The Exeter Reviews 

1,477
•
TrustScore 4 out of 5

4.0

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 349 reviews, reviewers had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently praise the staff for being exceptionally helpful, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to during difficult health situations. People also highlight that making a claim is simple, supported by prompt communication, understanding representatives, and efficient service overall. Furthermore, many users feel entirely supported and valued throughout their ongoing medical treatments. However, some reviewers were not happy with exceptionally slow response times when waiting for long authorization periods or customer service replies. Consumers also noted occasional frustrating difficulties regarding claim approvals for specific medical treatments, along with concerns about rising premiums after utilizing policies.

What people talk about most

Service

Customers consistently note positive experiences with service, frequently praising quick response times and... See more

Staff

Consumers find staff to be exceptionally helpful, supportive, and knowledgeable during difficult health... See more

Customer service

Clients share positive opinions on customer service, highlighting that telephone calls are answered promptly... See more

Claim

People report ambiguous experiences with claim, as reviewers hold deeply divided opinions regarding the... See more

Response time

Customers had ambiguous experiences with response time, as opinions on communication speed varied... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

My experience of having treatment authorised and payment for treatment is excellent. The reason I cannot give five stars is the increase in premium having utilised the service. Mine went up almost 100... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

So glad i took out private health care with The Exeter. I was recently diagnosed with cateracts in both eyes and have had them both operated on in a matter of 3 months. The only thing i found wa... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I’ve been a member for some years and have reached my mid-eighties. Needless to say, age brings health flaws and it is so very reassuring that The Exeter is always behind me. 6 years of (managed) c... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My Husband & I have been members of "The Exeter" for over 40 years.My Husband died in 2020, I decided to renew my membership. Whenever I phone for a claim, advice or information your staff membrr... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Insurance Company

Written by the company

Welcome to The Exeter. We're an award-winning healthcare and protection insurance provider with over 100 years of experience supporting our members when they need us most. Your feedback allows us to evaluate our performance and provide you with the best possible products and services.

Free access to HealthWise, our member benefits app.

As a member of The Exeter, you and your family have access to HealthWise, helping to keep you healthy and happy every day.

Contact info

4.0

Great

TrustScore 4 out of 5

1K reviews

5-star
4-star
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2-star
1-star

Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

Replied to 98% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 24 hours

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4.0

All reviews

(1,477)

351 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Very friendly and helpful

I found the telephone helpline team to be friendly helpful and efficient.

2 February 2026
The Exeter logo

Reply from The Exeter

Hi Kate, I am delighted that you have found our telephone team to be friendly, helpful and efficient. Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Shoulder replacement

Very clear process from initial contact. Operation a great success. After care has been brilliant. Very easy to sort

16 January 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Good morning, SO,
Thank you for taking a moment to leave us a review. I am glad to hear that you found our processes clear and easy to understand, that your operation was successful and that you were pleased with your aftercare, too.
Kind regards, Ruby - Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Overall treatment for spinal surgery .They managed to get me up to Harley…

They managed to get me up to Harley Street clinics best consultants and best Hospital and absolutely amazed with the service and treatment I got ,thank you.

2 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Good morning, Stephen,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. I am very pleased to hear that you have experienced amazing service and treatment through The Exeter, and were able to see Harley Street specialists when you needed to.
Kind regards, Ruby - Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Easy to deal with

Very easy to deal with and no issues from the hospitals.

16 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Good morning, Spencer,
Thank you for leaving us a review. I am delighted to hear that you found The Exeter easy to deal with and had no issues with the hospitals used.
Kind regards, Ruby - Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent company, excellent help

I have had a couple of issues this year and both have been resolved with no fuss, no equivalent and complete professionality by the Exeter. I have nothing but praise for this company and have been thoroughly impressed with the amount of backup I have had during the last couple of years.

16 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Good afternoon, Theresa,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. I am very pleased to hear that you have had a fuss-free and professional experience when you have contacted us. We are always happy to hear that our members are impressed!
Kind regards, Ruby - Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Efficient and pleasant and empathetic…

Efficient and pleasant and empathetic staff

16 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Terry, I'm delighted that my colleagues have ensured your experience with us was efficient, pleasant and empathetic. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Service

Everyone I have spoken to has been very helpful and the process has been very clear to follow.

9 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi, thank you for sharing your experience with us. I am so pleased that my colleagues who you have spoken with have been very helpful and that the process has been clear to follow. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A difficult issue was solved quickly…

A difficult issue was solved quickly and with full support from the claims dept at all times. Excellent service from a great insurer.

18 February 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Melvin, I am sorry that you faced a difficult issue, but I'm really glad that our claims team were able to provide you with excellent service and gave you full support to solve this. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Many thanks Jessica Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

By far the best

By far the best , most considerate and customer friendly health insurance company I have used . Bearing in mind previous companies have included PPP AXA Bupa and more .

