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BUPA: Health Insurance reviews

Name: Health Insurance
Rating: 1.45 (73 reviews)

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1.28

Based on 73 reviews, last reviewed 11th Apr 2025

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

86% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

85%

Latest highest rating:

4

Bupa customer service I have Bupa with my employer, the services provider exceed that offered on the NHS. It is a bit complicated when first signing up but you get used to ... Read more Reviewed on: 24th August 2024

Latest lowest rating:

1

Impossible to cancel policy which I had to take as a... Impossible to cancel policy which I had to take as a visitor on a Visa when going to Australia. Can't cancel via online account, can't cancel via cha... Read more Reviewed on: 11th April 2025

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About this product

BUPA offers two levels of cover: Comprehensive health insurance, or Treatment and Care health insurance. There are options to insure yourself as an individual, yourself and your partner, or your family. Policyholders can access a range of wellbeing rewards for fitness, nutrition and relaxation.

Before taking out a new health insurance policy, check out customer reviews. Our BUPA health insurance reviews can give you real peace of mind before signing on the dott...

BUPA Health Insurance reviews (73)

Review of the BUPA, Health Insurance:

WORST INSURANCE COMPANY I'VE EVER USED. PLEASE TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE!

I am honestly so utterly disgusted with BUPA, the way they have treated me and the absolute lies they have told me. I am 49 and have been with BUPA for a large part of my life through private and company policies and chose to stay with them when moving from a company to private policy in April as they offered a continuation policy (apparently!!) I was quoted approx £80 per month and having had around 10 brain operations I thought was very reasonable. I was then asked if I had ha... d any issues with my back such as arthritis and whilst I hadn't, I explained that I had fallen over on an icy travellator a few years ago and had 2 lots of injections in my back (which didn't work) and some physio but that there was no further treatment that I could have nor would be able to have (I had written proof of this) as I had been left with chronic pain and not a back condition. Bupa do not cover treatment for Chronic Pain but despite this they loaded my premium by 150% from £80 per month to over £200 per month, purely because of my back pain and told me that it would not be reduced again at any point, even though they could see that I was not and could not claim anything for it and that it would increase further every year with age etc I asked them to exclude my back if they were happier doing so, although I did not really see why it was necessary, but they refused, and despite there being recordings and written proof that the loadings were solely because of the fall and not my brain ops (the brain condition has now been cured), they then lied and started suggesting that it was to do with the brain ops after all to justify the huge increase. They also said that I was told it could be changed within the first 21 days of cover and they could have looked at excluding it, another lie as I was never told that. I pointed out that they had already told me it was not to do with my brain and I asked for an explanation as to why the loading was so huge. They then told me they don't have to explain that to me and if I wasn't happy I could seek cover elsewhere, which will obviously leave me with no cover for anything that is considered pre existing, such as any treatment relating to my brain should I ever need it again. This is only a snapshot of what has happened and the way that I have been treated by them but I can honestly say I have never been treated with such total indifference and lack of compassion by a company before. They have absolutely stitched me up and taken an additional £1500 from me this year for something that they themselves admit they do not even cover. I would urge you to go elsewhere for cover. My family are now cancelling their policies too and I will never ever recommend BUPA to anyone, indeed I would urge anyone looking for cover to take their business elsewhere. Reviewed on: 21st January 2021

