,000 a membership year
- AXA published price example: £42.05 a month: 30-year-old in Bournemouth, outpatient, inpatient and cancer cover, £250 excess, foundation hospital network (AXA Health, 14 April 2026)
AXA Health plan tiers compared
| Plan | Positioning | Typical use / limits |
|---|---|---|
| Inpatient and day patient care | Hospital stays and day-patient treatment at hospitals covered by your plan, plus follow-up physio after a covered stay. | The base most clients start from. |
| Outpatient diagnosis and care | Specialist consultations (three a year or unlimited), tests and scans, up to 10 physio/osteo/chiro sessions, second opinion. | Clients who want a quick diagnosis without paying themselves. |
| Cancer care | Surgery, drug treatment, radiotherapy, monitoring and palliative care for a new cancer. | Most clients; can be bought on its own. |
| Mental health care | Talking therapies, specialist and initial inpatient psychiatric care; not for conditions referred to a specialist in the five years before joining. | Added to another option. |
AXA Health hospital access and network
AXA covers treatment at hospitals and scanning centres in its Directory of Hospitals; the Extended Cover Option adds UK facilities outside the Directory. You can also lower the price by choosing a specialist from AXA's list or letting AXA source one. AXA does not publish hospital counts, so we confirm the hospitals included on each quote, especially in London.
Underwriting basis
- AXA covers only new conditions that develop after you join.
- Moratorium or full medical underwriting are offered (published on AXA's business pages; we confirm personal terms at quote).
- If you're switching from another insurer, we confirm with AXA whether existing exclusions carry across before you cancel.
Indicative AXA Health premiums by age
Illustrative desk figures, not quotes — every premium is individually underwritten.
Making a claim
Typical pre-authorisation turnaround: Contact AXA before treatment; AXA can book the specialist for you. App: AXA Health online services. Escalation route: If a claim stalls, we contact AXA on your behalf and keep you updated..
- 24/7 online and phone GP (members 18+).
- Online muscles, bones and joints service without a GP referral (18+, with the outpatient option).
- 24/7 health support line and 24/7 mental health support line.
Cover detail our brokers check first
- Mental health: Optional Mental health care: talking therapies with a GP referral, specialist consultations and initial inpatient care; excludes conditions referred to a specialist in the five years before joining.
- Cancer pathway: Optional Cancer care: surgery, chemotherapy and biological therapies with no time limit on drug cover, radiotherapy, home chemotherapy, monitoring and palliative care. Outpatient drugs not covered.
- Digital GP: 24/7 video or phone GP or Advanced Clinical Practitioner for members 18+, subject to availability.
- Dental & optical: Optional cashback: 80% of dentist fees up to £400 a year; 80% of glasses and lenses up to £200; up to £25 for an eye test.
- Family options: Partner, children, parents, grandparents and grandchildren on one plan, even at different addresses, each with their own care options.
- International cover: Not published for the personal AXA Health Plan on the pages we checked; confirm at quote.
Where AXA Health stands out
- Different care options for different people on one plan.
- No time limit on how long Cancer care covers chemotherapy and biological therapies, with monitoring for as long as you remain a member with the option.
- Outpatient option includes up to 10 combined physio, osteopathy or chiropractic sessions and an online muscles, bones and joints service without a GP referral (18+).
Watch-outs before you buy
- Cancer care and Mental health care are options, not automatic; leaving them out removes that cover.
- Tests and scans are covered only on a specialist's referral, not when a GP refers you directly.
- Outpatient drugs are not covered under Cancer care.
- Mental health care excludes conditions referred to a specialist in the five years before joining.
Switching to AXA Health
| Switching from | What to check |
|---|---|
| Any UK insurer | We confirm with AXA whether your existing exclusions carry across before you cancel your current policy. |
| Bupa | If mental health cover is your priority, compare Bupa's ongoing mental health support with AXA's optional Mental health care before moving. |
| Vitality | AXA's renewal price isn't linked to an activity programme; check AXA's no-claims discount buy-back and protection options instead. |
AXA Health for businesses and groups
| Company size | Positioning | Broker note |
|---|---|---|
| Sole trader / director-only | AXA Health priced as a personal PMI policy paid via the limited company where allowable — treated as a P11D benefit in kind at HMRC's discretion. | For most single-director firms we place personal cover and route the invoice through the company. Speak to your accountant on the BIK treatment. |
| 3–20 lives (small SME) | AXA Health group scheme — one master policy, one renewal date, medical history disregarded (MHD) usually available at 5+ lives. | This is the sweet spot for growing businesses. MHD from day one removes the biggest friction point for new hires. |
| 20–500 lives (mid-market) | AXA Health corporate — bespoke plan design, dedicated account manager, wellness and claims MI reporting typically included. | PremierPMI runs a full tender at renewal — we do not accept 'roll the incumbent' pricing without a market check. |
PremierPMI broker desk notes
- We check the hospitals and specialists included on every AXA quote, because narrowing that choice is one of the main ways AXA lowers the price.
