1,499 reviews
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AI reviews summary
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Overall sentiment towards Bupa is predominantly negative, driven by frustrations regarding customer service accessibility, claim processing delays, and billing or administrative discrepancies. While a small number of customers highlight positive interactions when dealing with staff in physical stores, the recurring difficulties in communicating with support teams and resolving policy issues leave many feeling dissatisfied. Prospective and current members frequently point to these operational hurdles as key reasons for considering alternative providers.
Bupa has always been fantastic. Their app is great and I can put my claims through easily. However I find when I need help over the phone I cant get through to anyone and I’m hold for so long! The online chat is also very frustrating! Show details
Trialed for one month. Difficult to add extras, always needed to message someone but custoemr service asks a lot of questions and takes a long time to reply. With AHM extras could be adjusted through the app without need for approval. Tried cancelling on day 29 via messaging through the app and asking. Was told i could wait for a call back. That… Read more
didnt happen until the next business day and by then it was after the 30 day cooling off period and therefore excluded me from a full refund. If you choose to stay, calling is the best option as the in app messaging feature is useless for timely fixes. Not worth the price or hassel and definitely behind the times in terms of for the customer app benefits. Absolutely would not recommend.
According to bupa low hemoglobin means u have cancer . Please be careful if you have low hemoglobin So you mean having 10.9 hemoglobin means u have cancer . Which means more than half of Indian population have cancer . As most of the Indian population is vegeterian . So hemoglobin is low . South Africa Uganda and so many other countries where… Read more
people have no much money so not much food to eat .. 80 percent will be cancer patients as there hemoglobin will bit low . Even my hemoglobin gone low as I donated blood in Red Cross Sydney 4 times .. attached my result . So I have cancer . Even I just told my sister that u have cancer , and she was like why u saying that for . So I said as per Australian medical professionals and experts if u have low hemoglobin u have cancer . As her hemoglobin is low too .. well this should on Bupa papers when anyone from overseas get insurance from bupa , that please remember if you low hemoglobin u have cancer .
I would like to make a poll on social media and see wat people say abt this , also this will help our community . Because I think 99.9 percent don’t know about this very knowledgeable stuff that low hemoglobin means cancer .
Thanks
Reviews with attachments
Bupa keeps charging me for OVHC after I left Australia. OVHC is supposed to be health insurance for people physically in Australia. Charging someone who has already left the country for healthcare they cannot possibly access is the definition of a scam. This violates Australian Consumer Law Section 18 (misleading and deceptive conduct). I spoke… Read more
to at least 4 different Bupa agents. None of them could cancel my cover or issue a refund. Bupa simply refuses to cancel my policy even when I provide every document they request. One agent demanded a passport stamp from my destination country – a joke in the digital era when no one stamps passports anymore.
Bupa keeps deducting unauthorized money from my bank account. This is no different from a thief stealing money.
The ACCC has already taken Bupa to court. Bupa was ordered to pay $35 million for unconscionable conduct and false representations to members . Be aware of this scam provider.
Hi There, It’s very concerning to hear that you’ve been… Read more
Awful customer service. They know how to piss you off. My feeling is that they just want you to get disappointed and leave the chat/call to not serve you and just charge you for nothing,. And they have a [Content Removed] verification system that ask you questions for verification that you need to go and find the answers in your bupa account.… Read more
instead of just send a verification code to your number. just wasting your time. I'm gonna go in person and cancel my ....ing insurance. .... them.
Update: They don't even let you cancel your policy until you give them what they want:
Hi Milad, It’s difficult to read that you’ve had a negative… Read more
I’ve held hospital and extras with this company for over a year. One of the extras is remedial massage. I tried twice to claim for two massages from a company that allows claiming and both times BUPA rejected the claim. I tried to contact them through the chat on the app as its impossible to get through by phoning and the app said someone will get… Read more
back to my shortly. Several minutes later the chat cancels my request and said it’s been taking too long to respond. What the heck…..they take to long to respond and then cancel the chat. Pic attached shows what I got after waiting on the chat in the app for several minutes.
Hi Ness, Thanks for taking the time to share this feedback.… Read more
I had bupa overseas visitors health cover. I was totally scam with this cover. I tried to cancel the cover over the phone, whatsup chat or bupa login but was unable to get it. The bupa team member Vicki over the phone are very rude, unknowingly. They don't know anything about health policy or cover if you want to talk to higher department to… Read more
resolve they refuse it. They refuse to cancel my cover over the phone n demanding unnecessary documents. I want to send them anyway but there is no direct way to send them any document. They said me do over whatsup chat but nobody respond over there for hours after 2 days of struggle I finally uploaded over there. But there team members said to me we have not received it. I said , can I send through email or my bupa account. They said whatsup chat is the only option to upload it. It was frustrating and awkward experience with Bupa. They are unprofessional don't know about customer service. Please "Stay Away" with them. There are so many other best health cover providers in the market.