cheaper than AXA but also much worse

cheaper than AXA but also much worse - you really do (or do not in this case) get what you pay for. i have been with axa for many years and had a number of claims from big to small and the service and ease with which you deal with axa was (looking back) the gold standard from my perspective. but, looking to economise, i thought i would switch to bupa - seemed the same on paper, and i had not heard anything overtly bad. booking a gp appointment with the app was "ok" at best - ... really lousy app design and disjointed but got there in the end. but i will share the exact experience which has made me start the process of switching back to AXA. - son had a breathing problem for which GP made a referral and used the phrase "problem had been going on for a long time" (using my son's words) - BUPA stated this is "pre existing" as the wording "long time" was used and i needed a letter from my own GP stating my son had no pre existing conditions - i then got this letter (paid for by myself) and sent along to BUPA - they then reviewed this letter and decided to disregard it, reverting back to the original and saying this is considered pre-existing - i was then asked for ANOTHER GP referral explicitly stating when symptoms started - using BUPA's own GP i had ANOTHER appointment and then obtained a referral explicitly stating symptom start date and sent along thinking this should be the end. - BUPA rejected this third letter (even though it was from a GP in their own network) referencing the first letter saying they consider this to be pre-existing. obvious questions... why ask for me to pay for a pre-existing medical conditions statement when it was going to be disregarded? why ask me to get a second referral (from their own GP) if it was going to be disregarded? if they cannot trust a referral from THEIR OWN GP, what is anyone to do? how will the GP feel when i inform them (which i will) that their professional medical opinion is being ignored? since then, i have booked and paid for my own appointment as i don't have the time to waste with BUPA. i have also started the process of going back to AXA where i have used their claims process for more minor issues than this (mild rash and seen a skincare specialist also for my son). i am sure BUPA are great when there are serious black and white problems that obviously cannot be classified as pre existing (but i am sure they would try). however, be warned, if you have something a little less clear cut (especially with children it would seem) such as my case, you are probably in for a bit of a scrap with BUPA to get coverage as it seems they will do WHATEVER they possibly can to make this as difficult or impossible for you. sadly, in this case they have won as i don't have the time to waste with them anymore. i am fortunate that i can cover this out of my own pocket, but if you are not, then I STRONGLY suggest that when working with BUPA make sure you tell whatever GP to be crystal clear and water tight in any referrals and try to eliminate any possibility for BUPA to push back on the claim. hopefully, someone finds this disappointing and cautionary tale useful Reviewed on: 24th July 2024

Every time I call them, I have to mentally prepare m...

Every time I call them, I have to mentally prepare myself for a fight because they seem unwilling to provide you with cover for anything Reviewed on: 2nd April 2024

Just cancelled my membership as the customer service...

Just cancelled my membership as the customer service is terrible. It took me over 6 months just to get reimbursement on a claim that I should not have paid due to being misinformed by a Bupa agent. I then spent several hours on several different occasions chasing the payment as the customer service reps kept giving me incorrect information. Very very disappointed and glad I cancelled! Reviewed on: 29th February 2024

Terrible do not use

The documentation hoops you need to… The documentation hoops you need to jumpt through are a NIGHTMARE. In Short, you require the NHS GP to fill out a pretreatment form EVERYTIME you want access to treatment and typically costs 40£!!. Which means you speed of treatment is bottlednecked by the overwhelmed(underfunded) NHS GP service and cost an additional 40£ each time. This process was not made clear to me when i bought the policy. Try Another provider!!! Further update, I aske... Reviewed on: 14th February 2024

We paid for highest cover but when we tried to claim...

We paid for highest cover but when we tried to claim help we were told to pay for a private scan , they take your money and your on your own !! PLEASE FOLK DO NOT RISK PAYING BUPA Reviewed on: 3rd January 2024

What a waste of money

We took out the highest level of cover , as soon as we needed to claim they made every excuse possible not to help they insist you then get a doctor letter before they help which csts £96 extra and takes weeks and weeks to arrive meanwhile your in limbo , we were told to pay for a private scan !! Even though we had paid into Bupa PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT BE FOOLED INTO PAYING BUPA Reviewed on: 27th December 2023

Stay away

Sad joke they are, saty as far away as possible Reviewed on: 7th December 2023

Its a con

My policy covers me for the treatment i'm claiming for but still they won't pay, how are they allowed to get away with this its criminal. Reviewed on: 25th November 2023

no point holding this insurance because doctors in uk are no longer treating bupa patients

i was told by my doctor that he probably would not be able to do my operation because bupa have not increased the fees they pay to their doctors for 30 years approximately. Most anaesthetists are already refusing BUPA patients for this reason and I certainly don't fancy having my operation without anaesthetic! BUPA's fee system locks in the most junior surgeons to low fees so if you see a BUPA doctor, he/she most likely is somebody at the start of their consultant career rathe... Reviewed on: 21st November 2023

Money generated

This is only a money generated and only interested in moneymaker company. I and my wife have been members for 40 years or so. So believe me. I am finding it hard to type . Stick with the national health. I write from UCH hospital Reviewed on: 3rd November 2023

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