Withdrawal of telehealth services by insurers will lead to increased churn

GLDAF -4.48%

The vast majority of individuals using remote GP services through their insurer are satisfied with the service received, as per a GlobalData survey. These services have become a commodity in both travel and private medical insurance policies and can be a differentiating factor among competitors who withdraw this benefit.

According to GlobalData’s 2025 UK Insurance Consumer Survey, 37.3% of private medical insurance policyholders have previously used the remote / video GP consultation feature offered by their insurer. Overall, 91.6% of such individualswere satisfied with the service received, while 43.3% of respondents felt extremely satisfied.

The Covid-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for the widespread adoption of remote GP services in private medical and travel insurance, when they were widely integrated into policies as a standard feature. At this point, there was a fundamental shift, with telehealth becoming a core function of such policies rather than a ‘nice to have’ perk.

Virgin Money has taken a risky move, dropping its telehealth benefit from packaged travel insurance. Reportedly, the change affects thousands of the bank’s UK account holders—those with the Club M current account—who use the policy for either leisure or business travel. As a result, Club M current account holders are expected to reassess cover as well as the overall value offered by the bank’s premium account, which could lead to some customers switching accounts or moving banks altogether.

Policyholders now treat 24/7 telehealth services as a baseline expectation, and not offering this feature could reduce a provider’s Net Promoter Score as well as lead to increased switching rates. It also offers a ‘safety net’ for policyholders—if a traveller encounters a medical concern, they can speak at any time with a medical professional in their own language, without having to use local hospitals and potentially wait long queuing times for treatment.

"Withdrawal of telehealth services by insurers will lead to increased churn" was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand.

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