Medical Insurance …..WR Life……for 70 plus……..your experience/recommendations?

[mikey88]

I’d be interested in your personal experience and or thoughts.

The thorny topic of medical insurance for Thailand as we age…

Anybody have experience with this company..?

Can you share. 
The two most important questions to my mind are 1/ do they bill the hospital or do you have to pay and claim back later……and 2/ are the premiums set in advance for the years ahead….what I mean is …….can you plan what your premium will be at age 80 for example……with some certainty.

Anything I’m missing…?

[brewsterbudgen]

They have told me that in Thailand they bill the hospital direct, although it depend on which hospital you're using.

 

They have told me that the Premium will be adjusted if a claim is made, but otherwise not.

 

However, although I've been insured with them for 2.5 years, I've not had to make a claim.

[yeahbutif]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

They have told me that in Thailand they bill the hospital direct, although it depend on which hospital you're using.

 

They have told me that the Premium will be adjusted if a claim is made, but otherwise not.

 

However, although I've been insured with them for 2.5 years, I've not had to make a claim.

Great I'm been with them only  2 months  They seem okay but was recommended. I thought they were a very new company but it seems odd that if they been going for over 2.5 years they should be more reviews and claims by now.. would be good to hear from people who had made a claim.

[Celsius]

24 minutes ago, yeahbutif said:

it seems odd that if they been going for over 2.5 years they should be more reviews

 

Plenty of 1 star reviews on google. Office seems to be in a condo..

 

https://www.google.com/local/place/fid/0x48761b5f5824d0a7:0xfb5d670583e6ee18/photosphere?iu=https://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?panoid%3DsecrMmcO6wPsjMf5t4PVnw%26cb_client%3Dlu.gallery.gps%26w%3D160%26h%3D106%26yaw%3D91.49821%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100&ik=CAISFnNlY3JNbWNPNndQc2pNZjV0NFBWbnc%3D

[KannikaP]

I paid them a monthly premium of £212 for 6 months, then after several unsatisfactory email answers from them, I QUIT,

[nigelforbes]

41 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

Plenty of 1 star reviews on google. Office seems to be in a condo..

 

https://www.google.com/local/place/fid/0x48761b5f5824d0a7:0xfb5d670583e6ee18/photosphere?iu=https://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?panoid%3DsecrMmcO6wPsjMf5t4PVnw%26cb_client%3Dlu.gallery.gps%26w%3D160%26h%3D106%26yaw%3D91.49821%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100&ik=CAISFnNlY3JNbWNPNndQc2pNZjV0NFBWbnc%3D

And their UK offices in London are in a rent an office space building.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=wrlife+UK&rlz=1C1UEAD_enTH996TH996&oq=wrlife+UK&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60.2701j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lpg=cid:CgIgARICCAI%3D,ik:CAISFnNlY3JNbWNPNndQc2pNZjV0NFBWbnc

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

 

Plenty of 1 star reviews on google. Office seems to be in a condo..

 

https://www.google.com/local/place/fid/0x48761b5f5824d0a7:0xfb5d670583e6ee18/photosphere?iu=https://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?panoid%3DsecrMmcO6wPsjMf5t4PVnw%26cb_client%3Dlu.gallery.gps%26w%3D160%26h%3D106%26yaw%3D91.49821%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100&ik=CAISFnNlY3JNbWNPNndQc2pNZjV0NFBWbnc%3D

Do you have a link to the Google reviews?

[bkk6060]

Several threads on this company.

Yet, I do not believe I have seen one post that said they had a claim and what the result was.  Seems strange I guess no none with it has gotten sick?

 

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, yeahbutif said:

Great I'm been with them only  2 months  They seem okay but was recommended. I thought they were a very new company but it seems odd that if they been going for over 2.5 years they should be more reviews and claims by now.. would be good to hear from people who had made a claim.

There are a few WRLife threads on this Forum, with some posts of positive claims experiences.  I signed up with them via a broker I've used for many years, and he hasn't had any issues with clients not having claims met.

 

They're not too popular on this Forum though!

[Celsius]

3 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

There are a few WRLife threads on this Forum, with some posts of positive claims experiences.  I signed up with them via a broker I've used for many years, and he hasn't had any issues with clients not having claims met.

 

They're not too popular on this Forum though!

 

WR is a borker, non insurance an insurance company.

 

You used a broker to sign up with a broker?

[brewsterbudgen]

10 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

WR is a borker, non insurance an insurance company.

 

You used a broker to sign up with a broker?

No. I used a broker to sign up for a health insurance policy.  Contact him yourself if you like, he's very good: https://expatinsuranceservices.com/

[scubascuba3]

Same with every insurance policy, check the premium if 80yo, then if your 5 years away from that increase the premium by a sensible amount maybe 3% a year and see if you can still afford it.

 

Of course you need to self insure for excluded pre-existing conditions

[jerrymahoney]

Interesting discussion 5 week old on https://www.facebook.com/InsuranceWrlife/

no Facebook login required

[scubascuba3]

24 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Interesting discussion 5 week old on https://www.facebook.com/InsuranceWrlife/

no Facebook login required

couldn't see anything + in Thai, anyway you're our guinea pig

[jerrymahoney]

46 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

couldn't see anything + in Thai, anyway you're our guinea pig

well keep trying -- it was about a claim denial based upon a pre-existing condition apparently not divulged

 

But here seems to be the final response from WrL:

 

It seems that you did not have insurance before because you ignore my question : what was your previous medical insurance? If you have please send a copy to <ag-service.org> Then you make a cover. Then quite immediately you claim for a medical pre existing condition confirmed by the hospital and a second opinion team.

