Pruhealth gym loophole Article Discussion

PMISpecialist_2

sacherlover wrote: »

I logged on to PruHealth to read my Articles for this month and there is a message about more changes to policies:

Fitbug – Our offering and pricing is changing from the 1st July 09.
Screening – From the 1st July we are limiting the number of screenings we’ll subsidise for each of our members each year. You will be eligible for two subsidised screens per policy year – one of which can be a full screen. Prices will be increasing.
Cineworld – From the 10th July we’re enhancing our existing offer; new and renewing members who don't have a Cineworld Unlimited card will be able to take advantage of two tickets for the price of one!
Champneys – From the 1st July members may take one guest at a special guest rate and visits to Champneys will be limited to three per policy year.

PMI Specialist, do you have any more information about this?

With the Champneys changes is that three visits per year (of any length) or three nights per year?

Also, is anyone aware of what is likely to happen with the Gym deal in October. I recall reading that PruHealth signed the gyms up to a five year deal that expires in October 2009.

Sacherlover

Hi Sacherlover,

I have sent you an email with a nicely detailed 'July09 Changes' pdf document attached.

Does anyone have any idea's about how i can provide a link from this forum to the pdf document so anyone who wans to see it can? If not i can email it to whoever wants to see it please send me a PM (Private message) with an email address.

Reading in between the lines and in a nutshell, they broke even last year and are determined to make a profit this year. Some of the subsidising have had to be cut back a bit due to cost and the premiums raised (6% for new joiners and 10% for existing members). Gym deal unaffected . :T Will find out about the gym contracts for you, i have heard nothing on the grapevine.

I am due to attend a health insurance seminar next week which Pru are attending so will keep you posted if i hear anything then.

Not too worried out the cost most PMI providers put their costs up this much too.

I'm currently paying £3.46 for PMI & get free gym and all the other worthwhile discounts which i think most people will agree is amazing. If/when it goes up to just under £4 per month i won't be spitting too miffed. :beer: Please note they can't put your premium up till renewal. Your insurance premium stays the same till your renewal date (unless you change something on the policy i.e. add someone, upgrade etc then they will just change it accordingly).

PMISpecialist_2

Regarding the Gym contracts 5 Year deals were signed in October 2007 with LA Fitness, Virgin and Cannons (now nuffield) so not due to runout till October 2012.

There is between 30,000 and 40,000 Pruhealth members with these gyms this number is growing, there's no reason it can't be 60,000-70,000 when the contract comes up for renewal in 2012 so as you can imagine both Pruhealth and the gyms eager to keep this going as long as their making money.

AllyBeee

This sounds interesting, i want to join JJB but i dont want to pay over the odds since i cycle a lot and have stuff at home too. Any idea how much the membership is through the Pru?

Charliezoo

PMISpecialist wrote: »

Suggested quick route how to get to Platinum for Individual female under 40 with no chronic conditions (i.e. athsma, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol) in five months.

Register on line..............50
Pap smear...................150
Being a Non smoker....150
Lifestyle Goal................50
Fitness Assesment.......300 ( you do not have to be a member of the gym to have this)
Healthy Meal plan.........50
Fitbug/Polar................750
Vitality review..............100
Reading lifestyle article 150
Stress Assesment..........50
Basic Health screen.....200
Ebay purchase...............40

TOTAL.....................2040


Please compare this table with the vitality points list link below. This should answer most questions you have. I find it very handy to refer back to.

https://www.pruhealth.co.uk/medical/pruVitality/pdfs/vitality_points_summary.pdf


If you have a chronic condition (i.e. athsma, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol) and/or are over 40 and/or join as a couple you can get to platinum in 3 months or less.

Obviously the above route is one of many ways to get to platinum, you may wish to remove one way of scoring points and add another from the table linked above to suit you better. If you found this route a bit intensive then stretch out your time span from say 5 months to 7 months as you do have 12 months each year in order to score the 2000 points to get you to platinum.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

I wonder if Pru Health will accept Pap test results from before the policy started? I had one in September and my GP won't let me have another for 3 years (not that I particularly want to go through that again!:o) but it does seem a shame to lose out on the points....

