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PruHealth and Daley Thomson launch ‘Walk the Tube’ app

PruHealth, the UK’s fourth-largest health insurer and provider of the Vitality wellness programme, the world’s longest-standing incentive-based health improvement solution, has teamed up with Daley Thompson to launch a free ‘Walk the Tube with Daley Thompson’ app.

While the tube map app will enable commuters and tourists in London to avoid the crush of the London Underground during the particularly busy summer period, it more importantly provides an accessible and cost-effective mechanism for Londoners to make a longer-term commitment to their health by establishing a precedent of walking. This is particularly important when considered in light of the generally low physical activity levels in the capital, and the strong link that exists between walking and improvements in health.

While simple and intuitive, the app provides an array of information related to the journey, plus activity and behavioural motivators, including:
– Step-by-step walking routes with an at-a-glance tube map showing the number of steps between stations
– Built in pedometer that provides a real-time overview of the number of steps, length of time and calories burned on each journey
– Motivational messages from Daley Thompson throughout the journey
– An ability to save regular journeys and maintain a record of walking history to provide a summary of total distance covered, number of steps taken and calories burned
– Real-time alerts that provide updates on the tube service, and allow an assessment to be made on whether it will be quicker to walk or wait for the train.
– Enables users to share details via Facebook

Daley Thompson, a PruHealth Vitality Ambassador said: “It’s a well-documented fact that overall levels of physical fitness do not tend to improve and people are not generally motivated by seeing amazing athletic accomplishments at the Games. This is a handy tool that can be easily incorporated into people’s lives that could translate the current wave of national pride into personal action to make small changes to every day routines. Not only is it great exercise helping you tone up during the summer, but for visitors and Londoners alike it gives you the opportunity to try new walks, beat your own best times – all whilst discovering the capital’s landmarks you would miss while stuck underground.”

Neville Koopowitz, CEO at PruHealth added: “PruHealth launched the very first ‘Walk the Tube’ map seven years ago and this new app is the next logical step to meet the needs of how people now access and use information. Ideally we should all be walking 10,000 steps each day to keep ourselves healthy and we hope this app will show commuters how easy it is to do that at any time of the year and beat travel hotspots at the same time.”

The app is available for both iPhone and Android phones and is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Via EPR Network
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PruHealth Reveals Brits Are Eating Less Healthily Due To Rising Living Costs

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PruHealth has announced that, according to its recent study, every one in five Brits (22%) is eating less healthily due to the rising cost of living.

With the UK dipping back into recession and food inflation on the rise, new data from PruHealth, the health insurance provider that rewards healthy behaviour, finds the continuing rise in cost of living means that 10.6 million Brits are not eating as healthily as they would like to and over half (52%) believe their health has suffered as a result of the recession.

The study, which ran at the start of the financial downturn in 2008 and again this year, highlights the nation’s health is sinking further into the doldrums in terms of its eating habits.

Over the last four years 75% of Brits have changed their eating and shopping habits and 85% of these stated the recession and or rising food prices as the cause for the change.

The ‘five-a-day’ mantra is one of the most high profile Government health campaigns, but the number of Brits struggling to reach the recommended target has increased by 26%. Three fifths (59%) admit they are currently finding it a challenge compared to 47% at the start of the recession in 2008

More than two thirds (68%) of Brits say healthier foods tend to be more expensive. One in six (16%) respondents said they’re buying as much as they can that is ‘reduced to clear’ and one in ten (11%) only buy foods that are on special offer. Worryingly, around one in four (24%) Brits say they regularly take vitamin supplements because they are unable to eat as healthily as they like or to supplement their diet.

Naturally most parents want to put their children’s health first and ensure they have a nutritionally balanced diet, but almost one in five (18%) are doing this at the expense of their own health. One in ten (9%) are even skipping meals so their children eat well.

Dr Dawn Richards, Head of Clinical Service at PruHealth, commented: “We can clearly see how people’s healthy eating habits have been affected, with the picture having got significantly worse since the start of the economic downturn. People are only too well aware of the need to eat healthily, but financial constraints are making it difficult, resulting in people’s health being negatively affected.”

Via EPR Network
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Pruhealth Introduces New Sustainable Commission Model

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PruHealth, the insurer that rewards people for engaging in healthy behaviour, has adopted what it believes to be a more sustainable and transparent commission model which rewards long-term partnerships with brokers and aims to deliver lasting client value. From April 2011, all Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) new business has been written on a 10:10 commission* basis, with 10% initial commission and 10% at each renewal.

Speaking at the Laing and Buisson conference, Dave Priestly, sales director at PruHealth argued: “The current market focus on low new business premiums and high initial commissions is unsustainable and the industry needs to adapt in order to decrease churn and over-commoditising the group PMI market. Combined with strong market demand for lower premiums, the combination of claims costs, commission costs and operating costs, outstrip the premiums being charged. As a consequence, renewal premiums are forced up, resulting in more companies looking to switch or reduce their PMI cover.”

The new model is designed to reward long-term relationships by offering level commissions, enabling PruHealth to protect future premiums and remain competitive over the long-term. Brokers who sign up to the partnership scheme could be eligible for ‘portfolio commission’**. This offers the potential for a quarterly new business commission uplift of up to 20% dependant on their portfolio retention, portfolio loss ratio and new business API.

