Vitality Active Rewards: a solution to global physical inactivity

Insurers along with governments have a unique role in society through the ability to monetize better health behavior, such as physical activity. It is mechanisms, like Vitality Active Rewards, that generate value from improved activity levels for businesses, people and society.

Vitality Active Rewards, an example of Vitality’s shared-value approach and an element of the Vitality behavioral platform, brings technology and behavioral science together to encourage increased physical activity. This health-promotion program is one of the key instruments that insurers in the Global Vitality Network use to encourage increased physical activity.

How it works

Across global markets, the Vitality behavioral platform links to Vitality Active Rewards. The program tracks physical activity, including steps, heart rate, calories and gym visits, through linked wearable devices. Participants receive varying rewards for achieving personalized physical activity goals to encourage positive and ongoing behavior change. Participants on Vitality Active Rewards also have a higher likelihood of taking up other health and wellness activities, such as healthier nutrition and regular preventive screenings.

Through a global partnership with Apple, the benefit has been extended to a funding mechanism for Apple Watch, whereby members can earn their Apple Watch by consistently meeting their weekly physical activity goals over a period of 24 months. This is how it works:

1. Get Apple Watch

Get Apple Watch for a small upfront activation fee. Then visit iStore to pick up your Apple Watch.

Pay the balance over 24 months and reduce these payments to zero by being active.

2. Get Active

Personalized, dynamic physical activity goals are set weekly and delivered through the Vitality Activity Rewards platform.

These goals can increase or decrease based on the goal history to ensure that members remain challenged and engaged.

3. Get Rewarded

Vitality members earn weekly rewards for achieving their Vitality Active Rewards goals, such as coffee, a healthy smoothie or they can donate the value of their rewards to a charity.

By achieving their goals, Vitality members can reduce their Apple Watch payments to as low as zero based on how many weekly goals they achieve during the month.

The results

Vitality has proven to encourage healthier behaviour globally. The insurance industry is in a unique position to monetize this through Vitality’s Shared-Value Insurance and address the growing problem of physical inactivity.