- For families, AXA's option to give each person different cover can be cheaper than one level for everyone; we price both ways.
AXA Health compared with other insurers
| Versus | Broker verdict |
|---|---|
| Bupa | Bupa scored 4.3 to AXA's 4.5 on our method; Bupa is our pick for mental health cover, AXA for building cover in separate blocks. |
| Aviva | Aviva (4.0) is our pick for price control, with excesses from £100 to £5,000 and a six-week NHS option. |
| Vitality | Vitality (4.2) links renewal increases to your activity status; AXA does not use an activity programme. |
Broker verdict
AXA Health leads our 2026 assessment because you can build exactly the cover you need, person by person, and its Cancer care option has no time limit on drug treatment. Check that the hospitals and specialists on your quote are the ones you'd want to use.
Best for: Build-your-own cover, person by person.
AXA Health leads PremierPMI's 2026 assessment at 4.5 out of 5. Its AXA Health Plan lets you choose outpatient, inpatient, cancer and mental health care separately for each person, and its Cancer care option has no time limit on drug treatment.
Common questions
Is AXA health insurance good?
AXA Health leads our 2026 assessment at 4.5 out of 5 on our published method. Its strengths are flexibility (separate care options per person) and cancer cover with no time limit on drug treatment. In Which?'s April 2026 claimant survey AXA Health scored 76% (186 respondents; unweighted, small sample).
How much does AXA health insurance cost per month?
AXA Health quotes £42.05 a month for a 30-year-old in Bournemouth with outpatient, inpatient and cancer cover, a £250 excess and its foundation hospital network (AXA Health, 14 April 2026). Your price depends on age, postcode, options, excess, hospitals and underwriting. AXA gives a 5% discount for paying yearly.
Can I include family on an AXA plan?
Yes. AXA lets you add a partner, children, parents, grandparents and grandchildren, even if they live at different addresses, and each person can have different care options.
Does AXA cover mental health?
Only if you add the Mental health care option. It covers talking therapies with a GP referral, specialist consultations and an initial period of inpatient care, for conditions that start after you join. It doesn't cover conditions referred to a specialist in the five years before joining.
Does AXA Health cover children?
Yes. Children can be on the same plan as you, with their own care options. AXA also covers costs for one parent to stay in hospital with a child having covered treatment.
Can I keep my existing consultant if I switch to AXA?
Only if they're covered by your AXA plan. AXA can lower the price if you choose from its specialist list or let it source one, so we check your consultant is included before you switch.
What does AXA Health insurance cover?
AXA Health sells one personal plan, the AXA Health Plan, built from care options you choose: Outpatient diagnosis and care, Inpatient and day patient care, Cancer care and Mental health care, with dental and optical cashback as an extra. You can give different people on the plan different options. AXA leads our 2026 assessment at 4.5 out of 5.
For clients in London and the Home Counties we check which hospitals and specialists the quoted AXA plan includes before recommending it, because AXA lets you lower the price by narrowing hospital and specialist choice.
- Outpatient diagnosis and care, Inpatient and day patient care and Cancer care can each be bought on their own; Mental health care must sit with one of them (AXA, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Cancer care covers chemotherapy and biological therapies with no time limit on how long the drugs are covered, and monitoring for as long as you stay a member with the option (AXA, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Partners, children, parents, grandparents and grandchildren can join one plan even at different addresses (AXA, checked 15 Oct 2026).
How the AXA Health Plan is built
There is no fixed core policy: you choose care options as building blocks. Inpatient and day patient care must be included if you buy Cancer care and Outpatient diagnosis and care together.
Source: AXA Health, health insurance (axahealth.co.uk/personal-health-insurance, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, compare cover options (axahealth.co.uk/health-insurance/compare-health-insurance-options, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Inpatient and day patient care — Private hospital stays, day-patient unit fees and scanning centres paid in full at hospitals covered by your plan; specialists' fees, theatre and nursing costs; follow-up outpatient tests and physiotherapy after a covered stay, even without the outpatient option.