Dave Priestly continued: “We are taking a partnership approach to SME commission and want to share greater rewards with those brokers who work in partnership with us to develop stable and sustainable portfolios. Client retention is as important for our long term success as driving new business. We have chosen to apply level initial and renewal commission for SME business to move us towards a more sustainable future. However, firms who work in partnership with us to develop long-term, stable customer relationships could benefit from a new quarterly payment of ‘portfolio commission.”

PruHealth believes this approach will help foster stronger relationships with its intermediary partners and will also bring more security to customer relationships, allowing them to reap the benefits of a longer term relationship with their insurer. Specifically in the case of PruHealth a long term customer relationship gives them greater opportunity to get more value from our Vitality programme. Health is not a short term commitment and continued engagement in the tools and partners provided within Vitality can make a real difference to people’s health and as a consequence help control premium costs.

Via EPR Network
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End Of NHS Funded Homeopathy Could Leave Some UK Residents With No Other Choice But To Seek Private Medical Insurance

After examining the claims of homeopathy, the House of Commons select committee on science and technology has concluded that the NHS should no longer provide funding for the treatment.

End Of NHS Funded Homeopathy Could Leave Some UK Residents With No Other Choice But To Seek Private Medical Insurance

Homeopathy – a 200-year-old complementary medical practice – uses heavily diluted substances which are thought to cause similar symptoms to the illnesses they are being used to treat; thus triggering the body’s natural healing process.

Millions of patients across the globe swear by homeopathic treatments while others dismiss it as nothing more than a ‘placebo’.

Whichever side of the debate you’re on, life insurance comparison website – QuoteBoffin.co.uk – believes that every patient should have the right to seek medical care they feel is appropriate for them.

A spokesperson for QuoteBoffin.co.uk said: “Freedom of choice is something that Britain prides itself on. Removing homeopathy f r o m the NHS medical roster means a percentage of patients are being denied the right to choose a method of treatment they believe is most appropriate or may work better for them than other forms of medicine.

With health insurance providers still offering homoeopathy treatments via carefully selected homeopathic specialists, patients wishing to pursue this line of treatment may have no other option but to seek private health cover.”

Complimentary therapies and medicines are available via some of the UK’s biggest health insurance providers such as AXA PPP and BUPA.

Patients needn’t worry about paying through the nose for homeopathic treatment out with the NHS claims QuoteBoffin.co.uk: “The end of homoeopathy on the NHS doesn’t mean the end of homoeopathy full stop. Health insurance premiums start f r o m as little as £5 per month which is a small price to pay for peace of mind and first class healthcare which covers homeopathy and beyond.

With the rise and rise of price comparison websites that allow consumers to check insurance prices, there’s no reason why you can’t get a good deal on an insurance package that allows you to retain freedom of choice with regard to medical care.”

Via EPR Network
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PruHealth, The Health Insurance Company That Rewards Policyholders For Being Healthy, Found That People Expected Their January Health Kicks To Last For, On Average, 123 Days.

Research conducted by PruHealth, the private health insurance company that rewards policyholders for being healthy, found that people expected their January health kicks to last for, on average, 123 days. This therefore means that Monday 4 May was the day most people fell off the health wagon.-private health insurance company

Whether it’s down to stronger willpower, more pressure to have celebrity bodies, or simply cutting back on calorific treats in the credit crunch, the average Brit’s New Year health kick has lasted 45 days longer this year than in 2008, with dieters sticking to their diet and fitness regimes for over four months in 2009.*

Of those still sticking to their diets, the vast majority of dieters (55%)** plan to keep up their new healthy lifestyle forever, suggesting that ‘quick-fix’ fad diets such as Beyonce’s maple syrup diet are well and truly out of fashion.

Nearly two-thirds of Brits (61%) planned to embark on a new diet or fitness regime at the start of the year. PruHealth, private medical insurance company, also found that nearly half (48%) of these dieters saw it as an ongoing, permanent lifestyle change rather than an attempt to quickly lose those extra pounds.

However, by the end of April, 30% of dieters had already abandoned their diets, with over a quarter (26%) of people caving in after less than a month on the salads and gym classes.

When it comes to sticking to resolutions, resisting the lure of sugary snacks is the biggest challenge for sweet-toothed dieters, with 22% rating this as the hardest hurdle to overcome. A further 10% admitted giving up alcohol was their biggest health regime challenge.

Katie Roswell, Marketing Director, PruHealth, said: “The nation appears to be taking a step in the right direction and maintaining a healthy lifestyle on an ongoing basis, rather than opting for more dangerous crash diet or exercise plans. The key is finding a routine that incorporates a nutritionally balanced diet and regular exercise into your lifestyle, and not completely denying yourself the occasional treat for doing well, as this can help keep up the motivation.”

Worryingly, for 21% of dieters this year it took the shock of a health scare to inspire them to take action and embark on a new, healthier lifestyle. But messages about the health of the nation appear to be hitting home, as the majority of dieters (54%) simply wanted to follow a healthier lifestyle.

The information here is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Full consumer product information can be found at www.pruhealth.co.uk.

Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.
* Opinium Research online poll of 2,233 British adults carried out 23rd – 30th December 2008.
** Opinium Research online poll of 2,200 British adults carried out 17th – 20th April 2009.

About PruHealth 
PruHealth health insurance was launched in October 2004 as a joint venture between Prudential and Discovery Holdings from South Africa. Since launch, PruHealth has grown quickly. It now covers over 190,000 lives and in a sample of its individual customers, one third said they had changed their behaviour for the better because of its Vitality reward scheme which encourages policyholders to look after their health.

Via EPR Network
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