Health Insurance

[scorecard]

I pay for medical insurance for my adopted Thai son 26 years old and his daughter, now 2.5 years old, son has had BUPA insurance for about 5 to 6 years, daughter with BUPA from just after her birth. Have family cover (but mother not included).

Renewal is coming up within about one week.

Can I gain a discount on the premiums by renewing thru Thaivisa Health Insurance rather than direct with BUPA?

Look forward to your advice.

Alan 08 1808 8155

[ThaivisaInsurance]

I pay for medical insurance for my adopted Thai son 26 years old and his daughter, now 2.5 years old, son has had BUPA insurance for about 5 to 6 years, daughter with BUPA from just after her birth. Have family cover (but mother not included).

Renewal is coming up within about one week.

Can I gain a discount on the premiums by renewing thru Thaivisa Health Insurance rather than direct with BUPA?

Look forward to your advice.

Alan 08 1808 8155

Alan

By dealing direct with the Insurance company, when you need to make a claim, you are dealing direct with them where if you went via a Broker ( at no extra cost) you have an intermediary to help in any 'grey' areas. It therefore makes sense to go via a Broker in case of 'misunderstandings'

[jazzbo]

Good Answer TVI -- the value of a broker is not to get a discount on rates, though that is sometimes possible, but the service that they give you AFTER you purchase the insurance...

One of the biggest problems, on which a broker certainly can advise, is that some persons do not answer all the underwriting questions completely, if not truthfully, and that can be the biggest cause for problems down the road. Make sure that TVI, or ANY broker, takes the time and goes over all the underwriting issues with you... the first thing that a health insurance company will do, when faced with a large claim, is to check to see if they can disqualify you because you mis-represented the underwriting (disclosing previous conditions or medical treatment) for the policy.

[desktop]

BUPA insurance payment delay.

I have had BUPA insurance for the last several years with no claims. My information is that if (when) hospitalized the first time, BUPA will not cover you on discharge from the hospital. (Assuming maybe a week of hospitalization). BUPA will initiate an investigation of possible pre-existing conditions which could negate coverage. This process involves requesting your medical records from your home country, which could take up to 6 months(!?). So you are required to pay the entire bill on discharge and then get your refund from BUPA.

Does this situation occur for subsequent hospitalizations, even though BUPA already has your home country records?

Is there a point in time when BUPA does not request records from your home country?

Maybe 7 or 10 years?

Can a person request BUPA obtain your records now, to avoid the payment delay?

BTW, I am not currently hospitalized nor have plans to be.

[Firefan]

Hi Desktop!

I have friends, some using Bupa and others Thaihealth.co.th (actually old Bupa executives that started this) and the ones who have been hospitalized have NOT had homecountry medical records requested and everything (according to policy limits naturally) was covered accordingly.

Dear Lord...I have not lived in my home country for 10 years, and would have no idea where to find my "medical records" if any exist beyond a couple of visit to Bumringrad in the last couple of years.

Cheers!

[qualtrough]

BUPA insurance payment delay.

I have had BUPA insurance for the last several years with no claims. My information is that if (when) hospitalized the first time, BUPA will not cover you on discharge from the hospital. (Assuming maybe a week of hospitalization). BUPA will initiate an investigation of possible pre-existing conditions which could negate coverage. This process involves requesting your medical records from your home country, which could take up to 6 months(!?). So you are required to pay the entire bill on discharge and then get your refund from BUPA.

Does this situation occur for subsequent hospitalizations, even though BUPA already has your home country records?

Is there a point in time when BUPA does not request records from your home country?

Maybe 7 or 10 years?

Can a person request BUPA obtain your records now, to avoid the payment delay?

BTW, I am not currently hospitalized nor have plans to be.

My family has had Bupa for in patient for some time and never had any problem. All claims handled very promptly and no issues. Never had any requests for US or any other records.

[tonydabbs]

BUPA insurance payment delay.

I have had BUPA insurance for the last several years with no claims. My information is that if (when) hospitalized the first time, BUPA will not cover you on discharge from the hospital. (Assuming maybe a week of hospitalization). BUPA will initiate an investigation of possible pre-existing conditions which could negate coverage. This process involves requesting your medical records from your home country, which could take up to 6 months(!?). So you are required to pay the entire bill on discharge and then get your refund from BUPA.

Does this situation occur for subsequent hospitalizations, even though BUPA already has your home country records?

Is there a point in time when BUPA does not request records from your home country?

Maybe 7 or 10 years?

Can a person request BUPA obtain your records now, to avoid the payment delay?

BTW, I am not currently hospitalized nor have plans to be.

It is possible that home country records might be requested in the case of a very questionable high claim. But it's not common practice.

In anycase, after the policy has been in force more than 2 years they can't look for pre-existing conditions. If they didn't discover a pre-existing condition within that 2 year period, or before, they can't exclude it now.