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Bupa warns people to check the small print
7 July 2003
Read the small print, ask some searching questions and don't just look at the price before buying medical cover is the advice from Bupa. The health insurer is warning people to make sure they really understand what they're buying following a recent Advertising Standards Authority decision that one company's medical insurance advertisements were unfair and misleading.
Alison Platt, deputy managing director of Bupa Insurance said: "Private medical insurance comes in many shapes and sizes and can be wrapped in bewildering names, small print and jargon. With well over 200 schemes available, its essential to be crystal clear about the detail of what you're buying and the insurer you're buying it from before making any decisions. By thinking through the sort of cover you actually need, you can make a big difference to the price and ensure that the cover you buy is relevant to you as an individual and will provide you with the best possible protection at a time when you need it most."
Health cover can help reduce some of the worry and waiting time when you need to find out what's wrong. It allows you to fund a private appointment with a consultant without waiting which is particularly important if you are worried and in pain. It can also help you avoid being called for treatment just when family or work need you most.
Ms Platt's top tips to follow before you buy:
- What is covered by the policy and what is not? Not all policies are the same.
- Can I be covered for illnesses I am worried about, like cancer and heart disease? Are there limits on what I can claim for treatment of these conditions?
- Will I know right from the start what is covered and what's not?
- Will illnesses I already have be covered?
- If I should get cancer, will the insurer pay for all the treatments I need, including any secondary problems? (Sometimes cancer can spread from the first place it's identified - check that all the ongoing treatment is covered as treatment for cancer can cost up to £100,000
Ms Platt said: "Medical cover should be tailored to suit personal circumstances and budget so that people can choose the ingredients which are important to them to make a personal health plan which reflects their individual health care needs."
If you're thinking of buying medical insurance, download the free leaflet from the Association of British Insurers website or call Bupa on 0800 600 500 (lines are open between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday and 9am and 5pm at weekends) or visit www.bupaheartbeat.co.uk/heartbeat/.
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