Business Medical Insurance — Explained
What are value added benefits?
Value added benefits are a collection of additional services included alongside a private medical insurance (PMI) policy that sit outside the core clinical cover — providing access to everyday health and wellbeing support that policyholders can use whether or not they have an active medical need.
They are typically included as standard rather than as a paid add-on, and vary between insurers in both the range of services offered and the quality of access provided.
WHAT IS IT?
Value added benefits at a glance
Value added benefits cover a broad range of services that complement the main PMI policy. The most commonly included benefits centre on digital health access — virtual GP consultations, health monitoring tools, and wellbeing apps — though some insurers extend this further to include services such as second opinion access, health assessments, and lifestyle support programmes.
Unlike the core clinical benefits of a PMI policy, value added benefits are generally available to use at any time and do not require a diagnosis, referral, or active claim to access. They are designed to support everyday health management and early intervention — helping policyholders stay well rather than just treating them when they become unwell.
Because value added benefits are bundled into the policy rather than selected individually, policyholders do not always know they have access to them. The range and quality of these services varies considerably between insurers, and some providers place significantly more investment in this area than others.
For policyholders who make active use of digital health tools, virtual GP services, and wellbeing support, the value added benefits included with a policy can be a meaningful factor in choosing between providers — particularly where the core clinical cover across comparable plans is otherwise similar.
IN PLAIN ENGLISH
Value added benefits are the extras that come with your PMI policy that you can use day-to-day, without needing to make a claim. They most commonly include a virtual GP service, health and wellbeing apps, and other digital health tools — and are usually available to you from the moment your policy starts.
How it fits into your policy
Value added benefits sit alongside the core cover of a PMI policy and are available independently of the clinical benefits. They do not interact with the policy excess and are not subject to the same underwriting or referral requirements as treatment-related cover.
For many policyholders, the virtual GP service included within value added benefits is the most frequently used element of their entire PMI policy — providing fast access to a doctor for general health queries, prescription requests, and referral letters without drawing on the outpatient benefit or triggering the claims process.
The breadth of value added benefits available varies by insurer. Some providers offer a basic digital package, while others include a more extensive suite of services covering mental health support, fitness tracking, health risk assessments, and personalised wellbeing programmes. When comparing policies, it is worth looking beyond the clinical headline benefits to understand what day-to-day support is included.
What's typically included
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Virtual GP consultations (telephone or video)
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24/7 health advice lines
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Mental health and wellbeing support tools
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Health and fitness apps
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Health risk assessments
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Physiotherapy self-referral tools (on selected policies)
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Second medical opinion services (on selected policies)
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Stress and resilience programmes
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Nutritional and lifestyle guidance
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Rewards and incentive programmes (on selected policies)