A survey from HSA health insurance has revealed that 1 in 5 (25%) of UK adults have put off visiting the dentist because of concerns about the cost.

The Annual Dental Survey 2008 questioned nearly a thousand consumers and found that over a quarter of adults consider looking after their oral health unaffordable.

Richard Halley, a spokesperson for HSA, commented... "Our results come shortly after the NHS has revealed that half a million fewer adults are visiting the now dentist than two years ago*. This could be down to cost, and also difficulty in accessing an NHS dentist. Indeed 27% of those surveyed claim that they have struggled to find an NHS dentist."

If affordability is a concern people could consider taking out HSA dental insurance. Plans starts from as little as £2.25 a week and provide the peace of mind you are covered for check-ups, treatment and emergencies, whether for an NHS or private dentist".

HSA's survey also discovered the following key points:-

• Over two fifths of people think NHS dentistry will disappear altogether in the future whilst 28% think it will exist in the future, but will only be available to a few
• Of those surveyed, 35% believe they could do more to look after their oral health
• Just 27% thought that the Government is doing enough to look after the oral health of children

Healthplans or cash plans can be simple and affordable ways to fund the cost of dental treatment and check-ups. They provide the reassurance that you can access healthcare when you need it, not when you can afford it. You can find a list of popular providers in the dental insurance company index.

Health cash plan provider Westfield Health Insurance has confirmed its position as a major player in the cash plan market by winning a national award for a fourth consecutive year.

Fighting off tough competition from other UK health cash plan companies, Westfield was crowned 'Best Healthcare Cash Plan Provider' for 2007 at the Health Insurance Magazine Awards.

Head of Intermediary Sales at Westfield Health, Steve Sharrock, said: "These awards are the most highly sought after in our sector, so to have been named the Best Healthcare Cash Plan Provider for the fourth consecutive year is a phenomenal achievement.

We pride ourselves on our ability to remain at the cutting edge of the sector, helping to drive the market forward with our innovative products and exceptionally high standards of customer service".

Westfield's success follows news of a survey of their policyholders which produced one of the highest customer satisfaction scores ever recorded for an organisation participating in the survey for the first time. This was further endorsed when the organisation was reaccredited with the acclaimed Servicemark Award.

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Research by HSA Health Insurance has found that the UK is losing faith in it's National Health Service. Only a third of respondents to the survey think the NHS will always remain an integral part of the UK healthcare system, with 59% worried that they won't be able to afford the cost of any future healthcare regime.

The report named "Is the UK looking at a healthy future?" is the result of an independent survey which examines the future of UK healthcare from the perspective of employee's, employer's and the UK at large. It's aim is to attempt to predict how the future of our health and healthcare system in the UK might look.

The NHS has been an integral part of UK culture since 1948, and it is a service towards which many of us feel fiercely loyal. However, it seems that we are no longer convinced that it will always be around to support us. Perhaps it is time for the government to compensate those that purchase their own private healthcare, and who are effectively helping to take the strain off the NHS, by offering them reduced tax or National Insurance. In fact, HSA's research also shows that 46% of people would be more likely to purchase private healthcare if it meant that their NI contributions were reduced.

(08/08/2007)

Insurer Cardif Pinnacle which is a part of the BNP Paribas group and a provider of health insurance products has been nominated Customer Service Contact Centre of the Year as part of the prestigious 2007 National Customer Service Awards.

The awards celebrate the importance of excellent customer service and provide an opportunity for businesses of all sizes and industries to show case their success. The awards are not only about what companies are saying they are doing but also what individuals and teams are actually delivering to their customers.

Cardif Pinnacle has been nominated in a category designed to recognise and highlight contact centres that promote excellence in customer service. Cardif Pinnacle's Head of Customer Claims, Gary Wright. siad: "We are delighted to receive this nomination; the team strives to ensure that our customers receive the best possible service. It's real recognition of our hard work and commitment to customers".

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Private medical insurer, Prudential Health insurance has introduced changes to its gym offering which aim to further reward members for staying healthy.

The concept is designed to reduce the cost of health insurance for members who make an effort to stay healthy by going to the gym. If you go twice a week or more on average, depending on which gym you use, you could soon be paying nothing at all.

PruHealth has been striving to make private medical insurance affordable and accessible for all with a philosophy of encouragement and reward born out of evidence showing a direct link between exercise and state of health.

Following the new upgrades you could get PMI cover and gym membership for a similar price to the retail cost of a normal gym membership alone. Exclusive gym membership deals with Cannons, Virgin Active and others offer added value to PruHealth members, providing the opportunity to improve their health and reduce their premiums.

PruHealth Chief Executive, Shaun Matisonn, said: "We are always thinking of new ways to encourage people to live healthy lives and look after their wellbeing, and exercising regularly is one way to do this. The more you exercise, the happier and healthier your life could be. But an initiative like this extends beyond the individual as well. We know that going to the gym can be difficult for some people due to the expense or time constraints or even lack of motivation. We wanted to give people a greater incentive to go and hopefully this is it: keep exercising and bring the cost of your premiums down!".

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Tesco has teamed up with AXA PPP healthcare to offer private medical insurance via it's Personal Finance brand and claims that prices will be up to 32% lower than comparable health insurance products.

The new Tesco Health Insurance products are intended to provide value for money and simplicity with no medical questions if you are under 76. Policy holders can also accumulate a no-claims discount of up to 55% over four years. Customers aged between 18 and 75 can buy the cover by phone or online without having to fill in complicated medical questionnaires. Leaflets promoting the new health insurance will also be available in 1,000 Tesco supermarket stores.

With just two levels of cover branded Premium and Core, Tesco has strived to keep the choice simple. Premium policies will offer both in-patient and day-patient cover, out-patient scans and cover for cancer radiotherapy and chemotherapy, plus £1,000 per annum for additional out-patient benefits. Core policy customers will receive the same but without the £1,000 of extra out-patient benefits.

Jeremy Sutton, head of savings and investments at Tesco Personal Finance, said... "Our customer research suggests that perceived high prices, complicated products and complex medical questions have been major stumbling blocks to buying health insurance. We aim to change that by offering products that are simple, good value and easy to buy. Our approach will open up the market to people who want the choice that health insurance offers."