4 ways to get more from your plan this summer

Published on: 15 June 2023. Making sure you and your loved ones have the right insurance cover in place is one thing. But with school holidays around the corner and almost everyone watching what they spend right now, there are a number of things you can save money on through your plan this summer – that help you stay healthy too.  We all want to be healthy. But, despite this, making positive lifestyle choices and forming healthy habits is not always easy.  At Vitality, we give you the nudges you need to stand the best possible chance of staying well. It also means you can benefit from your plan long before needing to claim.  As part of our bid to redefine how insurance works, the Vitality Programme offers access to a range of partner brands designed to kick-start your health journey – and sustain it.   Engaging with it helps create a ‘shared-value’ exchange between our members, ourselves as insurers and society. Why? Because a healthier population is good for all of us. 

How does the Vitality Programme work?

You automatically get access to the Vitality Programme when you take out a plan with us. You can start earning points immediately and accessing discounts from our partners including Caffè Nero and Mindful Chef.   These are not just things to enjoy, they also help ensure we benefit physically, mentally and financially too. 

“The Vitality Programme can catalyse better health,” says Nick Read, Managing Director of the Vitality Programme.  “We have drawn on significant behavioural and data science capabilities to build a programme that positively nudges our members to make healthier choices. And it’s proven to work.” 

Vitality member data shows that 87% of those who engage with the Vitality Programme reach the recommended guideline of 150 minutes of exercise each week, compared to just 61% of the UK population (1).   As well as this, more than a million mindfulness sessions were logged with us last year and more than half of our members increase the amount of fruit and vegetables they eat during their first year after engaging with Vitality (2).  With this comes a myriad of ways to save some money too. Here are four things you can do to ensure you get more value from your plan this summer. 

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Want to know more about our rewards and partners? Find out via Member Zone or at vitality.co.uk.

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1. Being active  

In a nutshell, the Vitality Programme is designed to inspire you to get active through rewards and incentives.   By getting active through the Vitality Programme, you earn Activity points, which go towards upping your Vitality status month-on-month. You’ll then get rewarded and, depending on your plan, could even save money on your premiums; all this helps to create a positive feedback loop that helps make healthy habits stick.  Physical activity brings with it a range of benefits, from boosting your mood to reducing stress and lowering the risk of depression. It is, however, easy to put off going out for a run or to the gym, so sometimes we need a little helping hand.   Amazon Prime is just one of our partner brands that you could have completely on us when you get active – that’s a saving of up to £95 every year (3)!  By encouraging positive lifestyle changes in this way, we see members increasing their physical activity levels by 22% (4).  And to get you started on your active journey, we’ll give you up to 50% off a pair of sports shoes with Runners Need per plan year. This might be running outdoors or on the treadmill in one of our discounted partner gyms. 

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Find out how to earn Activity Points – up to 40 a week – by clicking the the link below. How do I earn Vitality points? | Support | Vitality 

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2. Make healthy choices

Despite our best efforts to be healthy, making the choices that are good for us can be tough. In today’s world, where temptation is everywhere, finding the right balance can sometimes feel impossible.  The daily choices we make are more important than we realise. And a large part of this is usually based around our diet.  Our nutrition partners, including Waitrose & Partners and Mindful Chef, help make healthy eating a no-brainer.   https://magazine.vitality.co.uk/5-ways-to-adopt-a-healthy-habit-and-stick-to-it/ When you earn 160 activity points a month, with a qualifying plan you could receive 25% cashback on selected Waitrose & Partners Good Health products – or up to 40% if you have you an eligible health and life plan.    Or, if you need help losing weight, a six-month subscription to WeightWatchers is available for just £30. Attend two wellness workshops a month and we’ll extend your membership for another six months – that’s a total saving of more than £250 over a year (5).   Plus reaching your healthy goal weight can get you 100 points which helps unlock more for you to enjoy.  It gets results too. Those who took advantage of our nutrition benefits improved their health significantly within the first year (6).  

