Transforming private healthcare from repair to prevention with subsidised access to fitness-as-a-benefit

• 65% believe that receiving subsidised gym access would improve their health
• PMI Gym benefit usage rates have increased by 150% over the past two years
• UK fitness network, Hussle’s recent acquisition by gym tech leaders, EGYM strengthens their position in the preventative healthcare space

While NHS satisfaction levels have plummeted over recent years, according to the most recently available data, Private Medical Insurance (PMI) coverage has quietly climbed, growing by £385 million in 2022. This represented an overall market growth of 6.1%, accounting to a total market value of £6.7 billion.

Eight million Brits can now access private healthcare via insurance, representing 11.8% of the UK population. The huge majority (80%) of policyholders access their cover through their employers, with the remainder accessing insurance as individuals.

Despite its growing prevalence, private healthcare is not becoming any cheaper. Insurers have flagged premium rises as high as 40%, reflecting a rise in both the volume of claims made and their associated medical costs.

With both living and employer costs on the rise, individual and corporate consumers need to be selective when considering where to prioritise their investment, but also in selecting which provider to work with. This is where value-added extras such as subsidised fitness memberships can be key to driving overall engagement and better healthcare outcomes.

What role can subsidised fitness memberships play?

Physical inactivity is a major contributing factor to chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. With an ageing population and increasing prevalence of obesity, the burden of such conditions is projected to rise. However, many of these conditions are preventable, making the need to tackle physical inactivity even more critical.

But what are the main causes of inactivity?

Physical inactivity is not evenly distributed across the UK population. People from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnic minorities and individuals with disabilities often face greater barriers to engaging in exercise. These inequalities can lead to poorer health outcomes and widen existing health disparities.

In a recent customer survey, conducted by leading fitness marketplace, Hussle, respondents were questioned on their main motivations and barriers in relation to staying active. Work commitments were cited as the most common blocker amongst all demographics (22.4%); while cost (18.2%), general motivation (16.3%) and family commitments (13.6%) were also frequently cited barriers.

Research by Sport England reinforces the barrier that cost presents, revealing that 52% of people in the UK believe the cost of gym memberships and sports facilities is a significant blocker to exercising regularly.

The Hussle survey also revealed that 65% felt that receiving subsidised gym access would improve their overall health. While a slight gender difference was seen (with more women sharing this belief than men), awareness of the benefits of fitness increased significantly with age. Over 70% of 41–50-year-olds recognised the health benefits that gym access could bring, in comparison to just 55% of young adults.

These collective findings demonstrate the opportunity that PMI providers and companies have to support people with healthier lifestyles by reducing the cost burden and providing the time and motivation for customers and employees to stay active.

A key driver for PMI customer acquisition and retention

With insurer costs increasing and the future market uncertain, it is more important than ever for PMI providers to find innovative ways to acquire and retain their customers. Encouraging engagement in physical activity with the provision of fitness benefits is a win-win. Not only will it help reduce claim costs, as we’ll discuss shortly, but it’s also a great way to drive loyalty.

Research has shown that 75% of customers are more likely to try a new brand when there is an associated promotion. Rewards that are relevant to a customer’s lifestyle and existing habits are 90% more popular than offers to try new things.

Retention is also key. It’s been shown to be 6-7 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than keep an existing one6. More than 90% of companies now offer some form of loyalty program or added value benefit offering. Unsurprisingly so when considering that 84% of consumers are more likely to remain loyal to brands when some form of loyalty benefit is offered.

The health and financial impacts of exercise for PMI providers

The evidence surrounding the overall benefits of exercise on both physical and mental health is both profound and compelling. Engagement in regular physical activity has been shown to:

• Reduce the risk of heart and circulatory disease by 35%
• Lower the chances of developing musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders by 30%
• Reduce the incidence of poor mental health by 40%

The financial benefits for healthcare providers, employers and wider society stack up, too. Studies have shown that physically active individuals have between 9 and 26.6% lower healthcare costs than their inactive peers. The World Health Organization (WHO) also estimates that each 1% increase in adherence to their exercise guidelines (150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week) would save 0.4% of the total population’s healthcare costs.

The opportunity here is huge, then.

More and more private healthcare providers are recognising the huge potential that physical activity holds in supporting member health and business revenue. Even modest amounts of regular exercise can reduce the average cost per claim. When considering claims for in-hospital and day treatment, Vitality found that the more active their members were, the lower their claim costs. Significant reductions were seen for MSK claims (31%), cancer (37%) and for cardiovascular conditions (46%) in relation to increased physical activity.