- Outpatient diagnosis and care — Specialist consultations (up to three a year, or no yearly limit, chosen when you build the plan); as many tests, scans and x-rays as you need on specialist referral; up to 10 combined physio, osteopathy or chiropractic sessions; a second opinion service.
- Cancer care — Private surgery and drug treatment for a new cancer diagnosed after you join, with phone support from cancer nurses and a dedicated case manager.
- Mental health care — Talking therapies with a GP referral, specialist consultations, and inpatient psychiatric care for an initial period of admission, for conditions that start after you join.
- Everyday healthcare (members 18+) — 24/7 online and phone GP, a 24/7 health support line with nurses and a 24/7 mental health support line, included with every plan.
AXA options and what each adds
Each option changes the price. Leaving one out lowers the premium but removes that whole area of cover.
Source: AXA Health, health insurance (axahealth.co.uk/personal-health-insurance, checked 15 Oct 2026).
| Option | What it adds | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient diagnosis and care | Specialist consultations, tests and scans before any hospital stay | Can be bought on its own |
| Inpatient and day patient care | Hospital stays, day-patient treatment, NHS cash benefit | Required if you take Cancer care and Outpatient together |
| Cancer care | Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, monitoring, palliative treatment | Can be bought on its own |
| Mental health care | Talking therapies, specialist and inpatient psychiatric care | Must be added to another option |
| Dental and optical cashback | 80% of dentist fees up to £400 a year; 80% of glasses and lenses up to £200; up to £25 for an eye test | Optional extra |
AXA hospital options
AXA covers private treatment at hospitals, day-patient units and scanning centres in its Directory of Hospitals. The Extended Cover Option adds cover at UK facilities not in the Directory. AXA also says you can lower the price by choosing a specialist from its list, or letting it source one.
Sources: AXA Personal Health membership handbook, April 2026 (AXA document; copy hosted at usaycompare.co.uk/hubfs/Axa Personal Health Handbook April 2026.pdf, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, how can I control the cost of my plan (checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, flexible healthcare cover for SMEs (checked 15 Oct 2026). Hospital counts are not published in these documents.
| Option | What AXA publishes | What we check at quote |
|---|---|---|
| Directory of Hospitals (standard) | Treatment covered only at hospitals, day-patient units and scanning centres listed in the Directory; outside it, only a small cash payment | Whether your nearest and preferred hospitals are listed |
| Extended Cover Option | Paid in full up to normal published daily rates at any UK hospital, day-patient unit or scanning centre not in the Directory; some private GP cover; treatment abroad up to the UK cost | Whether you need hospitals outside the Directory, e.g. in central London |
| Specialist from AXA's list | Can lower the price on some plans | Whether your preferred consultant is on it |
| Specialist sourced by AXA | AXA chooses and books the specialist; unauthorised treatment is not covered | Whether you're comfortable not choosing the specialist |
| Business plans | Business Protect gives access to fewer hospitals and specialists than Business Health | Which plan suits the team's locations |
How the AXA excess works
Your membership certificate shows whether you have an excess and how much. AXA takes it off the first claim for each person in each membership year, once per person per year, however many claims or conditions.
Sources: AXA Personal Health membership handbook, April 2026 (AXA document; copy hosted at usaycompare.co.uk/hubfs/Axa Personal Health Handbook April 2026.pdf, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, what is an excess (checked 15 Oct 2026). The personal excess amounts you can choose are not listed in the handbook; AXA's business pages give £100, £250 and £500 as examples. We confirm the options at quote.
| Rule | What AXA's handbook says |
|---|---|
| Who pays | The excess applies per person: if two people claim, it comes off both claims |
| How often | Once per person per membership year |
| Worked example | Claim covered for £800 with a £100 excess: AXA pays £700 |
| Limits | Any benefit limit is applied before the excess is taken off |
| Claims over renewal | Excess is taken off before renewal and again after renewal |
| Changing it | Adding or raising an excess lowers the price; usually done at renewal |
AXA underwriting options
AXA covers new conditions that start after you join; pre-existing conditions are not covered. How they're treated depends on the underwriting you choose.
Sources: AXA Health, health insurance (axahealth.co.uk/personal-health-insurance, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, compare cover options (axahealth.co.uk/health-insurance/compare-health-insurance-options, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, flexible healthcare cover for SMEs (checked 15 Oct 2026). AXA's personal underwriting terms were not published in full on the pages we checked.
