Please help me: Health Insurance - Bupa, Pru and AXA

UK007BullDog

I have a choice of the 3 insurers above. Read their policies and made up my mind who to go with. Pru is the most expensive then comes Bupa and AXA was lowest.

What do people here on MSN think of those insurances?

Which one have you got? Are you happy with them? Any issues you were not aware of before signing up?

I am not interested in the freebies etc. I am more interested in the service of claims, quality of doctors and hospitals. How quick one can see a doc when sick ....

I need to have made a decision by Wednesday.

Please help!

Thank you!

I am a bit clueless on Health Insurance as I never sold these in my previous profession as a mortgage adviser. And would value peoples personal opinions.

Oscar_The_Grouch

I had Axa cover (when they were still PPP Heathcare) and they were very good.

My employers use Bupa and no one at work has ever complained about them.

Not had any dealings with Pru.

I'd be tempted to go with either Axa or Bupa, purely because they are the ones I know about.

UK007BullDog

Thank you for your info!

UK007BullDog

Anyone else can share their input?

Ian_W

Over many years I've been in a group scheme which at various times was with BUPA, PPP [AXA] and another I can't remember - but wasn't the Pru [well, no-one came to the door on a Friday night collecting the subs!;)].

Only claim was under BUPA and it was dealt with speedily and without fuss. Got the impression from others that PPP had a few more hoops to jump through - but that may have changed with AXA.

UK007BullDog

Thank you!

missbargain

Hello,

Me and my husband are with AXA (we were previously with Legal and General which got taken over by AXA last year). I did not claim very much, only one or two things, but the service on the phone was very good, and my claim was approved quickly and without too much fuss. Legal and General (which AXA has subsequently taken over) has approved my MASSIVE bill (operation and all the preceeding tests, consultations, pathology) without problem. The bill was about 7500 pounds in total. However, after that my premium has increased for the next year by 8 pounds for each policy holder.

However, my two closest friends are with BUPA and they say that they are excellent. My friend's wife unfortunatelly got ill with cancer, and he told me that BUPA had paid for absolutely everything, all the chemo, pathology, tests, follow up treatments etc. etc. He said that they were brilliant. Of course, you need to have some kind of comprehensive cover for this, as there are many levels of cover, and be very careful to read the policy details before you sign. I think that AXA, for example, doesn't cover you for 2 years from joining the policy for previously existing conditions. And it is important to be honest about your medical history, they usually don't cover you for a while for the existing illnesses.

I think that AXA and BUPA both have excellent hospital and specialist cover, I think that on their websites you can find what hospitals they cover in your area. I live in London, and AXA covers almost all of the top hospitals and specialists (my tests/ultrasound/operation were done in Harley Street, Lister Hospital, Cromwell Hospital, St John and Elizabeth Hospital and the London Clinic (all of them great hospitals and super expensive).
I was operated on by a top London surgeon, and from the appearance of the first symptoms of my illness to the operation, with all the tests, consultations and ultrasounds, it only took a week (and this was 4 days before Christmas!). I was referred to my specialist/surgeon by my GP, and my specialist has referred me to all of other tests/scans. What happens is, you inform your GP or the referred doctor who is your insurer, and they send you for tests to the places that your health insurer covers. The doctors/hospitals send your claims directly to your insurer for the payment. You can also check yourself with your insurer whether they cover that particular surgeon/hospital.

You must contact your insurer before any treatment starts, they must approve your treatment beforehand (all of mine were approved over the phone). Usually, under your cover, they approve all the pathology tests, ultrasound, MRA, surgery, so you do not have to call them for each individual thing, but you need to call them before you visit the specialist and advise them of your symptoms, name of the specialist and place where he practices.


I have a booklet "Directory of Hospitals", and they really cover lots and lots of hospitals, but I am sure that both BUPA and AXA would have a list on their respective websites. You get a booklet when you join.

