Expat Health Insurance Horror Stories...

[leew]

Hi

I deal with expat health insurance here in SE Asia and deal with most major health insurance companies. i am putting together a study of different horror stories of where the health insurance company for whatever reason has refused to payout, admittedly its not always the insurance companies fault but how often do true claims get refused!!

[Benjie]

Not sure but I had a very good experience with Bupa this year. We have coverage through our company, my wife included. We have the cheapest cover available, costs something like 2,500 baht a year for each person.

Earlier in the year my wife had to go into hospital for an operation, the cost was 54,000 baht - We got to the counter expecting to have to pay and try and get our money re-imbursed, instead we were charged 7,000 baht cash and Bupa paid the rest direct to the hospital.

Sorry its not a horror story, but I thought I should share it anyway.

[Mario2008]

Our forum rules do not allow naming and shaming. So information would have to be given by PM or without the company name.

[scorecard]

Not sure but I had a very good experience with Bupa this year. We have coverage through our company, my wife included. We have the cheapest cover available, costs something like 2,500 baht a year for each person.

Earlier in the year my wife had to go into hospital for an operation, the cost was 54,000 baht - We got to the counter expecting to have to pay and try and get our money re-imbursed, instead we were charged 7,000 baht cash and Bupa paid the rest direct to the hospital.

Sorry its not a horror story, but I thought I should share it anyway.

I also have a positive story and a negative story.

Positive first, in regard to a well know international health insurance company. My university aged son got hurt in a rugby game and was taken to a high profile governemnt hospital. He tried to tell his coach that he had a high level of insurance and wanted to go to an intenational hospital but the coach demanded he go to the govt hospital.

When he took the receipts to the insurance company (about 50,000Baht) then said 'you need a statement of the medical situation and treatment, signed by the doctor (this is quite normal).

Son got absolutely no cooperation whatever from the hospital about the letter. He went back to insurance company, and they said 'did you offer to pay for the letter', which he hadn't. He went back to the hospital asked what he needed to pay. The answer was '20% of your expected refund', which he then paid and got his letter.

Insurance company then paid out immediately.

Insurance company manager called me to apologize for the situation, because she was afraid I might think she was or her company was involved. Now, every year when renewal is due, same lady calls me as a gentle reminder that the premium is due and to ask for some feedback about their services.

Son has a four year old daughter, and like all kids this age there's numerous hospital bills. Every claim has been paid over the counter without hesitation.

Negative story, my Thai son's wife suddenly revealed that she was behind in paying for her mothers heath insurance (daughter had started the polict for her mother, and it was paid by the month). In fact my son didn't even kow the polict existed.

My son then discovered the monthly payment for his wife's mothers' policy was about 5,000Baht a month, and she had no previous medical conditions, about 43 years old.

Son then discovered his wife had been talked into a policy which was massively beyond anything needed or logical. Talked into it by her 'dear high school friend', who had become an insurance sales agent.

Son quickly arranged for new policy with company he's been with for years (high profile highly credible company), then called wife's 'dear friend' and told her that her policy was cancelled and no further payments would be made. Dear friend called son's wife and got abusive. Son called her company and initially company claimed it was illegal to cancel health insurance.

I called a very senior executive who I know in the bank which has a joint venture with the insurance company. He was very embarrassed and said he would take care of the matter (get the policy cancelled) immediately.

Meanwhile the sales agent (dear school friend) had made several more abusive calls to son and his wife. I insisted that the bank take some action and they banned her from ever working again as an sales agent.

She instantly became a sales agent for another very high profile insurer. Son's wife has since discovered several times that she's pulled the same act on a large number of old school friends.

Now if you want a negative story about house contents insurance, just yell.