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BUPA: Health Insurance reviews

1.33
Based on 71 reviews, last reviewed 3rd Jan 2025
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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
Saffron Mitchell's avatar
Saffron Mitchell

Latest lowest rating:

1

OUTRAGEOUS INCREASES My wife and I have been with BUPA for over 20 years.10 years ago our premium was £120 per month.Today the premium for 2025 is £1400 per month. I expec... Read more Reviewed on: 3rd January 2025
Laurence I's avatar
Laurence I

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 dotted line.

Find out which level of cover customers chose and how satisfied they are with their selection. Learn more about the different conditions that are and aren’t covered to decide if it’s the right policy for your needs. Find out if policyholders have encountered any issues and how quickly BUPA has resolved these. Learn whether customers would renew their policies. Make an informed decision about your new policy by reading our BUPA health insurance reviews.

If you’re a BUPA customer, write an honest review on Smart Money People today. How long have you been with BUPA and how satisfied have you been so far? Which level of cover do you have and why? Have you encountered any illnesses or ailments that weren’t covered under your policy that you expected to be? Are you able to choose where you receive treatment and from whom? Have you ever redeemed any of the wellbeing rewards? Have you made a claim, and if so, how quickly was it paid out? Would you recommend the policy to your family and friends? Write a BUPA health insurance review today. Together, we can help people like you make better financial decisions.

BUPA Health Insurance reviews (71)

Review of the BUPA, Health Insurance:

OK, but be careful of exclusions

3
I have Bupa health insurance through work, and they are OK, but be very careful about the exclusions, I've found several things I would fully expect to be covered are not because of many complicated exclusions. Also when you do request treatment you're left to find a doctor/consultant from their long list yourself, this is virtually impossible when you don't understand complex medical terms to know which doctor has the specialism you need (it took me several weeks to get an appointment lined up as I was passed around many places because of this) Reviewed on: 3rd September 2023

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

1
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 had 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

Too complicated, disorganised and terrible customer service

1
My company had a automatic policy with Bupa- so I used it for the first time for Mental Health counselling. First of all, it took about one week for them to access my information and my policy cover. They recommended three therapists of two who were no longer active. (generalists, nothing too niche) The policy was so complicated so I have double checked that the treatment was being covered 100% and have asked them to let me know before any cost incurs. I went ahead with the treatment, only to find out that I had to pay after which I really couldn't afford. The only therapist from the recommendation, was not qualified to deal with my issues, I found out half way through the x10 sessions I've had. I've raised a complaint to Bupa, whilst I was being pestered for the invoice to be paid ASAP (because she 'needed the money for holiday'...) they repeatedly promised me to call me back, get back to me, I am still awaiting, after 2 weeks. In the meantime I paid the invoice. I called them because I suffered anxiety- this experience made it so much worse. Reviewed on: 16th August 2020

Cowboys

1
They classed new symptoms I had as pre existing conditions even though I'd never even seen a GP about them previously and they weren't on my medical record. I lodged an official complaint which was dismissed and am cancelling my policy (with no refund obviously). The second time they did this it cost me a surgery date that I'd been waiting 9 months for. The result is... I'm going to miss my surgery window and am still currently walking round with a bone sticking into my skin. Avoid at all costs, like insurance salesmen they'll find a way to get out of making a payout for absolutely everything. It should probably also be worth a mention that I held the most extensive policy Reviewed on: 7th August 2020

THEY CAUSED ME HEALTH ISSUES

1
Everything you read below is TRUE! I am sat waiting for an appointment for two months and still have not been seen. Lord help me Reviewed on: 23rd July 2020

Crap

1
These people just take your money and don’t pay for anything . Big con! Don’t bother with the money I paid them I could have paid for all my medical needs . Now I’m well out of pocket because of them Reviewed on: 3rd May 2020

not worth your money

1
Bupa is a too expensive healthcare insurance provinieron to not cover any sort of epidemic, like the corona virus which is brewing. I think it’s shameful that in case of such emergency they will not cover their clients even after taking thousands of dollars. Look for better insurance policies that will cover you in such epidemics... Reviewed on: 5th March 2020

misleading documents, verging on lies.