Hi Kaur, It’s concerning to hear that you’ve been having… Read more
I was on hold for over 55 minutes listening to the very loud “music”. I swear they have made the hold music painful to human ears to deter us from waiting on hold to speak to them. 55 min wait time is no good enough BUPA. Show details
Today, I was left on hold through their automated system, for 1 hours and 46 minutes - where I finally caved and gave up. Incredible to think that a business could be that far behind. Show details
Hi Andrew. We appreciate your feedback about the experience… Read more
My partner is a newcomer to Australia and, like many migrants, relied on clear guidance from Bupa to ensure she had the right cover for her visa type and Medicare status. She was advised to set up a Visitors Cover when she first arrived in 2022, as required for her Working Holiday Visa. As her circumstances changed, she applied for a Permanent… Read more
Visa and moved onto a Bridging Visa later in 2023, which gave her entitlement to Medicare in 2024.
She contacted Bupa at that time to provide her Medicare details and to ask whether her cover needed to be updated. Unfortunately, the representative she spoke with appeared confused and did not direct her to the correct team. Hence, no one advised her that she should transition to a standard domestic cover based on her new Medicare eligibility.
Months later, when we tried to set up a couples policy, we were told she was ineligible for standard cover because of her cover type (Visitors Cover 50) and therefore Visa type and to maybe call back when she became a permanent resident. We subsequently found out this advice was incorrect. It was only more than twelve months after her Medicare entitlement began that Bupa finally identified she had been kept on the wrong cover. She was then moved to the standard cover that she should have been placed on in the first place because eligibility is based on Medicare status, not visa status.
Because of this delay, and because she is now 34, she has been hit with a 6 percent Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading for the next ten years. She only discovered this penalty after moving to another insurer, despite having continuous hospital cover since 2022, albeit the incorrect type due to Bupa misguiding her.
My partner has tried many times to discuss this issue with Bupa to have the LHC removed, which she was advised by her current insurance provider they would had fixed based on the circumstances described above. Unfortunately, the senior customer service specialist showed no empathy and placed the blame on her, despite a clear pattern of incorrect advice and lack of support from Bupa at every step. It has been extremely stressful to watch her be penalised for something she actively tried to avoid and attempted to clarify from the beginning.
After raising this with the Ombudsman, we have learned that similar issues with Bupa have occurred before. We have also been contacted by journalists reporting on poor customer outcomes in private health insurance and sadly have been advised this was not an isolated case.
Rather than continue to blame my partner for this, Bupa should do the right thing and provide guidance on how this can be rectified from their end. Failure to do so will mean my partner will have difficulty funding her insurance premiums going forward.
Good morning, Renato. Thank you for taking the time to… Read more (+1 reply)
Latest follow-ups
Loyal Customer who was left speechless from a Bupa mistake and paid the penalty!! – After 15 years with Bupa, I was totally disappointed with Bupa Optical where I was referred to a non Bupa preferred specialist who was not part of their preferred partners which left me $000:00+ out of pocket expenses Have now left Bupa after their responses to my complaint. So disappointed!!!!! Show details
Follow-up · I switched to a different Health Provider, my “word of mouth” of how appalling Bupa’s ownership of their mistakes is still going strong.
Hi Deb, We really appreciate you taking the time to share… Read more
Worst Healthfund ever – I only lasted 4 months with Bupa. I just called them and tried to cancel my policy. I was on the phone for 30 minutes while they tried to up sell me and knock the health fund I transferred too. Staff are so rude I asked more than 10 times to cancel… Read more
my policy and he had the hide to tell me not to raise my voice! What more can I do when they won't listen, especially when he was trying to tell me I can't re open the policy. What don't u understand the cancel my policy or that I am NEVER re signing with Bupa!
Follow-up · Changed to NIB they are alot better
Hi Linda This certainly isn’t the kind of experience we… Read more (+1 reply)
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Pay $500 a month for hospital and extras. Supposed to have $500 available for osteopathy services. But my 60min osteopathy costs $189 Bupa pays a lousy $20.55 Medibank Private looking more and more attractive. Show details
Follow-up · I didn’t know it but a Bupa representative had responded to my review asking me to call them to discuss but unfortunately I only saw that response on this platform to me today. So I’ll see if i can find his number and call him when I finish work. That was a good sign they responded at all .
