Complaints

  1. 1. Listening to our customers
  2. 2. How Bupa Global acts on our customers comments
  3. 3. Complaints Procedure
  4. 4. Travel Complaints
  5. 5. Getting In touch
  6. 6. Accessibility
  7. 7. Taking it further
  8. 8. Complaint Report

1. Listening to our customers

On this page you can find out how to make a complaint. We have also provided you with complaints information that we have received from our customers about our insurance products (please see Complaints Report section below).

What to do if you have a complaint

We are always pleased to hear about aspects of your membership that you’ve particularly appreciated. We also want to hear about any problems you have. If something does go wrong, we have a simple procedure (for customers resident in the European Economic Area) (PDF 61KB); for customers that reside in Portugal (PDF, 36KB); or for customers who reside in the rest of the world (PDF, 42KB) to ensure your concerns are dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible.

Bupa takes customer service extremely seriously. We work hard to ensure that things don’t go wrong in the first place and to resolve issues quickly when they arise. Although we strive to minimise the number of complaints we receive, they do highlight areas where we need to improve. By listening to our customers, we can continue to enhance the service we offer.

2. How Bupa Global acts on our customers comments

Pre-authorisation of treatment

We realised that we needed to better explain how important it is to contact us for pre-authorisation before receiving medical treatment. Now, as well as contacting us or referring to membership documents, customers can read our guide to pre-authorising. Information is also available on-line (see below) in our ‘how to claim’ video

On-line claiming

We understand our customers do not want to spend unnecessary time submitting claims and administering their policy. Our customers can submit claims on-line through their MembersWorld account.

Quickly download claim forms and other useful documents

Customers can also track current and past claims, submit pre-authorisation requests and administer their policy on-line. The result is a simpler, faster process which lets our customers focus on getting better.

Customer specialists

We have appointed a dedicated customer feedback expert who only deals with customer comments and suggestions. This enhances our ability to contact our members and use their comments to enhance our services.

Value for money

We know that for many of our customers, price is important. Changing technologies and improving clinical standards means treatments are becoming more expensive. We are always looking at ways to ensure that we provide great value to our insured members while keeping pace with these changes.

We are also expanding our network of local insurance and service partners so we can access world-class healthcare at discounted rates. We have a number of existing networks and have recently established new partnerships in the USA, Hong Kong and other parts of Asia, further improving our global proposition.

Whether or not you claim

Being part of Bupa Global is about much more than claims and injuries. We want to help our customers every day by offering expert advice on healthy living. Customers can access a variety of medical advice and services on this website, while newsletters sent to our customers now include exclusive health articles and membership offers.

Improving healthcare

We want our customers to access high quality, good value healthcare wherever they are in the world. We help our members find the treatment they need locally, monitor feedback about their treatment and work with international medical providers on improving the healthcare experience for everyone.

3. Complaints Procedure

We are always pleased to hear about aspects of your membership that you have particularly appreciated, or that you have had problems with. If something does go wrong, here is our simple procedure (for customers resident in the European Economic Area) (PDF 61KB); for customers who reside in Portugal (PDF 35KB); or for customers who reside in the rest of the worldwho reside in the rest of the world (PDF, 42KB) to ensure your concerns are dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible.

4. Travel Complaints

Complaint procedures
How can I make a complaint?

We are always pleased to hear about any aspect of your insurance cover that you have particularly appreciated, or that you have had problems with. If something does go wrong, we have a simple procedure to ensure your concerns are dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible.

If you have any comments or complaints, you can call Bupa Global Customer Service on +44 1273 323 563 or email [email protected].

You can also write to us at:

Bupa Global
Victory House
Trafalgar Place
Brighton
BN1 4FY
UK

External appeal

Can I make an external appeal against the result?

If we can't settle your complaint you may be able to refer your complaint to an independent organisation for review. Which organisation it will be depends on the nature of the complaint and the location of the Bupa Global office where the cause of the complaint occurred. We will advise you at the time. In most cases this will be either the Danish Insurance Complaints Board, the Irish Finance Services and Pensions Ombudsman or the UK Financial Ombudsman Service.

If you would like further information about the Danish Insurance Complaints Board you can:

  • write to them at Østergade 18, 2. sal, 1100 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
  • call them on +45 33158900
  • find details on their website www.ankeforsikring.dk

If you would like further information about the Irish Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman you can:

  • write to them at Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland
  • call them on +353 1 567 7000
  • find more details on their website www.fspo.ie

If you would like further information about the UK Financial Ombudsman Service you can:

  • write to them at Exchange Tower, London E14 9SR, UK
  • call them on 0800 023 4567 or +44 (0) 30 0123 9123
  • find details on their website www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

You can also use the European Commission’s online dispute resolution platform at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/main/index.cfm?event=main.home.chooseLanguage

A full copy of our complaints procedure can be requested by contacting Bupa Global. None of these procedures affect the complainant's legal rights).