- Moratorium — AXA's business plans offer moratorium or full medical underwriting. On a moratorium, past conditions are excluded at first and may become eligible after a symptom-free period set out in the policy.
- Full medical underwriting — You disclose your history when you apply and exclusions are confirmed up front.
- Switching from another insurer — We confirm with AXA whether your current exclusions can carry across before you cancel an existing policy.
- Mental health look-back — The Mental health care option does not cover any mental health condition where you were referred to a specialist (other than your GP) in the five years before joining.
AXA Cancer care, item by item
Cancer care is an option, not automatic. With it, AXA covers a new cancer diagnosed after you join.
Source: AXA Health, compare cover options (axahealth.co.uk/health-insurance/compare-health-insurance-options, checked 15 Oct 2026). Bone-strengthening drugs and hospice care were not itemised on the pages we checked; confirm in the policy handbook.
- Drug treatment — Chemotherapy and biological therapies, with no time limit on how long the drugs are covered; licensed drugs not routinely available on the NHS when your specialist refers you. Outpatient drugs are not covered.
- Radiotherapy — Including radiotherapy used to relieve pain.
- Chemotherapy at home — IV chemotherapy at home if your doctor thinks it appropriate.
- Monitoring — Follow-up consultations for as long as you remain a member with the Cancer care option.
- Palliative treatment — Treatment to relieve pain or other symptoms.
- Wigs and specialist clothing — Up to £1,000 a year for wigs, head coverings or microblading, and up to £2,000 a year for specialist clothing, during active treatment.
AXA digital services
Members aged 18 and over get AXA's Everyday healthcare services with every plan.
Source: AXA Health, health insurance (axahealth.co.uk/personal-health-insurance, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, compare cover options (axahealth.co.uk/health-insurance/compare-health-insurance-options, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Online and phone GP — 24/7 video or phone appointments with a GP or Advanced Clinical Practitioner, subject to availability.
- Muscles, bones and joints online — A clinician advises on treatment without a GP referral, for members 18 and over (not chiropractic), with the outpatient option.
- Home blood assessment — An at-home diabetes and cholesterol check.
How to claim on AXA
Call AXA on 0800 027 1384, or go to your online account, before treatment so AXA can check your cover and tell you what to do next.
Source: AXA Personal Health membership handbook, April 2026 (AXA document; copy hosted at usaycompare.co.uk/hubfs/Axa Personal Health Handbook April 2026.pdf, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- 1. Get a referral — Most claims start with a GP referral; the online muscles, bones and joints service is an exception.
- 2. Pre-authorise — Call 0800 027 1384 or pre-authorise online at axahealth.co.uk/mol. AXA explains whether treatment is covered and normally you won't need to fill in any forms.
- 3. Tell the hospital you're an AXA member — So you're charged the fees AXA has agreed with the hospital or centre.
- 4. AXA pays the bills — Specialists and hospitals normally bill AXA directly. If you paid yourself, AXA refunds its agreed rates, minus any excess.
- 5. Extra information if needed — AXA may ask for GP or specialist reports or access to your records; forms must be returned within six months of treatment starting.
AXA no-claims discount
AXA's no-claims discount has 17 levels, from 0% to 80%. It rises one level each year a person doesn't claim and falls three levels at renewal for each person AXA paid a claim for.
Sources: AXA Personal Health membership handbook, April 2026 (AXA document; copy hosted at usaycompare.co.uk/hubfs/Axa Personal Health Handbook April 2026.pdf, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, how can I control the cost of my plan (checked 15 Oct 2026). Some claims, such as NHS cash benefits and dental and optical cashback, don't affect the discount.
| Rule | What AXA's handbook says |
|---|---|
| Scale | Levels 1 to 17: 0%, 15%, 25%, 35%, 43%, 50%, 55%, 59.5%, 63.5%, 67%, 70%, 72%, 74%, 76%, 77.5%, 79%, 80% |
| After a claim | Down three levels for that person, e.g. 50% falls to 25% |
| No claim | Up one level at renewal, to a maximum of 80% |
| What counts | Any payment, however small, dated by when AXA paid it; worked out up to three months before renewal |
| Protection | Some members can protect their discount for a small fee, within 30 days of renewal documents; a protected discount stays level after a claim |
| Buy-back | If you claimed, you can 'buy back' the claim cost to keep the discount higher |
AXA cash benefits and extras
Smaller benefits that add up, listed with AXA's published limits.
Sources: AXA Health, health insurance (axahealth.co.uk/personal-health-insurance, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, compare cover options (axahealth.co.uk/health-insurance/compare-health-insurance-options, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Family on one plan — Partner, children, parents, grandparents and grandchildren, even at different addresses, each with their own options.
