Discovery Health - Vitality & Team Vitality plus everything else you need to know

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

anyone here on discovery life that can confirm that they actually deliver on what they promise.  i had a chat with someone that caused my spidey senses to tingle with the promises he made. I am already on their medical aid, vitality on diamond.

Ag, you know, at the end of the day all direct-linked brokers will tell you that their product is the best, beats everyone else hands down and will always be the cheapest / most comprehensive etc etc. 

 

The simple truth is that it depends. It depends on a lot of things. Which disability benefits are being used, which severe illness & income replacement products are being quoted and so on. 

 

The "integration trap" isn't nearly as bad as some non-discovery agents (like Liberty tied agents, momentum tied agents and other guys who are only licensed to advise on one particular brand) would have you believe, and the only time you'd be "trapped" in a policy is if you picked up some health problems along the way and couldn't apply for cover elsewhere. That's the same no matter where you go. 

 

I've got clients who have been on Blue status since the beginning of the policy (despite my best attempts to have them get to even silver) and they're still miles below the cost of what a comparative policy would be anywhere else. I've also got clients on the opposite side of the spectrum, for whom even being on Diamond status with zero health claims they were able to get a more cost-effective solution elsewhere, but those are rarer and it's very much a case of "it depends"

 

Discovery's Severe Illness benefit IS one of if not the best on the market, as are PPS's Sickness & Permanent Incapacity benefits. Discovery's investment options, though.... no. Sometimes, there comes a client who fits the bill perfectly, but a very narrow set of criteria need to be fulfilled in order to get there, and in those cases they're excellent. But those are few and far between. 

 

Every life assurance company will deliver on what they promise. But sometimes there's a niggle in the client history (a diabetic not disclosing that, or someone not saying they had a malignant melanoma removed 3 years ago etc etc) and they need to do extra investigations into the client's history in order to see if the cover would have been granted had that info been disclosed upfront. 

 

Insofar as paying claims, though, I know that they all have to pay legit claims. That one recent Momentum case was an interesting one, but I think that the majority of horror stories against other providers has been created off rumour spread and intensified by tied agents of competitor companies, and people simply not knowing what they're covered for.

 

Every person is different. You may not fit the Discovery brand, but it may be the best / most cost-effective solution once the analysis has been performed. The same goes for all teh other providers. And there are cases where a more expensive premium is actually advisable (as is the case with PPS's Sickness & Permanent Incapacity benefit, it's simply much better than anything else available, but only if you're a professional)

Edited March 4, 2020 by Captain Fastbastard Mayhem

[LazyTrailRider]

I found that every time I went for a 57 minute ride (one of my regular loops) I'd ride around the block 3 times to get to 1 hour so I can get 300 points, or my Fitbit Versa would for some reason not sync completely, or I forgot to start it or whatever, and then I'd be pissed at myself.

 

So, a few weeks ago I unlinked all my devices from sending data to Vitality. It's going to cost me a fair bit in lost incentives over the next couple of years, but I'm willing to pay that with pleasure in return for 1) not being constantly aware of what data I'm sending to them and 2) the pleasure of knowing that they have less data to profile me with. I've effectively purchased a bit of privacy and relaxation.

 

Yes, I'm happier at the end of rides these days. It feels good.

[SeaBee]

Daft question... but... is anybody actually still going to gym? And how will the current status affect (or be reflected) ito the VA gym membership benefits? Or does one simply have to go and maintain the 36, even if just swiping and walking out?

[ridr]

Daft question... but... is anybody actually still going to gym? And how will the current status affect (or be reflected) ito the VA gym membership benefits? Or does one simply have to go and maintain the 36, even if just swiping and walking out?

 

I saw an article today about it - they're changing it to 30 visits at the end of March and April instead of the usual 36....

 

https://www.discovery.co.za/vitality/gym-visits-covid-19

Edited March 17, 2020 by ridr

[Cyclewizz]

Daft question... but... is anybody actually still going to gym? And how will the current status affect (or be reflected) ito the VA gym membership benefits? Or does one simply have to go and maintain the 36, even if just swiping and walking out?

 

I was at gym yesterday.

It's like going in December, you can use any machine you like and 99% of the weights are on the rack.

[Veebee]

Gym was extremely quiet , and they are throughly cleaning machines etc so thats good.

Keep the immune system strong and enjoy gym while its dead.

[geomark]

Been trying to manually upload a scan of a dental check on the Vitality website and just get a stock response "there are inconsistencies between the information supplied and the document that was uploaded" and can't find a live body to ask what this actually means and what the issue is despite several frustrating phone calls and run around.

 

Anyone have an email address that deals with queries ?

[shahilj]

Gym was extremely quiet , and they are throughly cleaning machines etc so thats good.

Keep the immune system strong and enjoy gym while its dead.

 

The gyms and Discovery will say that they are cleaning the machines and it's ok to go. Because they have a vested interest in all this.

 

The doctors that are at the forefront say it's a big NO.

 

My non-Discovery aligned gym has switched to doing workouts using WhatsApp as this is safer.

 

Anyway, I feel like they may drag their feet with Vitality Rewards but there should be something to compensate us such that we don't lose status because of forced lifestyle changes during this time.

[shaper]

The gyms and Discovery will say that they are cleaning the machines and it's ok to go. Because they have a vested interest in all this.

 

The doctors that are at the forefront say it's a big NO.

 

My non-Discovery aligned gym has switched to doing workouts using WhatsApp as this is safer.

 

Anyway, I feel like they may drag their feet with Vitality Rewards but there should be something to compensate us such that we don't lose status because of forced lifestyle changes during this time.

Got this mail from VA today

 

Virgin Active understands that these are stressful times, but staying active and healthy is your number one weapon. Regular exercise is an important way to reduce stress, combat anxiety and strengthen your immune system.