PMISpecialist_2

Charliezoo wrote: »

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

I wonder if Pru Health will accept Pap test results from before the policy started? I had one in September and my GP won't let me have another for 3 years (not that I particularly want to go through that again!:o) but it does seem a shame to lose out on the points....

Doesn't sound to pleasant i must admit!

I don't think they will unfortunately. Best to call and ask.

Dynamite_Diva

Hi
I've just joined Pru Health - go live on Thursday - but I'm relying on Fitbug to be my 'exercise' buddy rather than joining a gym. I saw the 'offer' with Fitbug was changing on 1st July. Pru wouldn't tell me anything. I did contact Fitbug directly and they said there was a new version of Fitbug coming out but might not be ready until August

"The new bug will boast a brand new design, new functionality such as calculating speed, differentiating between walking and running, and an alarm. The new bug will also be more accurate when calculating your steps.

If you do wish to wait for the new bug, I would recommend placing your order for the 1st August as the date giving by Pru is only approximate and they may not be available by then, but they should definately be available in August."

My predicament is - the Fitbug is obviously going to be an improved version but I don't want to be waiting to log 'workouts' as it delays me working towards platinum but also after 1st July, I don't know if this new Fitbug is going to cost a lot more or if there will be radically different pricing structure from Pru for it.

Anyone had any luck in getting this info from Pru? I suppose I could buy the current Fitbug for £15 and then change it later for the new model at whatever price that is - but that seems expensive approach.

D

PMISpecialist_2

Dynamite_Diva wrote: »

Hi
I've just joined Pru Health - go live on Thursday - but I'm relying on Fitbug to be my 'exercise' buddy rather than joining a gym. I saw the 'offer' with Fitbug was changing on 1st July. Pru wouldn't tell me anything. I did contact Fitbug directly and they said there was a new version of Fitbug coming out but might not be ready until August

"The new bug will boast a brand new design, new functionality such as calculating speed, differentiating between walking and running, and an alarm. The new bug will also be more accurate when calculating your steps.

If you do wish to wait for the new bug, I would recommend placing your order for the 1st August as the date giving by Pru is only approximate and they may not be available by then, but they should definately be available in August."

My predicament is - the Fitbug is obviously going to be an improved version but I don't want to be waiting to log 'workouts' as it delays me working towards platinum but also after 1st July, I don't know if this new Fitbug is going to cost a lot more or if there will be radically different pricing structure from Pru for it.

Anyone had any luck in getting this info from Pru? I suppose I could buy the current Fitbug for £15 and then change it later for the new model at whatever price that is - but that seems expensive approach.

D

Hi Dynamite Diva,

It will be £30 from July.

So by the sounds of things, the question is whether your willing to wait until possibly August to buy 'the new' fitbug for double the price or not? No one (that i know of) knows how much better it is or isn't yet.

****************************************************************************************************
Quentin stop causing trouble all the time! Do you ever get bored of being such an a*s ? (Sorry Dynamite Diva)

luckyfool

PMISpecialist - do you know if the changes to the Cineworld benefit to "improve it" means that the cineworld unlimited card benefit option is being withdrawn from 1st July, or is the change an addition rather than a replacement? I have a current card and just wondering whether I will be able to renew it when it expires.

outerbanks

No the cineworld unlimited card will not be withdrawn. PruHealth are introducing 2-4-1 cinema tickets through cineworld in addition from july

PMISpecialist_2

outerbanks wrote: »

No the cineworld unlimited card will not be withdrawn. PruHealth are introducing 2-4-1 cinema tickets through cineworld in addition from july

Hi Luckyfool,

Yes i agree 100% with Outerbanks.

This is part of the document that was sent to me via Pru regarding Cineworld changes:


Cineworld

Summary: All PruHealth members, regardless of status, may ‘buy-one-getone-
free’.

Detail: Regardless of status, PruHealth members may purchase 1 Cineworld
cinema ticket and receive a second free.

Only 1 pair of 2-for-1 tickets may be purchased per member per month via the
Member Zone.

Cineworld Unlimited Card holders are not eligible for this offer.
The free ticket must be used at the same screening as the paid ticket.

Why the change: A great benefit, accessible by all statuses.

Effective date: Available to all new business from 10 July 2009 and existing
PruHealth members at renewal.

The annual unlimited pass remains unchanged.