10 October 2025
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Alison, this is such a lovely review, thank you for taking the time to share this with us. I am delighted that you have found us at The Exeter to be the most considerate and customer friendly health insurance company that you have used. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I was actually able to talk to a…

I was actually able to talk to a person, who seemed very efficient. Not sure of the name but thank you. Clear parameters set in the beginning so no nasty surprises about payment.

11 February 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Jane, I am so pleased that my colleague provided you with an efficient service and made sure that you had the information you needed for your payments. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Good customers care and clear answers

Good customers care and clear answers

16 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi ayemene jacques n'dre, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I am delighted that you have received good customer care and clear answers from my colleagues. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

You cancelled our overseas health…

You cancelled our overseas health insurance after we had been loyal members for many years. My husband is 87 and will now find it impossible to find affordable
health insurance. I give the Exeter NO STARS for this cruel and devastating decision

1 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Dr Norcliffe, I am so sorry that we have not been able to continue your cover. If you remain unhappy, please can you contact our complaints team with your policy information. Their email address is complaints@the-exeter.com. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Although it is usually very hard to get…

Although it is usually very hard to get any contact with Exeter, when your claim is accepted, everything works very smoothly and well.

16 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Rosie, thanks so much for leaving a review, I am really glad that the process once your claim was accepted was smooth, however I am sorry to hear that you have found it hard to get contact with us prior to the claim being accepted. If you did wish to provide us with any further feedback regarding this, please contact our Member Servicing team with your policy information. The telephone number is 0300 123 3201 and we are open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. Alternatively you can email us at member@the-exeter.com. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Efficient and quick to consent to a…

Efficient and quick to consent to a claim

16 March 2026
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Peter, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I am really glad that the service you received from my colleagues was efficient and we were able to grant you quick consent for your claim. Many thanks Jessica, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unrealistic and unfair premium annual…

Unrealistic and unfair premium annual increase

I have been a member of Exeter for 14 years starting a monthly payment of £86 pcm. Since AXA took over this company, every year my premium went up by £30 a month. This renewal, I have been quoted £326 with the excess of £350 which is £1560 more than Bupa, WPA and all the other companies annually. I am on a community rated policy which making a claim doesn’t affect the premium but if the other age group members make a claim , that will put the premium up. There is no NCD either so that is why they are trying to diminish it. Two years ago , they introduced hospital list to charge rates for the hospitals which were already included on my policy. However, this a clear attempt of pricing members out of this package which is no longer available from Exeter or any other companies. This is very frustrating and disappointing to know that loyalty doesn’t mean anything to this company,which is a disguised AXA. Literally , From £86 pcm 14 years ago with no excess to £326 pcm with £350 excess is outrageous. They refused to negotiate the premium every year as they are trying to diminish this community rated base policy. It is a real shame as I am so happy with their service and how flexible they are when making a claim.

My policy is 13494371PP01

7 March 2026
Unprompted review
The Exeter logo

Reply from The Exeter

Good afternoon, Zara,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback with us about your renewal premiums – we truly appreciate hearing from our long‑term members.
When we calculate renewal prices, we consider several key factors such as age, medical inflation, and claims experience. Many of our insurance products naturally increase as members get older. You also mentioned that you’re on a community‑rated policy, which means claims are assessed across a broader pool of people in your area who hold similar cover. This works differently to our Health+ policies, where premiums are influenced by an individual no‑claims discount (NCD) scale.
The introduction of Hospital Lists over the last few years was designed to improve fairness for all members. Previously, when all hospitals were grouped together, the high cost of claims from a small number of very expensive hospitals could significantly impact renewal premiums for all community‑rated customers. The updated structure helps ensure a more balanced and equitable approach.
I’d also like to reassure you that The Exeter is not owned by AXA, and we have never been purchased by them. While AXA handles the processing of our private medical claims, all terms, conditions, and rules around how those claims are managed are set solely by The Exeter.
As a mutual society, we’re unable to offer ad‑hoc discounts at renewal. This is an important part of maintaining a fair and consistent pricing strategy for every member. Unlike larger companies that may operate differently, we reinvest our profits back into supporting our members and ensuring we can continue paying as many claims as possible.
If you’d like to discuss any of this in more detail, or if you wish to raise a complaint, our Member Support Team would be happy to help. You can reach them on 0300 123 3201 (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm) or by email at member@the-exeter.com.
Kind regards, Ruby – Member Servicing Specialist

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent customer services support from Craig and Laura

I had issues with credit control at The London Clinic despite Exeter having paid the bills in question. Craig and Laura from Exeter Customer Services were so helpful in resolving this

5 March 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Exeter

Hi Collette, thank you for leaving a 5 star review. I'm so glad Craig & Laura were able to resolve the problem with The London Clinic. Many thanks Denise, Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Substandard initial communications & processes

Can only comment on the application/onboarding process which is abysmal. The admin staff don’t read the information in applications, ignore customer emails, then send their own ignorant emails.

