BUPA International is the largest international expatriate health insurer in the world covering 115 nationalities in over 190 countries. It is part of the BUPA Group, which covers eight million members worldwide. BUPA International has been operating around the world for almost 35 years and is the fastest growing business sector within BUPA.

BUPA International is a truly global company with over 60 employed advisers all over the world, giving support on a local scale. It operates a multi-lingual helpline, which acts as a central point of contact for our members. It is open 24-hours a day, 365 days a year – giving members reassurance and peace of mind wherever they are in the world. BUPA International pays claims directly to its network of over 5,000 hospitals and clinics worldwide to save its members time, money and inconvenience. BUPA International provides a wide range of flexible high quality global health insurance options for groups and individuals living and working abroad for six months or more.

Depending on the member’s requirements, BUPA International’s schemes can offer primary care, maternity cover, home nursing, routine and emergency dentistry, as well as hospital treatment and accommodation, health checks, cover for chronic conditions, emergency road ambulance and cover for sports injuries.

Personal Pricing
Recently BUPA International developed a new method of calculating an individual customer’s price for cover: pricing is now based on the actual country where the customer resides. Insurance cover continues to be worldwide and customers are able to purchase USA cover as an add-on if they wish. A further change has been made to individual (Lifeline) products where a customer’s price is based on their exact age and not, as previously, a five-year age band.

This is a significant change from the previous pricing model where individual (Lifeline) and Company products were calculated on a worldwide basis. The new approach to pricing is in response to customer feedback asking for products and prices that were more tailored to their circumstances. In a bid to ensure the more personal approach to pricing is as simple as possible, BUPA International has looked at countries individually and then classified them into one of seven zones. Each zone will group together countries with a similar claims experience. The zone in which the country falls will determine the cost of subscriptions.

New Pricing Highlights:

• Customers are priced according to country of residence.
• Single year age bands have been introduced to individual products, (Lifeline).
• Countries are individually priced and placed in zones depending on their claims experience.
• Risk is priced appropriately.
• Customers pay a price according to experience.
• Countries will not be cross-subsidising each other.

The BUPA International Lifeline (for individuals) and Company schemes offer choice and flexibility. There are three Lifeline and four Company levels of cover to choose from, each one appropriate for different circumstances. Whichever level customers choose, they can be sure that BUPA International will care for them and their families wherever they are.

BUPA International has invested significantly in enhancing and developing its Internet capabilities. Intermediaryworld is a dedicated website specifically for intermediaries which allows them to carry out their day-to-day business over the Internet. It is a user-friendly site to navigate, with fast downloads, launched as a direct response to feedback provided by intermediaries and BUPA International advisers. The site is broken down into six key areas: quotes, brochures, administration, commission, news and global information. During 2004, the latest world health information will be added to the site to help intermediaries inform their customers.

BUPA International was the first international insurance company to allow members to track claims and buy online. Designed exclusively for BUPA International members is membersworld, a fully secure site that enables them to check their claims status online. Other features include online claim forms, full access to membership details, information on local embassies, hospital networks and an electronic version of BUPA International member’s handbook.

Assistance Cover, one of BUPA International’s latest initiatives, is a range of enhanced benefit options that can be added to an existing BUPA International policy. There are three options to choose from Healthline, Evacuation and Repatriation.

All three options have been designed to help the member receive the best healthcare to suit his or her individual needs. They may simply require medical advice or need to book an appointment over the phone from time to time. They may live in a remote part of the world and need the reassurance that they will be transported to the nearest medical centre of excellence in an emergency. If they prefer they can travel back to their country of origin to be around their friends and family while receiving their medical care. All this is now possible with Assistance Cover.

BUPA International is the winner of eight prestigious awards including the Queen’s Award for Export 1999, Best International PMI Provider two years in a row at the International Financial Adviser Awards for Excellence and Best International PMI Provider for five years running at the Health Insurance Awards.

Call one of our advisers on +44 (0)1273 208181 or visit our website www.bupa-intl.com for further information.