 

[scubascuba3]

5 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

well keep trying -- it was about a claim denial based upon a pre-existing condition apparently not divulged

 

But here seems to be the final response from WrL:

 

It seems that you did not have insurance before because you ignore my question : what was your previous medical insurance? If you have please send a copy to [email protected] Then you make a cover. Then quite immediately you claim for a medical pre existing condition confirmed by the hospital and a second opinion team.

 

i reckon insurers as soon as someone  makes a claim they run around the office trying to find an undiagnosed pre-existing condition, it's an easy get out and high 5s all round the office

[jerrymahoney]

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i reckon insurers as soon as someone  makes a claim they run around the office trying to find an undiagnosed pre-existing condition, it's an easy get out and high 5s all round the office

It also happens because the doctors at the hospital who provide the pre-inpatient assessment to the insurer inform the insurer that this is not a new occurrence.

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

Interesting discussion 5 week old on https://www.facebook.com/InsuranceWrlife/

no Facebook login required

That is not very informative, pictures from 2019. 

I know that in previous threads about this company, you were up for them.

Any changes?

[jerrymahoney]

8 hours ago, KannikaP said:

That is not very informative, pictures from 2019. 

I know that in previous threads about this company, you were up for them.

Any changes?

the text I quoted is from 5 weeks ago ... and on previous threads, you have been down on them.

[jerrymahoney]

And to the OP maybe look at this:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1268153-wrlife-medical-insurance-experiences/?do=findComment&comment=17529530

 

and also maybe this:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1268153-wrlife-medical-insurance-experiences/?do=findComment&comment=17766306

 

[SammyJ]

On 2/12/2023 at 6:29 PM, jerrymahoney said:

It also happens because the doctors at the hospital who provide the pre-inpatient assessment to the insurer inform the insurer that this is not a new occurrence.

Rarely, from my experience, is it the doctor who informs the insurance company--when the claim in submitted after, or for pre-approval, medical records are reviewed and the insurer's claims adjuster reviews the information and makes a determination.  It is always quite possible that there are no medical records of previous treatment where the current medical treatment is being provided, and the current doctor has no knowledge of any previous treatments--the previous treatment might have taken place at a different hospital or even in a different country.  The adjuster reviews to see if such a medical situation was declared as a pre-existing condition when the insured individual completed their initial application or if medical records show that the whatever the insured is being treated for should have been shared previously and perhaps the claimant wasn't accurate in completing the initial insurance application.  Insurance companies are "for profit" businesses and will not pay claims that do not comply, in their view, with the policy.

[jerrymahoney]

Well as noted in WrLife Facebook entry I quoted:

 

 ... a medical pre existing condition confirmed by the hospital and a second opinion team.

 

 

[KKr]

Financials of WRLife LLP,  that holds the Insurance Licences, are Public Information.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/OC401682/filing-history

that is better than some much larger Companies that register with Non-public registrars off-shore.

in 2021 there was reported revenue of 990.000 GBP.
also, some interesting movements 300.000 in/out (looks like balance sheet extension to me.)

The Company seems to have gotten some traction in revenue  in 2021. The business model is good, but to create credibility is a challenge when fighting for your place in a market dominated by companies with very large customer bases, known brands, deep pockets, and large reserves)

( WRLIFE PARTICIPATIVE LTD seems to be holder of agent/broker licenses only)

[Hummin]

Good luck! 

[prakhonchai nick]

Somewhat contradictory statements on their web page

 

The WrLife team

We are fully-licenced insurance agents and brokers,

At WrLife we believe that customers prefer to be insured by a fully-licenced company with an honest, open and fair approach to medical insurance.

We’re a fully-licenced independent insurance group

 

If they are just brokers, who does the insurance underwriting?

 

[LaosLover]

Just did biz in Chiang Mai with CMX Insure (Andy). For a 70 year old with 10K deductible it was about 5K a year via Cigna. Compared to American Medicare, that's a bargain. This price excludes treatment in the states.

 

He said that Thai insurers are more likely to toss you off when you get to 75, and international insurers less so.

 

The upwards of 75 market is always in flux, but someone will prob always want that biz -at a price. If a hospital visit is pre-authorized, Cigna will pay the hospital directly.

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, LaosLover said:

Just did biz in Chiang Mai with CMX Insure (Andy). For a 70 year old with 10K deductible it was about 5K a year via Cigna. Compared to American Medicare, that's a bargain. This price excludes treatment in the states.

 

He said that Thai insurers are more likely to toss you off when you get to 75, and international insurers less so.

 

The upwards of 75 market is always in flux, but someone will prob always want that biz -at a price. If a hospital visit is pre-authorized, Cigna will pay the hospital directly.

Great.  But this thread is supposed to be about people's experiences with WRLife.

[mikey88]

On 2/12/2023 at 1:45 PM, KannikaP said:

I paid them a monthly premium of £212 for 6 months, then after several unsatisfactory email answers from them, I QUIT,

Can you say what it was that made you dissatisfied…..?

[KannikaP]

Just now, mikey88 said:

Can you say what it was that made you dissatisfied…..?

The way the 'Boss' worded his emails.

[mikey88]

On 2/26/2023 at 12:41 PM, LaosLover said:

Just did biz in Chiang Mai with CMX Insure (Andy). For a 70 year old with 10K deductible it was about 5K a year via Cigna. Compared to American Medicare, that's a bargain. This price excludes treatment in the states.

 

He said that Thai insurers are more likely to toss you off when you get to 75, and international insurers less so.

 

The upwards of 75 market is always in flux, but someone will prob always want that biz -at a price. If a hospital visit is pre-authorized, Cigna will pay the hospital directly.

Thanks for that…..it’s the 75 plus years that I’m most concerned about……Seems little use to have cover until 75 and then get dumped…..So there’s no one who will GUARANTEE to keep you on until 80 or more…?