1
My personal guide tells me that they will pay for a service, which other documents contradict this Their documents basically lie. What a waste of money. I am cancelling my account today, don't waste your money by signing up with them. Reviewed on: 20th May 2019

Keep away from BUPA

1
To whom it may concern in BUPA. I would like to complain on your poor service and support. I tried to use your service for the first time and did not received it when needed. I was under the impression that you are all about the customers. Me and my family left other health insurance company due to recommendations on BUPA but seems we have been mis leaded. My 3 yrs daughter need to see a Paediatrician. On Thursday, the 17.01.19 we have spoken to your representative on the phone which asked if we have a referral from our GP. We have answered yes and he asked us to read the content of the latter and after doing so, he asked if we can send a copy of it, which we did. An hour after spoken to the same representative again and he has advised that the medical team suggested that the content of the GP is good but the format of WORD is no good and asked to receive it in PDF, so a few min after we have sent the ''right'' format to the Medical Team via email and we have received a confirmation email that it was well received. We have been spoken to the same representative again and he said that now they are closed as it is after 6pm and that he will contact us first thing in the morning. First thing in the morning arrived and off course no one contact us and no authorisation number seems in sight. When we have called BUPA again, we have been advised from a different representative that still no confirmation and perhaps it has not even been received and that it can take up to 72 hours to confirm the format in the medical team while a child is sick ?!?!? So we send it again. Then we have been transferred to a person name Mark who said he is the manager or something like that and he still couldn't help us with receiving authorisation number although we have kept explaining that we do not wish to hold with it into the weekend. All this time I have a sick child, which is insured with BUPA, that need to see the Paediatrician, we have sent the right documents that asked to be provided and the only thing we keep hearing is that the format needs to be checked ?!?!?!?!? Weekend has entered, Saturday then Sunday so no one to support. Monday 21.01.19 (day 5 after contact BUPA) – As expected, no authorisation number and no one to help. Make you wonder, why do I pay for a family insurance with BUPA ?!? The 2nd representative called around 4pm to say is calling out of curtesy but no authorisation number yet. Please note, in both times while was speaking to the 2nd representative, he was very unpleasant and just tried to end the conversation. My 3 yrs daughter still seek and still need to see the PD ! Funny thing is, when I called today to BUPA and asked as a new customer, if I will join, how long will take to receive an authorisation number for a 3yrs, consider off course there is a referral letter from the GP, how long will it take – I have been told, ''On the spot, with out even waiting more than 2 min''. I have asked if she is sure with her answer so she did double check and confirmed again: ''On the spot''. Please note that all calls are monitored in your system so please feel free to check yourselves. Please Do ! BUPA, are you always lying and behaving this way to all of your customers or just randomly choose where you can play with people lives? Today is Tuesday, 22.01.19 – Day 6.. FCA FYI ASAP !!!! Reviewed on: 2nd February 2019

A good brand minus the bureaucracy

3
I was on a Bupa company health insurance plan in Egypt. They did have the best hospitals in their list like the Saudi General. The only downside was having to fill in the paperwork while you're sick. I did send in my claim, though to date, I've not received any of my money back. Was a pity Reviewed on: 19th September 2018

Poor communication

1
My widowed mother in law is 84 and in 10 years she has not made a claim and has paid around £40,000 in premiums. My wife has to make all the enquiries on behalf of her mother and then relay the information to her. She has seen a consultant at a local private hospital and he decided she needed to go to the local general hospital (The only one in the area) to have laser treatment prior to a cataract operation. In making phone calls, they are well aware that my wife is handling, but notwithstanding that we have more understanding of procedures, Bupa still managed to confuse us by saying that our hospital was not a Bupa participating hospital. Bearing in mind that Eastbourne has a population of well over 100,000, we did not understand this and no attempt was made to explain why she could not go to the district hospital. The consultant does not operate anywhere else, so in that case we would be left without a consultant. Why can’t staff take the time to explain. Do they not have any thought that an 84 year old woman may, and in this case is, extremely worried about having any type of operation. Bupa need to do better and customer skills at present fall far short of what they ought to be. Reviewed on: 18th May 2018

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