Our analysis reveals widespread confusion about whether or not well-liked weight-loss drugs represent pre-existing medical situations for insurance coverage functions. The analysis coincides with the corporate’s launch of enhanced pre-existing situations evaluation inside its Journey Insurance coverage Value Benchmarking Instrument, now essentially the most complete journey insurance coverage protection software within the UK market.
The analysis, performed amongst circa 1,000 UK adults in August 2025, discovered that 26% of respondents have been uncertain the best way to classify weight administration injections equivalent to Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, drugs which have seen explosive progress, with 6% of the inhabitants having used them. This adoption fee is especially placing given NHS England information displaying these drugs solely turned broadly out there via the well being service in late 2023.
Key Findings Spotlight Classification Disaster
The survey reveals a fragmented understanding of those therapies, with respondents classifying weight administration injections as:
- Final-resort medical interventions (28%)
- Medical therapies for well being situations (24%)
- Beauty therapies for look (11%)
- Way of life assist instruments (10%)
- Not sure (26%)
“This confusion is not educational; it has actual penalties for tens of millions of Britons buying journey and medical health insurance,” mentioned Ian Hughes, CEO of Shopper Intelligence.
“When 1 / 4 of the inhabitants does not know whether or not their treatment counts as a pre-existing situation, we’re seeing an ideal storm for declare disputes and protection gaps. The Monetary Ombudsman Service reported a 23% enhance in journey insurance coverage complaints in 2024, with medical disclosure disputes being a number one trigger.”
The Stakes: A Rising Market at Danger
With 45% of respondents classifying themselves as chubby or overweight, considerably under the NHS Well being Survey for England’s discovering that 64% of adults are chubby or overweight, the survey reveals potential underreporting that additional complicates insurance coverage declarations. With solely 6% at present utilizing weight administration injections, Shopper Intelligence tasks potential market progress of 500-1,000% over the following 5 years as NHS entry expands and personal prescriptions turn into extra reasonably priced, aligning with NICE’s expanded approval standards for Wegovy and Mounjaro in 2024.
The analysis recognized clear standards shoppers use to find out whether or not therapies are ‘medical’:
- Prescribed by a health care provider (71%)
- Treats a recognized situation (72%)
- Out there via the NHS (40%)
- Prevents future well being issues (33%)
Nonetheless, these standards create paradoxes. Botox, for example, can deal with medical situations like persistent migraines and muscle spasticity, but 86% of respondents labeled it as beauty, with solely 9% recognising its medical functions.
Insurance coverage Trade Response Vital
“The insurance coverage trade faces a defining second,” defined <title>, Head of <> at Shopper Intelligence. “Insurers should quickly evolve their underwriting approaches or danger important buyer dissatisfaction and regulatory scrutiny. That is why we have enhanced our market-leading Journey Insurance coverage Value Benchmarking Instrument to incorporate complete pre-existing situations evaluation, making it essentially the most full protection software available in the market.”
The analysis suggests three potential trade approaches:
- Conservative stance: Treating all GLP-1 utilization as pre-existing situations, probably pricing out tens of millions of consumers
- Danger-based differentiation: Distinguishing between diabetic therapy and weight administration use
- Innovation alternative: Creating new product classes for preventive well being therapies
Shopper Intelligence’s expanded benchmarking capabilities now allow insurers to trace competitor pricing methods throughout the total spectrum of pre-existing situations, together with these rising treatment classes, important intelligence because the market navigates this transformation.
Shopper Affect and Suggestions
The analysis reveals a important discrepancy in how shoppers perceive their medical standing: while 60% of respondents are at present taking prescription drugs, solely 53% acknowledge having medical situations they’re taking treatment for. This 7-percentage-point hole highlights how otherwise shoppers reply primarily based on how questions are framed, an important consideration for insurance coverage functions.
“This discrepancy is not simply semantics; it demonstrates how the wording of insurance coverage questions can inadvertently result in non-disclosure,” famous Hughes.
“When shoppers do not join their prescriptions to ‘medical situations,’ the chance of unintentional misrepresentation will increase considerably.”
Shopper Intelligence recommends that insurance coverage patrons:
- At all times declare any prescribed drugs, no matter goal
- Request written clarification from insurers about particular drugs
- Preserve detailed data of medical consultations and prescriptions
- Assessment coverage phrases fastidiously, significantly exclusion clauses
For insurers, the agency advocates:
- Rapid clarification of underwriting tips
- Funding in buyer schooling initiatives
- Growth of nuanced danger evaluation frameworks
- Proactive engagement with healthcare suppliers and regulators
- Utilisation of complete benchmarking instruments to trace market pricing evolution
“With pre-existing situations now built-in into our Journey Insurance coverage Value Benchmarking Instrument, insurers can monitor real-time market responses to those rising challenges,” added [Name]. “This transparency is crucial because the trade navigates uncharted territory with drugs that do not match conventional classes.”
Shopper Intelligence surveyed 999 UK adults between 15-20 August 2025, utilizing a nationally consultant pattern balanced for age, gender, and area. The survey explored attitudes in direction of varied medical and aesthetic therapies, their classification, and understanding of insurance coverage implications.