 

It is important to remember that the coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and not through sweat or chlorinated pool water. This means that gyms are not riskier than other public spaces, however it is important that we all practise good hygiene and respect social distancing.

 

At Virgin Active, we are committed to providing a safe and healthy training environment so that you can continue to exercise regularly through these challenging times. We use an outsourced cleaning company called Oryx, who are also contracted to a number of hospitals, and use hospital-grade cleaning products that have highly effective anti-viral properties. These products last up to 8 hours on a surface. Through Oryx, we have increased the size of our cleaning teams and the frequency at which they clean, focusing particularly on high-touch areas. We have also introduced additional hand sanitisers, disinfectant spray and paper towels throughout our clubs.

 

We encourage all our members to wash their hands more frequently for 20 seconds, cover their mouth when coughing, use a tissue when sneezing and use the disinfectant spray and paper towels to give the equipment a good wipe-down before and after each workout. Our staff will of course be doing the same on a continuous basis.

 

In order to encourage social distancing in our clubs, we are reducing the size of our group exercise classes to ensure adequate spacing. All group exercise spaces will need to be pre-booked online or via our app. Alternatively please ask one of our staff to help you.

 

Whether you enjoy a high energy Ride class, a calming Yoga session or simply pumping iron, we have a workout that will help keep you happy and healthy. But remember that a good workout requires a healthy body, so don't forget to eat right. Vitamins are important, so try to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. In these times, protect yourself and your immune system. Give yourself the time to rest and recover after a high intensity workout session. And of course, make sure you get in those 8 hours of sleep.

 

Finally, if you are not feeling well, rather stay home, get some rest and seek medical help if needed.

 

Look after yourself and together we will be stronger, healthier and happier.

 

Let's #LiveHappilyEverActive together.

 

Mark Field

Managing Director, Virgin Active South Africa.

[Veebee]

The gyms and Discovery will say that they are cleaning the machines and it's ok to go. Because they have a vested interest in all this.

 

The doctors that are at the forefront say it's a big NO.

 

My non-Discovery aligned gym has switched to doing workouts using WhatsApp as this is safer.

 

Anyway, I feel like they may drag their feet with Vitality Rewards but there should be something to compensate us such that we don't lose status because of forced lifestyle changes during this time.

I've seen the cleaning happening with my own eyes... more thorough than usual.

 

Anyway, we already have much more to be afraid of in SA, waking up everyday in this country is already a risk.

 

And they are many other ways to meet your reward goals, go ride or run outside where its much better, [but you still at risk from being hit by a taxi or getting stabbed or shot for your bike]

[MORNE]

I've seen the cleaning happening with my own eyes... more thorough than usual.

 

Anyway, we already have much more to be afraid of in SA, waking up everyday in this country is already a risk.

 

And they are many other ways to meet your reward goals, go ride or run outside where its much better, [but you still at risk from being hit by a taxi or getting stabbed or shot for your bike]

ill take my chance in a taxi before trusting a Boet to actually use his fricken sweat towl....

 

gyms are like kindergartens...plague incubators. Covid-19 or not.

 

[LeoKnight]

Question which I could not find on here if it has been answered, if you have two garmin devices (ie Edge device for the bike and a watch), is it possible that you can get activity points on either got the most points on the day? 

 

I did a ride on Saturday, and garmin reflects the ride, but the points was not loaded, rather the "step"  counter from the watch was loaded as the qualifying "event"

[Jigghead]

Question which I could not find on here if it has been answered, if you have two garmin devices (ie Edge device for the bike and a watch), is it possible that you can get activity points on either got the most points on the day?

 

I did a ride on Saturday, and garmin reflects the ride, but the points was not loaded, rather the "step" counter from the watch was loaded as the qualifying "event"

Sometimes my Edge takes longer to update to Discovery than the fēnix. Not sure why. I usually sync a couple of times and Discovery gets the message.

[Frosty]

Question which I could not find on here if it has been answered, if you have two garmin devices (ie Edge device for the bike and a watch), is it possible that you can get activity points on either got the most points on the day?

 

I did a ride on Saturday, and garmin reflects the ride, but the points was not loaded, rather the "step" counter from the watch was loaded as the qualifying "event"

My ride from Saturday doesn’t show up yet, not even the steps from with my Apple Watch or from the Garmin (735XT). Sunday’s run had points allocated almost immediately.

 

I have two Garmin devices, and both show as on the points tracker, but one would say points already awarded.

[Albatross]

Question which I could not find on here if it has been answered, if you have two garmin devices (ie Edge device for the bike and a watch), is it possible that you can get activity points on either got the most points on the day? 

 

I did a ride on Saturday, and garmin reflects the ride, but the points was not loaded, rather the "step"  counter from the watch was loaded as the qualifying "event"

 

2020-03-17: Garmin Workouts 

Some members will find that they have not yet received points for Garmin workouts completed from the 14th March 2020. We are working on this and your points will reflect once the issue has been resolved.

[lechatnoir]

 

Question which I could not find on here if it has been answered, if you have two garmin devices (ie Edge device for the bike and a watch), is it possible that you can get activity points on either got the most points on the day? 

 

I did a ride on Saturday, and garmin reflects the ride, but the points was not loaded, rather the "step"  counter from the watch was loaded as the qualifying "event"

 

2020-03-17: Garmin Workouts 

Some members will find that they have not yet received points for Garmin workouts completed from the 14th March 2020. We are working on this and your points will reflect once the issue has been resolved.

 

 

if one device is a step counter and you do 10K steps and the other's a HRM and you do 80%+ for >30min, you'll be allocated 300pts for the day. i hope that answers your question.