Since launching in January 2022, Vitality Health International has been gaining momentum in bringing health insurance that rewards healthy living to employer groups in the rest of Africa.
Vitality Health Insurance, developed specifically for the African market, focuses on prevention through screening, as well as mental and physical wellness as key differentiators. This innovative and digitally-enabled offering also incentivises healthy behaviours through MTN, Vodacom, UNICEF, Uber and Jumia – our exciting new cross-continental rewards partners.
With 75% of the population being under 35 years old, they are receptive to health insurance that’s more digitally enabled. Another key health trend is the shift from communicable or contagious diseases to non-communicable diseases, often related to lifestyle choices. It’s here that these unique healthcare solutions that reward healthy living can assist employer groups in managing employee health for the best business and individual outcomes.
What is Vitality Health International?
Vitality Health International is a South African health insurer. Its parent company, Discovery, pioneered the Vitality Shared-value Insurance model in South Africa. Today, Discovery operates in 40 markets, impacting the lives of more than 30 million people globally.
Our markets and products
Vitality Health International is operating in five markets in Africa – the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia and as of September 2022, Mozambique – offering these main product pillars:
- Health insurance including the Vitality programme: comprehensive, quality healthcare benefits with a choice of three plans and four benefit options for the full spectrum of medical needs. This health insurance focuses on wellness and rewards healthy living through engagement in the Vitality programme, which is included in each benefit option at no additional cost. Vitality is a globally recognised, science-based wellness programme.
- Travel for Treatment: an end-to-end support solution for people in the rest of Africa who need to travel to South Africa, the United Kingdom or France for specific medical treatments.
Emma Knox, CEO of Vitality Health International Africa, says: “The foundation of the Vitality Shared-value model is to reward people for healthier behaviours, which improves their physical and mental well-being, improving productivity and decreasing the employer’s insurance or health risk. Through this model Vitality Health International is contributing towards a healthier society by making businesses and their employees healthier.”
Three key trends in the African market that underpinned our model
The Vitality Health International model is highly relevant for the African market, considering key consumer trends impacting the healthcare landscape. Firstly, the health insurance industry in Africa is modelled on traditional approaches to healthcare cover. With its young, millennial population the industry is ready for innovation.
Secondly, Africa is going through a disease profile shift. Lifestyle diseases are emerging as the main cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa. This shift is caused by increased urbanisation, lack of physical activity, poor levels of disease screening and late-stage disease diagnosis. “Added to this there is an estimated 100 million people in Africa suffering from clinical depression. Employers are desperately looking for more holistic screening and well-being solutions,” said Knox.
Thirdly, Africa’s young population is adopting digital technology and connection at a rapid rate. Interest in health and wellness, and specifically wearable tech that tracks health activity, is high.
These trends offer a unique opportunity for Vitality Health International to make a significant impact in these markets. Knox continues, “Our health insurance model with Vitality at its core, is highly relevant in the context of the changing landscape. It can help employers improve productivity as the health of their employees improve.”
Recent product enhancements and highlights
In September 2022, the team introduced several enhancements to the Vitality Health International product offering. The Vitality Health Fund was launched to allow employees to boost their current healthcare cover for outpatient healthcare services and treatments once they reach the limits on their health insurance.
The Vitality Employer Cashback was also launched, recognising and rewarding employers for encouraging their employees to get healthier with the Vitality programme. They get up to 10% cashback on their following renewal premium.
Knox explains another enhancement: “The Vitality platform now offers integration with a range of fitness devices and apps. Employees can link their devices to the Vitality platform to start earning credits and rewards, linked to healthy behaviour. And to make fitness even more accessible, there is a range of wearable fitness devices available for employees. They can also get up to 40% off a Garmin fitness device which can be purchased online via the Vitality programme.”
Weekly vouchers for data and airtime with MTN or Vodacom were also announced; as well as vouchers for Uber, Uber Eats and Jumia. A third option includes the popular ‘Move to Give’ benefit, where employees can donate the value of their weekly rewards towards a Unicef life-saving vaccination.
At the heart of our business
“The foundation of the shared-value model is to reward people for healthier behaviours, which brings down the insurance risk, and improves performance as an insurer. At the same time, Vitality Health International is contributing towards a healthier society over time,” Knox concludes.