More articles on Vitality Magazine: 

• 4 summer activities to get your little ones moving
• How to boost your step count
• 5 simple dos and don’ts for a healthy summer

3. Have mindful moments

Taking out time for self-care is vital for our mental health. That’s why, with the Vitality Programme, you can get access to wellbeing sessions through our partner Headspace.   Did you know that 10-minutes of daily mindfulness using the Headspace app adds points to your Vitality status? Each session will earn you 2 Vitality points, with a maximum of 6 points per week.   We’ve seen members using Headspace see a 27% improvement in their mental wellbeing over time compared with those not using the app (7).  However, if you do feel the need to talk to someone, Talking Therapies is available to those with a qualifying plan who need it.  

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At Vitality, we understand the importance of taking control of all aspects of your health. That’s why we offer mental health support for our members through our insurance plans.    If you are a member with a qualifying health insurance or life insurance plan, you could get 12 months membership to Headspace on us, as well as access to eight online or face-to-face Talking Therapies sessions per plan year with our health insurance.  Book your virtual or in-person Talking Therapies appointment through Care Hub or via the Vitality GP app.   Life members that notify us of a mental health-related claim can also get access to Talking Therapies through the Recovery Benefit as part of Income Protection. Terms and conditions apply.   You can also access everything you need to know about your plan via Member Zone or in the Vitality app.  

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4. Take time to relax

The summer is that time of year, when schools break up and summer holidays take centre stage for many families.   It’s a time to get away and take a much-needed break. And the Vitality Programme can help you slip into holiday mode – and save some money too.  Whether it’s a spa day or a hotel break, you can get access to discounts from Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, for qualifying members, and Champneys.   And you guessed it! How much you save will depend on your Vitality status – the higher your status the better discount you’ll get.  Platinum members on a qualifying plan will save £125 off the first £500 they spend with Mr & Mrs Smith and up to 20% off hotels through Expedia. 

Members with a can also enjoy up to 75% off one, two or three night Champneys stays or 35% off a city day (8). 

Much closer to home, our cinema partners, Odeon and Vue, can bring you (9) some escapism through tickets on us when you get active. 

After all, small changes can make a big difference. But it always helps if you get a nudge. Get started on your Vitality journey by logging into Member Zone and conducting a Health Review today – or find out more about our health and life insurance plans here. 

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Get more from your insurance

Wherever you are in life, having the right insurance can help you plan for tomorrow. As a Vitality member, our 5-star Defaqto-rated* insurance covers you and what's most important in your life. Are you thinking about taking out another Vitality plan? Adding family members to your current plan? Or boosting your existing cover with us? We'd love to help you get the cover that’s right for you. 

• Explore our health insurance
• Explore our life insurance

You will access more rewards when you have more than one plan with us and be sure that you and your loved ones are protected no matter what. Get a quote on our health or life insurance today by calling 0808 231 2037, speak to one our financial advisers or get a call back.                                 

*Source: Defaqto is an independent financial research company that only provides 5-star ratings to the most comprehensive products on the market. Our Business Healthcare plan, Personal Healthcare plan, Corporate Healthcare plan, Life Cover, Serious Illness Cover and Income Protection Cover have all received top marks from Defaqto.    

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(1) Based on Vitality Programme data and Office of National Statistics data, 2022

(2) Vitality data 2022

(3) Qualifying plans only. Applies to an annual Amazon Prime membership for personal accounts only. 18 years or over only. A credit check and eligibility criteria apply. Credit subject to status. 0% APR. Credit agreement for 12 months. You will pay either £0 or £7.90 per month over ten payments by variable Direct Debit based on the Vitality activity points you earn in the previous month. Vitality Corporate Services Limited acts as a credit broker. Exclusive lender is etika Finance UK Ltd. Excludes Channel Islands.

(4) Vitality data 2023

(5) Based on WeightWatchers Premium membership charge of £26.95 per month in November 2022. 

(6) Vitality data 2023

(7) Vitality data 2023

(8) Maximum of three bookings per plan year. This offer does not apply to Eastwell Manor. 75% off at Mottram Hall applies to one night stays only. Subject to room availability. 

(9) Members with a qualifying plan