Equipsme, a business health insurance provider and Starling Marketplace partner, explains its services. Our business customers can sign up for their plans through our app.
Equipsme provides flexible and simple health insurance plans for businesses and their employees and families. Equipsme also offers health plans for self-employed business owners. Starling customers can sign up through Marketplace on the Starling app.
All Equipsme health plans include 24/7 GP access, physiotherapy support with five or more sessions depending on the plan, gym discounts, an online health check and access to nurse helplines, including dedicated Heart & Cancer nurse support. Those listed on a health plan must be between 16 and 69.
For businesses, monthly cost per person ranges from £7 to £42, depending on plan. For self-employed business owners the range is £27 - £39 per person, per month.
What are the benefits of business health insurance?
There’s a positive ripple effect in offering health cover. In providing support for your team’s health and happiness, you may find that customer service improves, more people stay in the company and more people want to join.
Beyond this, the faster a team member is diagnosed and treated for a condition, the easier it is to plan for your business. Support for physical and mental health could also mean that your employees take fewer days off for sickness, meaning that both your team and your business remain healthier and more productive.
Equipsme is committed to providing health insurance plans that are easy to budget for, with transparent pricing.
What does Equipsme offer?
Equipsme offers four different plans, which provide various levels of cover for the individual or family member. If a business provides a standard level of cover, employees can choose to upgrade to a higher level of cover and pay the difference. They can also add a partner and up to six children - partners cost the same as the employee would per month, children under 25 cost half as much as the employee per month.
Everyone covered by a plan has access to the Equipsme app and members portal. This enables bookings for telephone consultations with an NHS qualified, UK based doctor with no appointment or time limit, and access to the private prescription delivery service available to home, work, or the local pharmacy.
For physio, once a claim is approved, you’ll be offered a choice of therapists based on your location. All claims for physiotherapy, diagnosis or treatment are handled for Equipsme by AXA Health and must be pre-authorised using their approved medical network.
Businesses also have the option to add Stress Support for all employees covered on a plan for an extra £1.50 per person per month and Dental & Optical cover for £8.00 per person per month.
What about pre-existing medical conditions?
Any pre-existing medical conditions or symptoms from the three years prior to the start date of the plan will not be covered.* If a medical condition is diagnosed after the plan has started, this will be covered if it doesn’t come under other exclusions.
When it comes to cancer, the treatment itself is excluded, due to how complicated and diverse it can be. But fast diagnosis will always be a priority. Health professionals can then provide help and support with questions, as you return to the NHS for treatment, and Equipsme provide access to a nurse helpline service and personal support after diagnosis.
How do you set up Equipsme through Starling?
You can start your Equipsme health insurance plan by going to Starling Marketplace, found in the main menu of your business account. Find ‘Equipsme’ under the Insurance category and follow the on-screen instructions.
As always, signing up to Equipsme through Starling will not cost more than going direct.
*A pre-existing condition is any disease, illness, or injury that employees have received medication, advice, or treatment for in the three years before the start of cover or have experienced symptoms of in the three years before the start of cover, whether or not the condition was diagnosed. The prices quoted are correct at time of publication, but subject to change over time.
This is intended as general information and doesn’t constitute advice. Make sure you take independent advice if you’ve got any questions about your specific circumstances.