Pruhealth scrapping its free/discounted gym loophole in November. Discussion

cheeky

very helpful thanks!!

SmileY_4

so from what i understand, theres none of this twice in a week to the gym malarky anymore but you get 10 points for going ... is there a max on this? say i went 3 times a week (unlikely in most cases) would i get more points? will still take a long time to get to 3,000 points!

to join the gym or not to join the gym ... that is the question!

Bargain_Rzl

You can only get a maximum of 150 points per calendar month from going to the gym, up to an overall annual cap of 1,500.

You can, as established earlier in the thread, also earn up to 10 points a day by logging over 12,500 steps on your Fitbug (5 points for >10,000), but you can only get these points on days when you DON'T also earn points by going to the gym. The number of points you can build up on your Fitbug has no monthly cap, but the annual limit on number of gym point and number of Fitbug points ADDED TOGETHER is restricted to 1,500.

Edit: I note you mentioned needing to achieve 3,000 points - the points target for Platinum is 2,000 for an individual, not 3,000. Or are you talking about couple/family membership? If so, the caps are different but the same principle applies.

Gambit

Bargain_Rzl wrote: »

The number of points you can build up on your Fitbug has no monthly cap, but the annual limit on number of gym point and number of Fitbug points ADDED TOGETHER is restricted to 1,500.

I spoke to PruHealth today and they confirmed that the annual cap for the gym visits and fitbug are not related ie. you can earn 1500 points a year for gym visits and a further 1500 points a year for fitbug steps.

Bargain_Rzl

I'm honestly not sure you have been advised correctly there, Gambit On the Pruhealth member zone it seems to make it quite clear that the overall category limits are as follows:

Education: 400 (individual), 800 (family)
Exercise: 1500 (individual), 3000 (family)
General: 50 (individual), 100 (family)
Nutrition: 1000 (individual), 2000 (family)
Screening: 1200 (individual), 2400 (family)
No Smoking: 200 (individual), 400 (family)

To me, that categorically says that an individual member can't earn more than 1500 points through Exercise activities (which include gym and Fitbug). On the other hand, fitness assessments are part of the Exercise category too, and I'm certain they count separately from the 1500-point cap, so I think the website is inconsistent.

Might be worth phoning them again and seeing if you get the same story from a different customer service person...

SmileY_4

thanks bargain ... yes sorry for a couple membership
we took the membership a couple of months ago but havnt joined a gym yet ... so its unlikely we will accumulate enough points for even silver membership by november.
so from the sounds of it i may as well go ahead and get gym membership as it only applies for a small amount of points anyway!

Bargain_Rzl

Well, actually - if what Gambit's been told is correct about gym and Fitbug not being capped jointly - if you and your OH both joined the gym now, and got a Fitbug each, you could be getting up to 150 points a month each for the gym, and the same again from Fitbug on all the days when you don't go to the gym (so let's say 150+150 each per month, for three months) that'd be 900 points each, 1,800 points between you. A free fitness assessment each would give you another 300 points each, giving you a total of 2,400. You could get another 300 points for both making the non smoking declaration... then there's the Nutrition and Education points and you'd be well on your way!

I STRONGLY recommend that you contact Pruhealth customer services and make sure you have it explained to you in black and white what your points limits are per day and per month, as a couple. Because I'm not sure I understand it any more, after what Gambit said.

SmileY_4

you make it sound so easy bargain!!
as the main policy holder is my OH ill make her suffer the call
hopefully gambit is right though!

JonnyC_2

Bargain_Rzl wrote: »

Yes, you keep your status.

Example - me: will be Platinum by next month and expect to have about 2,300 points when my policy renews at the end of September. As I'm going into my second policy year, I will start the year with 10% of my points carried over (230 points, so if I was a new customer with that many points I'd be Bronze) but because I have reached Platinum as at the policy anniversary, I will (a) get 100% of this year's premium off next year's premium, and (b) remain Platinum status until September 2009.

If you're on Gold when your policy renews, you'll get 75% of this year's premiums off next year's premiums, and will qualify for a year's worth of Gold-level discounts/gym rates. If you reach Platinum in your next policy year, your discounts will - as I understand it - increase to Platinum level from that point onwards, and obviously be carried forward to the year after that.

Thanks for clearing that up. So say I reach Platinum status by Jan 2009 will my platinum discount for gym take effect in the next billing month i.e. Feb 2009 onwards?

Gambit

Bargain_Rzl wrote: »

To me, that categorically says that an individual member can't earn more than 1500 points through Exercise activities (which include gym and Fitbug). On the other hand, fitness assessments are part of the Exercise category too, and I'm certain they count separately from the 1500-point cap, so I think the website is inconsistent.

Might be worth phoning them again and seeing if you get the same story from a different customer service person...

That is weird... I will def call them tomorrow and ask about that as if that's the case it may not be as easy for me to get to Platinum as I first thought!