MBF Travel

Terrible – My wife recently took the Travel insurance with MBF with whom we have been members for over two years. It was somehow logical choice because you would think that the members would be looked after better than the others. On her way back, at the airport, she realised that her hand luggage was missing. She did not have enough time to make any sort… Read more

of official report due to very limited time for check-in (less than an hour). When it become obvious that she

lost her bag she eased the things down by thinking that she had the Travel Insurance which covered her belongings from

loss, theft and damage. And that was exactly what they have been offering…"piece of mind"…"let us worry not you"…etc.

When she arrived to Perth she lodged the claim which was declined because…"she did not pay due attention to her luggage"…

We thought it was some kind of joke. We replied offering them more details about the circumstances surrounding the loss

but they were firm in their decision and rejected the claim again. We asked how can anything become lost if everybody pays due attention

…how the things get lost…etc…but no…there was only one answer, as stated above. We realised that they actually sold us something that theoreticaly can not happen. They sold us product which coveres us from loss but the loss can not ocure because you must always pay due attention!!!

Normaly, we had to apply to Internal Dispute body which overturned their decision easely(no surprise) and ordered them to pay our claim.

Having no other choice but to pay, they decided to pay replacement value reduced for depreciation and wear and tear.

Needless to say that they depreciated the goods so heavily, some of them for 75%.

All the way through the process she was treated as a suspect and they ignored everything that we offered as an explanation. They have made no comments at all about anything that we said and which would favour us and our claim.

Looks like they have addopted the policy to decline every claim as many time as possible untill people give up.

This is just to make you think twice before you take anything from MBF.

BE CAREFULL!!!

PS: we cancelled our health insurance with them Easy to buy on line very hard to deal with, very ignorant and insensible

Terrible – MBF travel have been inefficient and unhelpful, making my recovery process long and draw out. I will be returning to work later than I could have because of them and I would cancel my regular insurance with them as soon as I get home. Buying my travel insurance with MBF travel was the biggest mistake I've made. The worst decision I made prior… Read more

to leaving for a 1 year trip to Canada and the North Americas was buying travel insurance with MBF travel. I was a natural choice as I am a member with MBF already but it completely let me down and continues to do so. I am at the very end of my trip and whilst skiing fell and tore my ACL. I have been treated through emergency and seen by 2 orthopedic surgeons as well as been operated on, all out of my own expense and have promptly provided Bupa/MBF with all reports, invoices, doctors letters and various receipts and have had no help regarding my next move. I require a 2nd surgery as my knee injury was much more complicated and my doctor advised me that once I was able to fly after my 1st surgery she would allow me to return to Australia for the other surgery. As this would allow me to recover in my own home and possibly return to work earlier than if I stay in Canada. The emergency overseas calling service that MBF employ to handle their case management and day to day queries is useless, the people have no idea what is going on and have not directed me or assisted me with anything other than passing on the documents I've sent. After my initial surgery my doctor promptly wrote a letter requesting my early return to Australia and clearance to fly which MBF was supposed to approve and purchase a ticket home for me. This has not happened and I have waited 3 weeks for a response. Now I am able to be operated on and have no definitive answer regarding a flight home or a surgery date for here or Australia. I am literally stuck.

Terrible – Disgusted, outraged, think this company should be shut down or an internal investigation undertaken. If I had enough money I would take them to court and sue them for emotional damages for what they put me through during my medical situation overseas. DO NOT GO WITH THIS COMPANY. Easy to buy, policy 'appears' clear and sound, great customer… Read more

assistance when asking questions about policy. Customer assistants reassured me repeatidly that it was ' the best travel insurance.' Reinbursed for lost flights, hospital visits, soiled gear as long as I had reciepts Deceptive, lying, manipulative, neglectful, horrible company. Have been reduced to tears many times. Medical opinions and advice is poor to non-existant. Letters with their questions regarding my claim ' went missing in mail.' In a medical emergency do not rely on this company. Have doubts whether there are trained medical professionals working for the company based on their opinions of my situation. Customer service outragiously poor. They hang up on you, do not have ' records of communication ' or are ' missing communications.' If overseas, will not call you back even if medical emergency. If you are in a medical crisis, will ask you to provide them with ' documentation ' to organise your return trip home even if your stuck in the middle of a hospital unable to access the information. Ridiculous!! Act very slowly. My overseas doctor was so outraged by their lack of assistance he suggested I sue or contact papers to complain ( I hope this is warning to future travellers! ). National Manager responses to complaint a joke. Again, reduces you to tears. Internal disputes resolution of HBF Travel (the insurer MBF Travel go through) is far from independent. If you have an issue with your policy, you will recieve very little help. If you have a complaint about how your situation was handled you will be given letters full of lies and misinformation. If you have a medical crisis they will not help you where it counts. Have heard many stories now about this. You may be left in a hospital in a foriegn country like I was, stranded and in pain. This company contributed to me having poor medical care. I warn you, do not go with this company if there is any chance you will need to rely on them for emergency medical advice or evacuation. I had to rely on family friends to organise my evacuation back to Australia because the company refused to organise or pay for it. Eventually paid after various compaint letters. Still they do not admit to any wrong doing. They interpret their own policies in their favour where they can. Despite being an MBF Member still had to pay $50 claim fee.

