“I never thought I’d be the sort of person to get private health insurance. I thought it was just for Directors! But Equipsme has been brilliant for me.”
Bailey, 27, was totally new to private health insurance, and wasn’t sure he’d ever use it. But a newsletter made him take a closer look – and start using some of his benefits.
Bailey explains: “I never thought I’d be the sort of person or have the sort of job to get private health insurance. I thought it was just for Directors and people like that! So getting an Equipsme plan was a bit of a surprise.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t think it would be beneficial to me. I’m quite young and generally quite fit and healthy - so I wasn’t sure I’d ever use it.
“I thought maybe it was one of those things your company buys so they look good on paper, but if you actually try and use it you end up paying out of pocket and keeping your fingers crossed you’ll get it back later!
“But when I looked into Equipsme, I could really see the value of everything on offer. And it’s been brilliant for me. It’s easy to use, fast - and it does more than you think.”
Accessing discounts
Bailey decided to log in to his portal for the first time after getting an Equipsme newsletter all about gym discounts.
He says: “I thought it was nice that the plan wasn’t just about looking after you when you get ill or injured, but helping you stay healthy, too.
“When I logged onto the portal it was all clearly laid out, and I could see exactly what I was getting. And the gym membership meant I could get 40% off one right round the corner from work.
“Let’s face it, money doesn’t go as far as it used to - and that’s a pretty substantial saving for me. Even better, my partner could benefit from it as well. I thought the fact that adding her on meant she’d get all of the same benefits as was good value. So I set up the direct debit and now I pay in every month for her cover.
“It’s paid for itself in terms of what we’ve saved - not just on the gym but with things like the Vision Express discount, which got us money off eye tests and glasses. Every little bit helps, like they say.”
Physiotherapy
When Bailey started experiencing back pain, he knew exactly where to go.
He continues: “Having physiotherapy as part of my Equipsme plan has also been really useful. My back was giving me problems - especially since I’d moved from the shop floor into an office-based role where I’m sat at a desk most of the time. I called up AXA Health to check I was covered and to find a physiotherapist near me, and got it all sorted out really quickly.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are or how fit you are, there’s always something that can go wrong. Being able to get the proper help you need so you’re not left struggling, in pain or off work is worth its weight in gold.
“I think that access to faster healthcare is exactly why my employer bought us a plan in the first place - and I for one am incredibly grateful for it. Loads of my colleagues are using it, too, doing things like nipping out quickly to call the virtual GP rather than waiting in an NHS GP surgery for hours. It all makes a difference.
“I’d definitely recommend Equipsme to other people. It’s actually there to be used! Log on and make sure you get to grips with what you’ve actually got.”
