WRLife

[anchadian]

Concur.

 

As London is WrLife's headquarters, why isn't there any reviews from the UK after doing a google search?

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

Agree, but they still seem to be going, and paid ONE claim recently that we have been made aware of.

Are there no other members on here who are successfully covered by WR?

From the reports of policyholders who have had their claims paid, it certainly appears that WRLife has the willingness to pay claims, and that is very important. Policyholders should be encouraged by this.

 

In addition to willingness to pay, the financial ability to pay going forward is important. Usually a review of an insurer's financial statements and ratings by agencies such as Standard and Poor or AM Best can give an idea as to an insurer's longer-term ability to meet claims obligations. One can't begin to perform this kind of review if one does not know the name and address of the insurer.

 

 

 

[KannikaP]

Just now, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

From the reports of policyholders who have had their claims paid

Link to these reports please.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Just now, KannikaP said:

Link to these reports please.

I'm referring to the OP and you have yourself enumerated the reports on AN. I do not have any others to provide.

[scubascuba3]

Only a few reviews which is suspicious in itself

 

 

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.wrlife.net

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I'm referring to the OP and you have yourself enumerated the reports on AN. I do not have any others to provide.

So that's two, TBone & jerry.

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Only a few reviews which is suspicious in itself

 

 

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.wrlife.net

What a load of cobblers, two policy holders are happy, one who got paid for minor surgery and is happy that his premium is 50% cheaper, and the other who is happy that his family is covered, no mention of any claim.

Anyone see the Joe Lycett thing on You Tube where he got a fictitious company which did not trade get 5 stars on Trustpilot in 2 weeks.

[bkk6060]

I have no idea if this is true.

I was told by a broker that their assets for paying claims are only from premiums. In other words, if 100 people are paying $2,000 a year their claim payout bank is $200,000.

It seems as far as this forum is concerned, there have been very few claims.  So, in theory they may be solvent at this point with limited claim exposure.

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What a load of cobblers, two policy holders are happy, one who got paid for minor surgery and is happy that his premium is 50% cheaper, and the other who is happy that his family is covered, no mention of any claim.

Anyone see the Joe Lycett thing on You Tube where he got a fictitious company which did not trade get 5 stars on Trustpilot in 2 weeks.

the fact there's so few reviews suggests it's not being marketed in UK, maybe only Thailand, Buakhao

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

the fact there's so few reviews suggests it's not being marketed in UK, maybe only Thailand, Buakhao

Licensing, regulatory and compliance issues would likely keep some companies from offering insurance in the UK market.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

15 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I have no idea if this is true.

I was told by a broker that their assets for paying claims are only from premiums. In other words, if 100 people are paying $2,000 a year their claim payout bank is $200,000.

It seems as far as this forum is concerned, there have been very few claims.  So, in theory they may be solvent at this point with limited claim exposure.

 

This is one of the reasons why it is important to know where an insurer is licensed and regulated. Some countries have very low capital and reserve requirements and may not employ sophisticated analytics when reviewing an insurer's financials. Some offshore "financial centers" are known for their light regulatory touch and ease in securing a license.

 

[oxo1947]

I went to 2 private hospitals and asked about this insurance --- The BKK group  and another large private hospital here in Issan.

Both said that with this insurance you would need to post a bond before the operation. Asked how much the bond--Answer =  Depends on the operation. (but they want to cover themselves)

 

Guys dont wait for someone you dont even know tell you how good it is--or that its not good. Go into your hospital (or phone) ask for the overseas dept and find if your Hospital of choice will do the operation and bill this company.

[jerrymahoney]

Plan A was BUPA Thailand for 13 years pre-Aetna 1 claim JAN 2007

Plan B was CIGNA Global for 5 years no claims

Plan C was  WrLife since DEC 2021 2 claims

Plan D is available if necessary

[jerrymahoney]

9 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

In addition to willingness to pay, the financial ability to pay going forward is important. Usually a review of an insurer's financial statements and ratings by agencies such as Standard and Poor or AM Best can give an idea as to an insurer's longer-term ability to meet claims obligations. One can't begin to perform this kind of review if one does not know the name and address of the insurer.

As stated: Usually.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

2 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

As stated: Usually.

It isn't possible to form any kind of opinion on the claims-paying ability of an insurer if its identity is not known or if financials and ratings aren't available.

 

 

[jerrymahoney]

16 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

It isn't possible to form any kind of opinion on the claims-paying ability of an insurer if its identity is not known or if financials and ratings aren't available.