Overall, I was really happy with the service and speed I got. The hospital I was operated in was The London Clinic, and it was amazing, looks like you are in a 5 star hotel, with all the comforts and mod cons in the room, huge private bathroom and really good medical staff. On my invoice, it shows that the hospital charges 670 pounds a night for the room alone, the operation cost 4800 pounds, all the tests/ultrasounds over 1000 pounds, several consultations with a surgeon almost 1000 pounds, and my health insurer paid for everything. I did not have this condition when I joined, though, it was a totally new thing, and an accute illness (which means that it was completely cured by the operation).

This year, I thought that the symptoms have reappeared, went to my specialist again, and after several tests/consultations, costing about 850 pounds, they could not find anything. My symptoms were assigned to stress and indigestion (they have since dissappeared on their own). AXA has again fully paid for all of this, too (except for the excess of 100 pounds that I pay). Again, I must stress, you must call them before you go to see the doctor, to make sure that they will cover you.

Overall, if you can afford it, from what I've heard, BUPA is the best, perhaps you can play them against couple of other insurers and get a better quote. But in my (fairly limited, though) experience, AXA is good, too. I would say to read the policy really carefully and be aware beforehand what they will cover and what they won't. Otherwise, AXA customer service I got on the phone was very good. I actually think that nowadays BUPA will try to match AXA's quote, so worth a try if you prefer to go with BUPA.

Whichever way, I was so greatful to have had the private medical insurance. I was with Legal and General (now AXA PPP) for only 2 years before my symptoms appeared, and if I did not have the insurance, I would have had to pay almost 8000 pounds myself, or wait for ages to be treated on NHS. Good luck!

dunstonh

we were previously with Legal and General which got taken over by AXA last year

Legal and General have not been taken over by AXA.

However, my two closest friends are with Bupa and they say that it is the best.

On coverage BUPA is not best (assuming like for like level of cover. i.e. budget, standard or comprehensive). However, they do have a good reputation for service and they are at the better end for coverage.

UK007BullDog

Hi Dunstonh,

Who is better then?

missbargain

Legal and General Health Insurance Arm has been bought by AXA PPP, to be more precise. So we had to sign a new contract with AXA in order to still be covered (otherwise, we would have stayed with Legal and General).

Here is a link http://www.essentialhealthcare.co.uk/health-insurance/latest-news/health-industry-news/axa-ppp-legal-general/

What happenned, we got a letter from AXA advising us that Legal and General does not offer health insurance any more, and that it is AXA who is providing it now in their place. So we had to choose either AXA, or some other insurer on the market. Since AXA was "inheriting" all our medical records from Legal and General (so no need for filling new forms), we decided to go with AXA. Also, it meant that we would be covered from the original date (when we joined with Legal and General), had we gone with the new insurer, that would mean a completely new cover starting on the date of joining. Since we just continued the insurance, AXA did cover my recurrent condition, while the new insurer would not have covered it, as I had it less than two years previously.


I have only heard from my friends that BUPA is excellent in many ways, but I do not have any personal experience with them. Pru is also supposed to be very good, but again, no personal experence.

If I was to choose from the start, I would choose BUPA, due to the fact that I have never heard anyone complaining about them, quite on the contrary, most of the people I know are praising them a lot.

When we joined L&G we were very young, so the health provider did not matter too much, and they were actually very good and very cheap at the time. We had no idea they would be bought out by AXA. As I said, we had our reasons for staying with AXA now, and so far, although with very limited experience, they were good. However, if I do not have any new medical conditions in the next two years or so, we will probably switch to BUPA, due to excellent feedback from my friends and family.

shamrock1973

Sorry can't help with any claims experience never had to in the last 5 years I have had insurance.

What I can tell you is that I moved to Pru 2 years ago because of the free stuff but what I didn't know is that my premium is now only £4.32 a month!!!!!! because I didn't claim in the first year. If I don't claim this year the same sort of price will apply. Wish I knew this 5 years ago.