It’s no surprise then, that so many PMI providers now offer fitness benefits to their members as part of their overall cover package. Individuals with gym memberships are over 3x more likely to meet the government-recommended physical activity guidelines. Most will even exceed these, spending 300 minutes or more doing some form of cardiovascular activity each week.

Leading providers such as BUPA, AXA Health, WPA and General & Medical currently work with Hussle, the UK’s leading network of gyms, pools, and spas, to offer their members substantial savings on multi-venue fitness access. Beyond the health impacts that fitness brings, it’s a great customer acquisition and retention tool, too – 44.5% of participants in Hussle’s survey said that receiving subsidised access to gyms would influence their decision to sign with a particular health insurer.

Interestingly, subsidised fitness access was most important to 21-50 year olds (46.2%) in comparison to just 34% of 16-20 year olds and 37% of over 50s. This represents a huge opportunity for PMI providers looking to drive uptake and engagement within a large portion of our working demographic, making fitness benefits a more-than-worthwhile addition to corporate schemes.

This has become increasingly apparent, with Hussle observing a 150% increase in engagement across fitness users accessing their membership as part of a PMI scheme over the past two years.

Hussle’s recent acquisition by EGYM is driving a healthcare shift from repair to prevention

Last year, Hussle was acquired by global fitness technology and corporate health innovation leader, EGYM, as part of its overall mission to become the global leader at the intersection of exercise and health. This strategic venture has greatly supported Hussle’s mission to grow its offering in the B2B space, facilitating new partnerships with leading UK fitness brands such as Fitness First, widening its nationwide coverage and offering for its PMI members.

Upon announcement of the acquisition, EGYM CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer remarked:

“From our initial discussions, it was evident that Hussle wanted to genuinely enhance an industry they’re passionate about. Their track record in establishing an outstanding wellness company is truly inspiring. The NHS’s prioritisation of prevention over repair fits well with our mission and we wholeheartedly share this belief – we are excited to begin this journey together.”

For those less familiar with the fitness technology market, EGYM offers a best-in-class suite of smart fitness technology that integrates AI-driven workout equipment, digital coaching and data analytics to optimise training efficiency. By simplifying strength training and making it more accessible, EGYM enhances motivation, reduces injury risk and supports long-term adherence to exercise. Hussle and EGYM’s strategic partnership helps its corporate and healthcare clients to promote wellness, health and productivity.

Support the health and wellness of your customers

Recognising the opportunity that fitness brings, a growing number of healthcare providers are forming strategic partnerships with Hussle to create a happier, more engaged customer base, driving acquisition and retention. Typically, PMI members are given access to a unique voucher code which can be applied via the Hussle website to unlock a discount across their full range of fitness memberships.

“We know that everyone’s journey to getting fit and healthy is different. We’re committed to helping our members find what makes them feel good by offering more choice of when, how and where they incorporate health and wellbeing into their everyday lives.” – AXA Health

“Collaborating with Hussle enables us to support as many customers as possible in their quest for fitness. The number of operators working with Hussle allows us to offer access to a myriad of fitness facilities and give our policy holders a varied choice in their local area.” – Bupa

Hussle’s network of thousands of fitness venues includes top brands such as Nuffield Health, Fitness First, Village Gyms, Anytime Fitness, alongside hundreds of independent venues, meaning that they appeal to customers across all regions, with a full variety of fitness preferences.

Partnering with Hussle can support with your data analytics, too. They can provide anonymised feedback on the physical activity levels of your members, including the number of gym visits and their biological age (when using EGYM equipment), segmented by key demographics such as gender, age group and location.

These are highly valuable insights for any PMI provider seeking to adopt an evidence-backed, preventative approach to health and wellness.

References

1. The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/18/uk-private-health-insurance-market-nhs-crisis-dental-cover
2. The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/30/almost-one-in-eight-britons-now-has-private-medical-insurance-say-healthcare-analysts
3. Hussle: https://www.hussle.com/employers
4. Sport England: https://www.sportengland.org/guidance-and-support/cost-living
5. Mando: https://mando.co.uk/what-the-brits-want-from-promotions/
6. Queue-IT: https://queue-it.com/blog/loyalty-program-statistics
7. British Heart Foundation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWGulLAa0O0
8. BMC Public Health: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-024-20357-4
9. UCLA Health: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/the-link-between-exercise-and-mental-health
10. BMC Health Services Research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10239135/
11. Science Daily: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170123111536.htm
12. Vitality: https://www.vitality.co.uk/media/vitality-data-finds-a-modest-amount-of-regular-exercise-can-improve-health-outcomes/
13. EGYM: https://uk.egym.com/en-gb