Pruhealth gym loophole Article Discussion

PMISpecialist_2

nickmack wrote: »

Browsing this, it seems PruHealth have realised it's too easy to get Gold/Platinum and have cut some of the heavier discounts/rewards for those who attain this status.

Hmmmm i'm looking at it in different way.

Reading in between the lines, Pruhealth only broke even last year and are determined to make a profit this year (they are in business so that is understandable). I'd worry if they kept posting losses as there is no way this "too good to be true" policy could keep going. So the best way for them to do this is push up the rates slightly and reduce some of the rewards and they should now make a profit next year and hope to keep expanding too by adding individual and company members.

They were not going to tinker with the gym deal again or they could trigger a mass exodus which would be very counter productive and could finish them.

The biggest change seems to be on the company plans where they are giving reduced cash back to those who achieve platinum etc There will inevitably be a few people a bit miffed at this although they are in all fairness giving the company's themselves the choice of either keeping the higher cashback and having higher premiums or lower cashback with lower premiums.

Fully comprehensive Screenings via hospitals like nuffield have more than doubled for a platinum member from £25 to £55 (however retail is £450+ so still not too outrageous).

The main thing is the really attractive rewards such as 100% of this years premium off next years & free/£8 monthly gym with nuffield virgin & la fitness is still on the table.

All the other rewards like annual cineworld pass for £25 (retail £144), 40% off Mark Warner, £40 per night at Champneys (retail £219) etc are still availiable.

Charliezoo

I had a call from a very helpful customer service advisor today who put the record straight about the Polar Watch points system.

The advisor I spoke to a couple of days ago did actually give me the wrong information. It is not the first workout of the day that is taken into account but ALL workouts are added together for that day and an average heartrate taken.

He admitted that it was not the fairest way of deciding the result, in fact he said there had been numerous complaints including one from a man who did a 5 hour run but didn't get the points as his heartrate averaged below 70%. How Pru can decide that his exercise that day wasn't enough is unreal!!

He said that Pru were currently in talks with Polar to make the system fairer and easier to use so fingers crossed it will be improved soon!

slewis1972

Anyone had a letter from pru saying they are starting direct debits for gym membership.

I am a pruprotect customer with gym via Nuffield and got this letter saying as a new customer I need to start paying for the gym but been with them like 9 months.

I rang them today and seems there has been a major cockup and retraction letters are going out and no money being taken from accounts.

Well, not sure I trust them so check your accounts if you are on Plat to see if any gym costs go out.

Scott

PMISpecialist_2

Just been informed of this:

Great news! From 1 July 2009 PruHealth
Virgin Active members will be able to access
other clubs as well as their home club.

Dear Adviser
A fantastic new feature has been added to Virgin Active gym membership – members may now visit a range of clubs, depending on the status of their home club, free of charge. Naturally Virgin Active have placed restrictions on the number of visits and the clubs that members may access, all of which are based on the status of the member’s home club.

All the terms and conditions, including the ‘access wizard’ which members can use to find out which clubs they are eligible to visit, can be found at the Virgin Active web site: www.virginactive.co.uk



Seems like very good news for some Virgin active members!

mark1024

Does anyone know if vitality points are awarded for a fitness assessment (200 in a gym) a month after a full nuffield health screening (400 points) ?

Many thanks

PMISpecialist_2

mark1024 wrote: »

Does anyone know if vitality points are awarded for a fitness assessment (200 in a gym) a month after a full nuffield health screening (400 points) ?

Many thanks

I am not sure i understand your question fully.

Yes they are awarded. It's 300 vitality points for a fitness assesment plus another 50 if you set it as one of your personal goals.

If it was a month ago you had a fitness assesment i would check directly with Pruhealth to double check if they have recieved your info from the gym you atteded. If not ask the gym for a copy and send yourself or ask gym to resend.

I always ask for a copy just in case after the assesment.

mark1024

PMISpecialist wrote: »

I am not sure i understand your question fully.

Yes they are awarded. It's 300 vitality points for a fitness assesment plus another 50 if you set it as one of your personal goals.
.

Well its for my partner who is having a nuffield screening tomorrow, gaining 400 points, and then in a month or two plans to have a fitness assessment in the virgin gym, hopefully gaining another 300. (Although I just checked and the vitality points pdf says it is 150 for an assessment)

I understand she may get more points for improvements from earlier assessments, but that will be the icing on the cake !

We need to make-up plenty of points to keep at platinum before renewal in a couple of months.
Thanks for the tip about adding a personal goal.

cheers

PMISpecialist_2

mark1024 wrote: »

Well its for my partner who is having a nuffield screening tomorrow, gaining 400 points, and then in a month or two plans to have a fitness assessment in the virgin gym, hopefully gaining another 300. (Although I just checked and the vitality points pdf says it is 150 for an assessment)

I understand she may get more points for improvements from earlier assessments, but that will be the icing on the cake !

We need to make-up plenty of points to keep at platinum before renewal in a couple of months.
Thanks for the tip about adding a personal goal.

cheers

Hi Mark,

Have a look at the link below

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

From the far left the blue vertical tab that says 'Exercise' then look down till it says 'Fitness assesment' look across it then says 'All Adults' then '300 points'

Regarding fitness assesments:

They are the easiest way to score alot of points for me.

Have one asap once your start date/renewal date has arrived (300 points) and before you do set it as a Personal goal another 50 points.

Then 6 months plus later in the same policy year have another one (another 300 points)

If you have been 'Improving fitness rating over a six month' plus period you score another 300 points if you have 'Maintaining fitness rating over six month period' you score another 200.

+ While your there they check your BP, BMI, & body fat.

'Improving blood pressure over six month plus period' 100 points
'Maintaining blood pressure over six month period 50 points

'Improving target BMI band over six month period' 100 points
'Maintaining target BMI band over six month period' 50 points

'Improving body fat target over six month period' 100 points
'Maintaining body fat target over six month period' 50 points

So without so much as breaking into a sweat, for two completely free 10 minute fitness assesments 6 months appart at a gym (you do not even have to be a member of) you can score 1250 points for improving on everything or 1000 points if you just maintain your current state of fitness. :beer: You only need 750/1000 points and your on platinum (on an individual membership).

mark1024

Thanks - I just realised I was looking at the second page of the pdf from the pruhealth site, listing vitalitymeds, which are different to vitality points. (and give only 150 per assessment)

The form filled in by Nuffield Screening with your bmi etc is the same one filled in by virgin gyms after a fitness test, which you then fax to pru. That's why I wondered if you can get points from both a screening and a fitness test within a couple of months of each other. As they are under different categories of vitality points I guess you can.

Thanks for the advice

PMISpecialist_2

mark1024 wrote: »

Thanks - I just realised I was looking at the second page of the pdf from the pruhealth site, listing vitalitymeds, which are different to vitality points. (and give only 150 per assessment)

The form filled in by Nuffield Screening with your bmi etc is the same one filled in by virgin gyms after a fitness test, which you then fax to pru. That's why I wondered if you can get points from both a screening and a fitness test within a couple of months of each other. As they are under different categories of vitality points I guess you can.

Thanks for the advice

Yes Vitality Med are points you score as well as vitality points but only aply if you have a qualifying condition i.e. athsma, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol

If you have one of these conditions then coring vitality points is even easier.

You are correct in your guess you can score 400 points for a screening then 300 for a fitness assesment withi a day if you wanted to.

It was £25 (retail £450) for a full health screening once platinum. It has gone up to £55 in the 'July Changes'.