Follow-up · :They pay claims to your nominated bank account :yearly limits differ on what plan you choose its on their website :waiting periods also depend on the plan you choose some are up to six months waiting period
Hi Kathy, We can understand that it’s never an ideal… Read more
Positive reviews
Late on the afternoon of Wednesday (17/6/2026), I visited the Sunshine Plaza Bupa store and waited for a short time for Annie Talyor (the manager) to serve me. Annie could not have been more more professional, helpful and compassionate. The doors of the store closed at 5 p.m., but Annie stayed until 5:45 to help me take out a new policy for my… Read more
daughter and help me with my own policy. Annie was wonderful. I can not comment on any other people's experience but mine could not have been better. Thank you Annie for your attentive and knowledge service, when you could have told me it was too late and come back the next day. I will be working so I would not have been able to get back until next week. Janette Mather
Downgrade my policy on bad faith, its such a crime. I went to change my cover from individual to family and took away all the old people cover like catarats and on . I had served the waiting period on gold cover with all of that paying 600 a month… Read more · 2
for individual cover when they change to family the sneakly took away back spine of my cover in a cheeky way that i didnt realised until i needed it again . When i brought this mater to them they got me waiting 50 min and said couldnt do nothing when i mentioned was gonna go ombudsman they HANG UP on me. Now im left with no cover and a massive back problem that put me in danger mental state with even suicidal thoughts. Thanks bupa u screwed me over with no lube.
Follow-up · Had the follow up with Michelle, she couldnt give her surname but was such a legend and solved my problem with better than expected outcome. My family and i are just over the moon with this , you will receive a blessing in life tks so much for existing.
Where do I even begin? Transferred over from another fund. They did not process the clearance certificate and this resulted in me being double charged and not even benefitting from the six weeks free. i got charged by the old insurer because the… Read more · 1
policy didnt get cancelled. In addition to that it meant BUPA applied lifetime health loading. So basically coming to BUPA cost me extra money instead of saving me money. In addition everytime you call it says they have high volumes and they will send a text, but the text doesnt even come through. Huge wait times, constantly transferred between departments with no notes between and I had to explain myself many times.
Follow-up · Most of this was cleared up so I’m changing my review
Negative reviews
Claim incorrectly rejected. They acknowledged the error. Several calls and months later partial refund received. Still waiting for the balance. Unacceptable customer service. Avoid Show details
Hi Sij, It’s very disappointing to hear that you’re still… Read more (+1 reply)
I’m extremely disappointed with Bupa. I joined on 9 September 2026 after deciding to leave Medibank. Later that same day, I developed symptoms of acute appendicitis and went to hospital. Bupa has denied my claim, saying appendicitis was a “pre-existing condition” because, according to their email, a hospital record states I had two days of… Read more
symptoms. Which record says this? None of the documents I have received shows that I had symptoms for two days. That timeline is wrong. I did not have abdominal pain or distension for two days before joining, and I had never had appendicitis before. My symptoms began after I joined Bupa.
Appendicitis can develop suddenly and requires urgent medical attention. Waiting two days to seek care could be fatal, and I went to hospital when my symptoms began. I’ve asked Bupa to check the timeline with the hospital and my treating doctor and reassess my claim. Being told I’m responsible for the full cost of an emergency hospital admission, based on a timeline I dispute, is incredibly stressful and upsetting.
[Name Removed] from customer service was the only person who gave me exceptional service and treated me like a human being. Bupa as a company has made me feel like just a number. [Name Removed] email left me feeling that the sudden nature of appendicitis had not been understood or properly considered before it was labelled a pre-existing condition. Apparently, she doesn’t even know what appendicitis is.
I expect Bupa to correct this and pay the benefits I’m entitled to. I’m waiting for the money to be reimbursed to me.
Hi Thais, Thank you for reaching out, we can appreciate… Read more
Cancelling a policy was a NIGHTMARE! I wanted to cancel my parents’ OVHC policy after they left the country, and what should have been a simple process turned into an absolute nightmare. The messaging and WhatsApp support agents seemed extremely inexperienced. I had to deal with six different people, and every time I made the changes they… Read more
requested to the Authority Form, I was told something else was missing or needed to be amended. It became an endless back-and-forth.
Signing up was easy enough, but cancelling the policy has been incredibly difficult. My parents left the country over a month ago, yet I’m still being charged for services they are no longer using.
After this experience, I would strongly recommend staying away from Bupa. I’m now seriously reconsidering our own health insurance and will be cancelling our current Bupa policy as well.
What should have been a straightforward cancellation has been unnecessarily stressful, frustrating, and time-consuming.
Hi Ten, It’s concerning to hear you’ve had such a negative… Read more
Recent reviews
Zero stars. Early this year I've switched to another provider. After being with a new provider for a month, bupa sends me out a letter requesting me to send $183 into their nominated account. The letter doesn't explain anything. Show details
Hi Laurel, Thank you for taking the time to share this… Read more
Highly suggest all overseas people to avoid Bupa insurance. Their customer service is exceptionally poor and way below standard. They are just waiting to trap your money and offer zero help in return. They treat overseas customers with total disrespect, acting like our situations do not matter at all. The entire support team is useless. They will… Read more
waste your time, drain your money, and leave you stranded. Disgusting behavior. Stay away from this company!