 

 

I spent almost 20 years with 2 insurers who do as you say. And I decided  I had reasons to move. While the WrL people do not do as you say, that  it isn't possible to form ANY kind of opinion about claims paying ability is your opinion.

 

And we had this same discussion last year and I'm not doing it again .

[simon43]

I have just signed up with WRLife. having had my medical insurance cover cancelled by April International Insurance (France) when I made a claim.  The history of that has been covered in previous threads, but basically April cancelled my insurance because they said I should have informed them that I had slight BPH when I signed up several years earlier.  My claim late last year was for prostate cancer investigation (MRI scan/biopsy etc).  In fact, when I signed up with April, no doctor had ever diagnosed BPH in writing - it was an off-the-cuff comment after a DRE many years previously and never recorded.

 

This being the case, I was shaken and very annoyed when April used BPH as a reason for cancelling my cover for cancer investigation.  The 2 ailments are not related, so it was IMHO simply a way to avoid payment.  My thousands of $ in premiums over the past 2+ years were not reimbursed.... Happily, no cancer was found after a detailed biopsy.  I can add that my financial claim against April has been accepted for consideration by the insurance ombudsman in France and I'm busy submitting further documents to them.

 

So these events really unsettled me about getting further medical insurance cover.  I decided to sign up with WRLife because although a new company, they do have a history of paying out on valid claims.  Also, their premiums are very reasonable.  This means that I will also be able to save funds for 'self-insurance', just in case a future claim is rejected.

 

BTW, to ensure that WRLife couldn't pull the same 'trick' as April, I listed every conceivable ailment/treatment on the application forms, included the bunion on my right foot, a vasectomy some 15 years ago and a benign mole removal 10 years ago!!  WRLife accepted me with the (agreed between us) exclusion of BPH/prostatitis/UTIs, but including cover for prostate cancer.

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

I have just signed up with WRLife. having had my medical insurance cover cancelled by April International Insurance (France) when I made a claim.  The history of that has been covered in previous threads, but basically April cancelled my insurance because they said I should have informed them that I had slight BPH when I signed up several years earlier.  My claim late last year was for prostate cancer investigation (MRI scan/biopsy etc).  In fact, when I signed up with April, no doctor had ever diagnosed BPH in writing - it was an off-the-cuff comment after a DRE many years previously and never recorded.

 

This being the case, I was shaken and very annoyed when April used BPH as a reason for cancelling my cover for cancer investigation.  The 2 ailments are not related, so it was IMHO simply a way to avoid payment.  My thousands of $ in premiums over the past 2+ years were not reimbursed.... Happily, no cancer was found after a detailed biopsy.  I can add that my financial claim against April has been accepted for consideration by the insurance ombudsman in France and I'm busy submitting further documents to them.

 

So these events really unsettled me about getting further medical insurance cover.  I decided to sign up with WRLife because although a new company, they do have a history of paying out on valid claims.  Also, their premiums are very reasonable.  This means that I will also be able to save funds for 'self-insurance', just in case a future claim is rejected.

 

BTW, to ensure that WRLife couldn't pull the same 'trick' as April, I listed every conceivable ailment/treatment on the application forms, included the bunion on my right foot, a vasectomy some 15 years ago and a benign mole removal 10 years ago!!  WRLife accepted me with the (agreed between us) exclusion of BPH/prostatitis/UTIs, but including cover for prostate cancer.

I hope you included on that form that you had insurance denied (by April), usually that is a key check by insurance companies, probably use that to deny claim

[Sheryl]

11 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I hope you included on that form that you had insurance denied (by April), usually that is a key check by insurance companies, probably use that to deny claim

Actually he was not denied insurance by April.  They insured him. His policy was later cancelled when it was discovered he had failed to disclose a known chronic condition at time of application.

 

Some insurer's intake forms ask about prior policy cancellation but many do not. More common to ask if ever had an insurance application turned down. 

 

 

[simon43]

36 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I hope you included on that form that you had insurance denied (by April), usually that is a key check by insurance companies, probably use that to deny claim

Yes, WRLife asked about any previous insurance and I provided details and a copy of the insurance certificate for April, and an explanation of the events.  No questions were asked and my policy with WRLife is now in force, including $10,000 payout to my brother on my death by illness or accident, to pay for funeral costs (that's $50 needed to dump me in the Mekong and $9,950 for a party...).

 

While my employment does not pay huge amounts, I should be able to save $20,000 a year for emergency expenses or outpatient treatment (I opted only for inpatient and death cover).  Actually, my new employer in Myanmar also provides 'expat' medical insurance (which is one positive reason why I accepted the job!).