In order to get a direct quote for healthcare, was forced to create an account inputting personal details on The Exeter’s website. [Why when not everyone who gets a quote will want to proceed?]

Regardless, I accepted the quote and completed the application entering all the relevant information. Once this is submitted, the form disappeared from my section of the portal! And there is no copy emailed or advisory information emailed either so was left completely in the dark. All I got was an automated acknowledgement.

No news after the submission so emailed The Exeter three times on the correct email address – I received auto acknowledgements so I know they got the emails but two of my emails were never responded to and the third received a delayed and disingenuous message that was offensive in its incompetence.

I’ve received two emails from staff at The Exeter. The first one says they’re waiting for my certificate of insurance (from my previous insurer). The problem is this email was sent over 4 hours after The Exeter received my certificate of insurance (which was acknowledged by auto email).

The second email said “we’ve now received your certificate of insurance…” – the problem with this email is that it was sent over 3 working days after they received my certificate. So no, not “now”; three days’ ago. Do they not know how to monitor, filter and progress different emails from their customers?

It further goes on to say that the date of my insurance can be backdated to the day of this email “if your policy starts today” – what do they mean “if”? It would be quicker to read the policy application and know that the policy was due to start the previous week than it was to type that grotesquely inadequate sentence.
So will it be backdated to the correct date or will I be left with a gap in my insurance (and how would that affect NCD years)?

The crowning glory of this email is where it implies that cover may not be provided. Excuse me? You took my medical information prior to issuing the quotation. You make a customised individual quotation; therefore, you have to provide the cover. (Not to mention taking my payment details.) The only reason for not providing cover would be if an applicant lied in the application and that wouldn’t prevent the provision of cover as the contract would be invalidated and could be cancelled at any point in time when the insurer became aware of the false information.

The whole idea of having private medical cover is to have peace of mind and better access to healthcare. I am, frankly, flabbergasted, that a private healthcare provider can be so poor at basic administrative processes and customer service that it makes the customer feel stressed and physically ill.

What would happen if I suffered a medical event requiring ongoing treatment in the period where The Exeter failed to activate my policy due to the incompetence of their staff/ inadequacies of the internal systems? Would that be excluded from cover?

If they do decide not to honour their quotation for cover, their tardiness and incompetence mean it will now be too late to extend cover with my previous provider and getting new cover from an alternative after a break in cover will cost more despite my years of NCD. Who regulates these providers in cases when they cause people financial harm prior to a contract being signed off?

If they can’t be trusted to get basic admin right, how can they be trusted with serious and complex healthcare provision?

Update: Since posting this review, I've just received an email from the Exeter stating that they have not received my insurance certificate! So I have:
-the automated email confirming receipt of my certificate,
-an email 3 days later stating they have my certificate
-an email today stating they don't have it

Update: Credit where it's due. Despite the generic response below, I was contacted directly (later that same day) by a New Business & Agency Team Manager who managed to complete the registration/onboarding and confirm everything in one single email.

4 March 2026
Unprompted review
The Exeter logo

Reply from The Exeter

Good afternoon,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and I am very sorry to hear that you feel the application process has been unnecessarily complicated and this has left you feeling unhappy. We would welcome the opportunity to look into this matter for you and possibly open a complaint for you to seek some resolution to the situation.
Please contact our New Business Healthcare Team on 0808 169 6193 or via email at healthcare@the-exeter.com.
We hope to hear from you soon so we can address your review and in the meantime have taken your feedback on board to help us improve for the future.
Kind regards, Ruby- Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A friendly, professional team

Exeter provides a prompt, efficient, courteous service.

13 November 2025
The Exeter logo

Reply from The Exeter

Good afternoon, Carmen,
Thank you for taking a moment to leave us a review. I am delighted to hear that you have experienced prompt, efficient & courteous service when you have needed to contact us regarding your insurance.
Kind regards, Ruby - Member Servicing Specialist.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

We were conned

We were conned . We have subscribed to this insurance for 1 year without claim having opted for the most comprehensive coverage. ( so far costing in excess of £2k ) . My wife has had recent issues with her knee. Got a referral as required for an mri scan and Exeter refused simply saying she’s not eligible. I am fuming . There was a problem with her knee but was more than 10 years ago and appeared to clear up . If this company are not willing to fund a few hundred quid for a scan then they are not worth another penny of my hard earned cash . Direct debit cancelled

26 February 2026
Unprompted review
The Exeter logo

Reply from The Exeter

Hi Trevor, thank you for leaving a review, I am sorry to hear of your experience. If you would like us to look into the matter further or if you would like to raise a complaint, you can contact our Claims Team on 0300 123 3253 . Their hours are 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturday. Many thanks Denise, Member Servicing Specialist.

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