Aviva vs The Exeter health insurance — broker comparison

A side-by-side comparison of Aviva and The Exeter UK private medical insurance, written by the brokers who place both. We compare hospital networks, underwriting, outpatient and mental-health limits, and where each insurer wins on renewal.

At a glance

Where Aviva wins

• Out-patient cover is unlimited as standard rather than sold as a separate module (Aviva Healthier Solutions brochure, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• No limit published on the number of eligible claims you can make (Aviva Healthier Solutions brochure, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• Aviva Digital GP app: unlimited video GP consultations, repeat NHS prescription ordering with free UK delivery, and up to six consultations with a menopause-trained health professional, provided by Square Health as a non-contractual benefit that Aviva can change or withdraw (Aviva Health Adviser, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• MyHealthCounts digital health tool can qualify members for up to 15% off their renewal premium if health actions are completed between months 6 and 9 of the policy year (Aviva Health Adviser, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• Aviva's Six Week Option carries its own terms and conditions, set out in a separate PDF rather than the main brochure, which we check with clients before they rely on it (Aviva, Healthier Solutions terms and conditions, static.aviva.io/.../gen6842.pdf, checked 15 Oct 2026).

Where The Exeter wins

• Unlimited in-patient and day-patient treatment, and comprehensive cancer cover with no time or financial limit, as core cover on every Health+ policy (Health+ IPID, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• A graduated No Claims Discount: the Health+ Product Guide states a member's discount will never move down by more than three levels in any one policy year, and it starts moving back up after a claim-free year (Health+ Product Guide, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• HealthWise app benefits — including unlimited remote GP appointments, two second medical opinion consultations a year and six physiotherapy, mental health, lifestyle, nutrition and dietitian consultations a year — included for Health+ members and immediate family at no extra cost (Health+ Product Guide, checked 15 Oct 2026).

Aviva watch-outs

• Chronic and long-term conditions are not covered; Aviva may cover an unexpected acute flare-up of a chronic condition until it is re-stabilised, except this exclusion doesn't apply to cancer treatment (Aviva Health Adviser, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• Specialists' and practitioners' fees are paid only up to the limits in Aviva's fee schedules, and hospital fees and CT/MRI/PET scans are covered in full only at a facility agreed by Aviva (Aviva Healthier Solutions Insurance Product Information Document, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• Pregnancy and childbirth are excluded, though related conditions that can also occur outside pregnancy are covered; birth control and infertility treatment are excluded (Aviva Healthier Solutions Insurance Product Information Document, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• If you reduce your out-patient limit, some in-patient and day-patient benefits are removed too (Aviva Health Adviser, checked 15 Oct 2026).

The Exeter watch-outs

• Health+ is a single PMI product, not a combined PMI-and-cash-plan policy; The Exeter sells a separate Cash Plan product, so dental and optical cash benefits are not built into Health+ (The Exeter product range pages, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• Outpatient consultations and diagnostics, mental health cover and therapies cover are optional add-ons, not automatic; leaving them out removes that cover (Health+ IPID, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• New applicants must be aged 18–79 inclusive at the policy start date — this is a published limit, not an open-ended acceptance age (Health+ data capture form, checked 15 Oct 2026).
• There is no direct-access route: claims are made through a GP referral and must be authorised by The Exeter before treatment (Health+ IPID, checked 15 Oct 2026).

Hospital access compared

Aviva: You choose one hospital option when you take out Healthier Solutions, and it affects your premium: Expert Select (guided choice at claim time), the Key list (200+ hospitals nationwide), the Extended list (adds more hospitals, mainly in Greater London, for an extra cost), the Trust list (NHS/partnership private patient units, subject to catchment area) or the Signature list (Scotland and Northern Ireland only) (Aviva Healthier Solutions Insurance Product Information Document and Health Adviser product pages, checked 15 Oct 2026). Aviva doesn't publish a current total hospital count for Healthier Solutions beyond the Key list figure, so we check which hospitals and specialists a specific quote covers before recommending it.

The Exeter: On Health+ Traditional you choose from three named hospital lists (Essential, Standard or Extended); the list with the most hospitals costs more. On Health+ Guided there is no hospital list at the point of sale — The Exeter recommends a shortlist of specialists, pre-negotiated on fees, when you claim (The Exeter cover-options and adviser Health+ pages, checked 15 Oct 2026). The Exeter does not publish a count of hospitals on its own site, so we confirm which named hospitals are on your chosen list before you buy.

Underwriting compared

PremierPMI verdict

Aviva's Healthier Solutions is a modular policy that puts unlimited out-patient cover and cancer treatment into its core, then lets you add or strip back cover and choose a hospital option to manage price. We check the hospital option and any reduced out-patient limit against a client's needs before recommending it.

The Exeter is a mutual friendly society whose single PMI product, Health+, gives unlimited in-patient, day-patient and cancer cover as standard, with a choice between a named hospital list (Traditional) and a lower-cost guided-specialist route (Guided). It's worth comparing for clients who want that structure and a graduated no-claims discount, provided you check your own quote against the 18–79 joining-age window and confirm which hospitals or specialists sit on your chosen route.

• Choose Aviva if: Unlimited out-patient cover as standard, with flexible hospital options.
• Choose The Exeter if: Mutual structure, named hospital list or guided route, unlimited cancer cover.
• Both are placed whole-of-market by PremierPMI — we quote each side by side so you compare like for like before you commit.

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 020 4525 0884, or email contact@premierpmi.co.uk.