- Staying with a child — Costs for one parent to stay in hospital with a child having covered treatment.
- Hotel for a relative — Up to £120 a night and £600 a year for a close relative or friend to stay nearby during private treatment.
- Prosthesis — Up to £5,000 over the lifetime of your membership.
- Ambulance — Road ambulance between private hospitals during covered treatment.
Using the NHS with AXA
If you use the NHS for treatment AXA would have covered, it pays you cash instead.
Source: AXA Health, compare cover options (axahealth.co.uk/health-insurance/compare-health-insurance-options, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- NHS cash benefit — £50 a day or night for NHS day-patient or inpatient treatment the plan would have covered, up to £2,000 a membership year.
- Six-week option — Not published for the personal AXA Health Plan on the pages we checked; confirm at quote.
How PremierPMI works with you on AXA
PremierPMI compares AXA with the other insurers we work with and explains the trade-offs before you buy.
- Free advice — Our advice is free to you. We're paid commission by the insurer you choose, and we tell you in writing before you buy.
- Side-by-side comparison — We show the AXA price next to other insurers' prices for similar cover, so you can compare.
- Help with claims — If a claim gets stuck, we chase AXA on your behalf.
- FCA regulated — PremierPMI is a trading style of Tesha Family Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 1029667). Companies House 11417747.
What AXA will not cover
AXA lists these key exclusions; the full list is in the policy handbook you receive with a quote.
Sources: AXA Health, health insurance (axahealth.co.uk/personal-health-insurance, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, compare cover options (axahealth.co.uk/health-insurance/compare-health-insurance-options, checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Chronic conditions — Treatment or monitoring of ongoing, recurring and long-term conditions.
- Pre-existing conditions — AXA covers only new conditions that develop after you join.
- Routine pregnancy and childbirth — Not covered.
- Dental procedures — Not covered, apart from certain oral surgery on dentist referral at certain hospitals.
- Outpatient drugs and dressings — Some treatments, outpatient drugs and dressings are excluded.
- Outpatient cancer drugs — Not covered under Cancer care.
- Tests on direct GP referral — Tests and scans are covered only on a specialist's referral, not when a GP refers you directly.
- Hospitals outside your plan — Tests or treatment at a hospital or scanning centre not covered by your plan.
- Recent mental health referrals — Mental health conditions referred to a specialist in the five years before joining.
- Mental health without the option — Not covered by the inpatient or outpatient options alone.
AXA Health plan names
AXA sells the AXA Health Plan direct, and Personal Health, Health For You and InSpire Health Plan through brokers. Health-on-Line plans are still serviced for existing members.
Sources: AXA Health, one month free for new individual members (broker offer 14 Sep to 13 Nov 2026, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Personal Health membership handbook, April 2026 (AXA document; copy hosted at usaycompare.co.uk/hubfs/Axa Personal Health Handbook April 2026.pdf, checked 15 Oct 2026); AXA Health, how can I control the cost of my plan (checked 15 Oct 2026). We could not find an IPID for these plans on AXA's site.
| Plan | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AXA Health Plan | Current, sold direct | Build from Outpatient, Inpatient, Cancer and Mental health care options |
| Personal Health | Current, sold through brokers | April 2026 handbook: Directory of Hospitals, optional Extended Cover, 17-level no-claims discount |
| Health For You | Current, sold through brokers | Named in AXA's autumn 2026 broker offer |
| InSpire | Current, sold through brokers as InSpire Health Plan | Named in AXA's autumn 2026 broker offer |
| Health-on-Line | Existing plans still serviced | Membership numbers start HOL/; separate helpline |
Price basis: Illustrative new-business monthly premium for a healthy non-smoker aged around 30 on the insurer's entry cover tier with a moderate excess and a mid-range hospital list. Every premium is medically underwritten — age, postcode, cover level, excess and modules all change the figure.
PremierPMI is a UK private medical insurance broker specialising in whole-of-market placement across 10+ leading UK health insurers including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA, Freedom Health, The Exeter, General & Medical and National Friendly. FCA regulated (Tesha Family Ltd, FRN 1029667). Speak to a broker on 020 4525 0884, WhatsApp 07515 703307, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk.
Ask a broker whether this insurer is the right fit for you
PremierPMI's brokers are available Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm. Call 020 4525 0884, message us on WhatsApp 07515 703307, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk. You can also request a callback or meet our team.
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