5. Getting In touch

If you have any comments or complaints, you can call the Bupa Global customer helpline on +44 (0) 1273 323563, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Alternatively, you can email via [email protected] or write to us at:

Bupa Global
Victory House
Trafalgar Place
Brighton
BN1 4FY
UK

If you live in Hong Kong and have a concern or complaint about your policy you can call the Bupa Global customer helpline on +852 2531 8503. Alternatively, you can email or write to the team via:

[email protected]; or

Bupa (Asia) Limited, 6/F, Tower 2, The Quayside, 77 Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

You can also use these contact details to request a full copy of our complaints procedure.

6. Accessibility

We want to make sure that customers with special needs are not excluded in any way.

We also offer a choice of Braille, large print, or audio for our letters and literature. Please let us know which you would prefer.

7. Taking it further

It’s very rare that we can’t settle a complaint, but if this does happen, you may refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You can write to them at:

If you are insured by Bupa Insurance Services Ltd (UK) If you are insured by Bupa Global Designated Activity Company (EEA)
Ombudsman The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO)
Postal Address Exchange Tower,
London,
E14 9SR
Lincoln House,
Lincoln Place,
Dublin 2,
D02 VH29
Telephone Number(s) 0800 023 4567 or 0300 123 9123 (from inside the UK only)
+44 (0) 207 964 0500 (from outside the UK)
+353 1 567 7000
Website Financial Ombudsman Service www.fspo.ie

Please let us know if you want a full copy of our complaints procedure. (None of these procedures affect your legal rights).

French resident customers may also refer a complaint to the La Médiation de l’Assurance, TSA 50110, 75441 Paris Cedex 09.

The European Commission also provides an on-line dispute resolution (ODR) platform which allows consumers to submit their complaint through a central site which will forward the complaint to the right Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. In relation to EEA policyholders insured by Bupa Global Designated Activity Company, this is the Financial Services and Pensions Office and you can go to them directly as shown in the contact details. For more information about ODR please visit http://ec.europa.eu/odr

8. Complaint Report

Bupa Insurance Services Ltd

Bupa, along with other major insurance companies, is required by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to publish details of the number of complaints we have received.

Firm name: Bupa Insurance Services Ltd

Other firms included in this report: Bupa Insurance Ltd.
Reporting period: 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024.
Brands/Trading names covered: Bupa Health and Wellbeing, Bupa Global, Bupa Cash Plan, Bupa Travel, Bupa Dental.
These details are reported to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and are updated every six months.

Number of complaints opened per 1000 policies in force Number of complaints opened  Number of complaints closed Percentage closed within 3 days Percentage closed after
3 days but within
8 weeks
Percentage upheld Main cause of complaints opened 
Banking
Home finance
General insurance and pure protection 10.08 33,137 34,166 47.6% 51.6% 64% Product performance / features
Decumulation, life and pensions
Investments

We only offer general insurance products, which is why some of the boxes in the table above are blank.

  • We received 33,137 complaints between 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024. This represents complaints from 1% of our customers.
  • We resolved 99% of complaints within eight weeks. The FCA allows Bupa and other financial services companies this time before a customer can ask the Financial Ombudsman Service to investigate. It is not always possible for us to resolve complaints within eight weeks. For example, this could be because we are waiting for additional information from doctors or hospitals, additional information is presented to us during our investigations or there is a delay in sending and receiving information.
  • We agreed with 19,348 complaints we closed between 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024.

Bupa Global Designated Activity Company (DAC)

Bupa Global DAC is required by the Italian Supervisory Body for Insurance (IVASS) to publish details of complaints received.

Firm Name: Bupa Global DAC

Reporting period 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024.

These details are reported to the Italian Supervisory Body for Insurance (IVASS) and are updated every six months.

Number of complaints opened Number of complaints closed Percentage upheld Average time to resolve - calendar days Main cause of complaints opened 
IPMI and Travel complaints for members residing in Italy 42 42 50% 17 Claims


Bupa Global DAC is also required by the Autoridade de Supervisao de Seguros e Fundos de Pensoes (ASF) to publish details of the recommendations (if any) of its Customer Ombudsman for the previous year. The report with respect to the year 2023 can be found here.

Bupa Global DAC’s appointed Customer Ombudsman as outlined below:

Dr. Hugo Monteiro,
Rua Nossa Senhora de Fátima,
nº 177, piso 7,
4050-427 Porto
Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]