Hi Hemda, It’s very concerning to hear that you’ve had a… Read more
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BUPA quietly denied my dead mothers hospital visit after she passed! My mum had top tier BPUA health coverage for many years. Unfortunately she passed away after a short stay in a public hospital. When she was admitted to the public hospital she agreed to be treated as a private patient so that the public system would get money from her private… Read more
health insurance. After she passed, I contacted BUPA to inform them of her passing and to cancel her policy. Without any authority over her account, or proof of death, I was able to cancel the policy and have a pro-rata refund sent out. Then weeks later a letter arrived in the mail addressed to my deceased mum. Luckily someone opened it and sent me photos. BUPA had decided that my mum was not a paid member at the time of her hospital visit so they denied the payment to the public hospital. I called them to get this error fixed, and now they don't want to talk to me unless I get probate papers from the supreme court! Apparently anyone can ring up and cancel a policy, but if you try to hold them to account for a policy claim, then they make your life hell! I've lodged a complaint and my next step will be the Commonwealth Ombudsman. I fear this might be a pattern of behavior to deny claims for deceased people and then send a letter to the deceased person telling them their claim was denied.
Hi Michael, Firstly, I wish to send our sincerest… Read more
I've used a lot of different providers over the years but Bupa has so far the worst customer service experience I have ever encountered. I've been in a live chat with them for over 8 hours trying to get their coverage information and 8 hours later they're still working on the answer whether the numbers I provided are covered or to what extent. I… Read more
just think it's utterly ridiculous that it takes more than 8 hours to get an answer from them about what level of cover I can expect from them. I'm scared what I will encounter when I'll actually have to make this claim.
Update, after 11 hours they provided some information on the cover but said they aren't able to guarantee it's correct.
I have been unfortunately insured with Bupa for over 30 years. How terrible can they continue to be? Claims can take 3 weeks to process, and yet while their service and cover continue to erode, the costs just continue to rise. They are so difficult to contact. Have just had the customary long chat on the computer and when they transfer me to… Read more
customer response group the chat just times out. This means starting the whole process from scratch. What an inept organisation.
Hi There, It’s disappointing to hear that you’ve had been… Read more
Bupa health insurance is the worst insurance company. It cheats people by giving offers and then later deny fulfilling it. I purchased the highest cover from bupa and they kept denying all my claims by saying they don't understand if it's from an older period when I was with another insurance. I had uploaded a claim for a general blood test (for… Read more
general vital check) and a general ultrasound for for wellbeing. This was supposed to be covered as per my insurance cover statement. But bupa denied it stating that they think it is for a pre-existing condition which may or may not have been diagnosed in past. It was a general blood test, item number was clearly claimable as per my cover statement and mbs but still they denied it. And the customer service team kept discarding my request for a written detailed explanation. Complete cheats, highly disappointed DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL
Hi Anmol, We can certainly understand that it’s… Read more
Unprofessional service from start to finish. Put membership om pause due to travel in Europe for 4 months. Was told then, I can activate the same plan when I get back. Tried that today and was told in chat, a new policy must be taken out. Waited 75 minutes in chat mode and still no offer. Time and oxygen wasters and advised them to get more staff or get organised. Show details
Hi Andre, Thank you for taking the time to share your… Read more
DO NOT JOIN BUPA do you want your payment plans changed without them asking you? do you want them to try and charge you for 6 weeks of coverage DESPITE signing up for the 6 weeks free promo? do you want to be charged $900 instead of $305 because they can’t line up their systems? then join bupa do you want to be sat in a call queue for hours and… Read more
have incredibly awful customer experience both on the phone and in the mobile app chat option? join bupa dude it’s an absolute joke, please don’t sign up with them for your own sanity
Hi There, It’s concerning to hear that you’ve had these… Read more
This is regarding their customer service, not the insurance itself. Bupa sent me an email suggested I went to a hospital and making a claim.I did not go to the hospital. I visited the dentist. So I called Bupa support line and could not understand most of their operators' words due to their strong accent and is causing very frustrating. After I… Read more
gave my IDs and politely advised their operator that I could not understand him, he switched me to a different operator who also has a strong accent. Give up. Will never call Bupa again.
Hi Mark, It’s disappointing to hear that you’ve been having… Read more
Bupa does not care. I have a friend on top hospital cover. He has been desperate to get into drug and alcohol rehabilitation. They have done nothing to help him and after a week still no help and now he is ready to give up on getting help. Customer service is pathetic and their lack of respect fails in every respect. I don’t want to see my friend… Read more
dead which is where he may end up trying to fight his problems on his own and the added and unnecessary stress caused by Bupa.
Hi Jacinta, We know how important it is to be there when… Read more
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Hi Priya, While our contact centre has been experiencing… Read more