[jerrymahoney]

OK Simon. 12 hours and no flak. Yet.

[scubascuba3]

18 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

OK Simon. 12 hours and no flak. Yet.

We have another guinea pig

[jerrymahoney]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

We have another guinea pig

That didn't take long -- not gonna ask him about his 'due diligence'?

[scubascuba3]

48 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

That didn't take long -- not gonna ask him about his 'due diligence'?

We've done that already, now just a case of waiting for claim reviews, particularly for expensive claims

[jerrymahoney]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

We've done that already, now just a case of waiting for claim reviews, particularly for expensive claims

That's OK. So Simon and I are Guinea pigs to you for your entertainment. I just look at your avatar to put me in the proper mood to whom I am responding.

[jerrymahoney]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

now just a case of waiting for claim reviews, particularly for expensive claims

There may already be 'expensive' claims-- just not by someone who has any intention of posting about them on here, or even knows that this forum exists.

[bradiston]

Maybe a subject for a separate thread.

 

I signed up with WRLife August last year. They put a 6 month moratorium on my existing Afib, which is now well over. I got badly caught out, or you might say, careless, when the BKK Pattaya hospital reported back they wouldn't cover the costs of cataract surgery. It's in an add on package, and it's OP in any case.

 

But my question here isn't really related to the ins and outs of that. It's more to ask your opinion on paying a deductible. I can pay up to $5000 of any in patient treatment they approve. It lowers my premium from 10400 THB pm to 6643 THB pm. Now, I'm assuming as the actuaries and underwriters have access to vast terrabytes of data that allow them to put these numbers together, which I don't have, how can I workout if it's worth signing up for the $5000 package? It seems very tempting. Anyone in the industry have away of calculating these things? Like a table of the most optimised packages? I'll probably go for the $5000 deductible, and just "be good, failing which, be careful". My very primitive methodology for assessing the benefits have to make massive assumptions about the coming state of my health. Maybe one big payout in 5 years.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

8 hours ago, bradiston said:

Maybe a subject for a separate thread.

 

I signed up with WRLife August last year. They put a 6 month moratorium on my existing Afib, which is now well over. I got badly caught out, or you might say, careless, when the BKK Pattaya hospital reported back they wouldn't cover the costs of cataract surgery. It's in an add on package, and it's OP in any case.

 

But my question here isn't really related to the ins and outs of that. It's more to ask your opinion on paying a deductible. I can pay up to $5000 of any in patient treatment they approve. It lowers my premium from 10400 THB pm to 6643 THB pm. Now, I'm assuming as the actuaries and underwriters have access to vast terrabytes of data that allow them to put these numbers together, which I don't have, how can I workout if it's worth signing up for the $5000 package? It seems very tempting. Anyone in the industry have away of calculating these things? Like a table of the most optimised packages? I'll probably go for the $5000 deductible, and just "be good, failing which, be careful". My very primitive methodology for assessing the benefits have to make massive assumptions about the coming state of my health. Maybe one big payout in 5 years.

 

 

Usually just check how the premium increases for each deductible increase, circ 40k baht deductible was the best value, i tried it with April

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

11 hours ago, bradiston said:

Maybe a subject for a separate thread.

 

I signed up with WRLife August last year. They put a 6 month moratorium on my existing Afib, which is now well over. I got badly caught out, or you might say, careless, when the BKK Pattaya hospital reported back they wouldn't cover the costs of cataract surgery. It's in an add on package, and it's OP in any case.

 

But my question here isn't really related to the ins and outs of that. It's more to ask your opinion on paying a deductible. I can pay up to $5000 of any in patient treatment they approve. It lowers my premium from 10400 THB pm to 6643 THB pm. Now, I'm assuming as the actuaries and underwriters have access to vast terrabytes of data that allow them to put these numbers together, which I don't have, how can I workout if it's worth signing up for the $5000 package? It seems very tempting. Anyone in the industry have away of calculating these things? Like a table of the most optimised packages? I'll probably go for the $5000 deductible, and just "be good, failing which, be careful". My very primitive methodology for assessing the benefits have to make massive assumptions about the coming state of my health. Maybe one big payout in 5 years.

 

 

What probably matters more than trying to find the theoretical actuarial sweet spot in terms of optimizing premiums and deductibles would be to choose a deductible and premium level that fits best within your financial situation.

 

 

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

If you can afford the Premium without any deductible, I'd do that (in fact I did).