Head of innovation, AXA PPP Healthcare

Insurance is arguably the only product in the world that you buy but never want to use,” says Matthew Ward, head of innovation at AXA PPP Healthcare. “That doesn’t sit very well with us, because it pitches us as the bad guys.”

Ward is explaining the insurance giant’s new strategy – a shift in focus from being a technical business to becoming a customer-led one. Specifically, it plans to become a ‘health partner’, encouraging its customers to live healthier, more active lives.

“By taking steps to safeguard their health now, customers may lessen the likelihood of ill health – and requirement for medical treatment – in the future,” explains Ward. “We’ve therefore realised we need to get involved earlier in the process. It’s no longer enough to pick up the bill when someone gets sick or injured – we need to encourage people to be healthy and go to the gym, to try and prevent health issues from occurring in the first place.”

Preventative approach
AXA is exploring a variety of ways to encourage this sort of preventative healthcare approach – not only through its own products, but also through partnerships and marketing.

“When it comes to medical insurance, cost is a key consideration for individuals,” according to Ward.

“We asked ourselves what we could do for those who may not be able to afford full medical insurance. One of the options we’ve introduced is a cost-effective health assessment. With prices starting at £100, this assessment not only gives an individual insight into their current health and fitness level, but also provides an interactive, personalised health improvement plan.”

Meanwhile, given the proven positive impact of exercise and activity on health, Ward believes it should be made as easy as possible for people to exercise.

With this in mind, last year AXA entered into a partnership with Pure Gym, whereby AXA members, employees and corporate clients get discounted gym memberships.

The company has also created social media campaigns designed to encourage healthier lifestyles, based around the hashtag, ‘TryIt’.

The campaign challenges people to commit to small activities to boost their health and wellbeing, including a ‘Caffeine Curfew’, ‘Walk 30’ and ‘Me Time’.

The best medicine
AXA is also looking at ways exercise can be used as treatment. “If someone has back pain and/or other musculoskeletal problems, an exercise programme comprising physiotherapy or yoga, for example, might alleviate the problem without the need for further treatment,” explains Ward.

“We’ve therefore developed a service that provides our members with telephone access to an experienced physiotherapist for clinical assessment and referral. If self-management proves sufficient, the physio will recommend a tailored programme of exercises to alleviate the symptoms and prevent recurrence.”

Detecting illness earlier is another area AXA is exploring: “We’re working with a company called Biobeats, which is developing a piece of wearable technology that would be able to measure cardiac stress, and that would show the effect that stress and burnout can have on employees. This would allow for intervention before, for example, more serious heart or mental health problems materialise.”

Ward adds: “We want to inspire our members to be healthy, and to make it easier and more cost-effective for them to live life well. That’s what it’s all about. By changing our strategy in this way, we’re challenging people’s assumptions about what they can expect from us. This is no small task, but we know it’s the right way to go.”