Terrible – I lay in bed in England having had to cancel a back operation my spine consultant had recommended on seeing my scans and making a diognosis. MBF refused to fund me untill I had a second opinion insinuating my surgeon was offering me something totally unnecessary running 'his own clinic with no other surgeons around.' I explained he works in the… Read more

Nuffield a reputable hospital and that the physio had refered me as she was concerned about me.I was told I couldn't make a decision like this when in so much pain and also having had the worry of my mum being hospitalised and then a care home recently. I was asked to compare my pain to child birth!I said sometimes worse. She laughed!! Humiliated, well i said may be my births where easier than others. I was barraged in an agressive manner until I felt totally defeated and demoralised. They told me to go back to the Doctor for a second opiion. they rang while I was with him so suggested they tell him what they wanted. He said he didn't have the scans but a reputable surgeon had made a diognosis and that no I was in too much pain to travel.By the end of the day dispite repeated pleas from me, my husband and two calls from my consultant MBF refused my cover and I had to cancel my operation. MBF, the next day requested i have a second consultation that night.Which I had to pay cash for.His report came to same conclusion as my surgeon but still not satisfied they have sent him a list of questions:Can I be sent home without operation?What procedure would he recommend? How soon could I be sent home afterwrds. They have also asked for a quote!!Five days later and they have still not had a response. I and my husband have pleaded daily for a resolution to no avail. In the mean time I lay suffering pain but now worse a deteroration in my mental and physical health. I have lost a lot of weight and worried I am susceptable to DVT being bed bound for so long. (I feel depressed, totally disempowered and at MBF's mercy. My husband, in Australia, is at his wits end. MBF appear absolutely ruthless and solely concerned with saving money. I write this solely to warn others as I wouldn't wish this situation on any one. We presumed MBF being our private health company within Australia they would take care of us overseas.They put our home cover on hold while away we are away and replace it with travel insurance. This appeared a sensible safe option. Total lack of care for my well health and well being with no empathy or thought for the horrendous stress they are putting myself and family through.Causing the deterioration of my health through their actions.

Good – They paid for urgent dental work, teeth reconstruction, that I needed in Queenstown NZ. They also paid for a Doctors visit for a subsequent infection but would not pay for the medication - which was expensive as I was not a resident so it was not subsidised at all. They paid my claim quickly with minimal fuss. We had MBF health insurance so the… Read more

travel insurance was very reasonable. The claim is not handled in the branch, they send it with your original receipts to Sydney - I did not like giving up my original documents but they made me and said they would not photocopy for me or accept photocopies.

Terrible – Disappointed, disgusted. Maybe I should know better that to expect a corporation to hand back my money without a fight. I believe they use these tactics to ware down the claimants to a point where it becomes just too hard. But the harder they try, the harder I will too. V for victory. Overall I will advise strongly against this insurance company.… Read more

Full stop. Fantastic when you purchase a policy and even helpful when submitting a claim. The deception perpetrated by the claims department. You can never make phone contact with your claims assessor, '100% not available at this time, can I get them to call you back?' Returned calls approx 15%! Each call you make is another call cost. After submitting claim form (fully filled out) weeks pass by. Then a letter, 'we need further information'! We need proof of all that you have provided, including two years medicare records! (claim was for canceled holiday due to medical reason).Additional documentation supplied. More weeks pass. More unsuccessful phone calls. Then a notification claim has been assessed and Declined! Assessor used faulty reasoning to come to that conclusion, i.e. he assumed my doctor was lying or at least not able to advise me not to travel because there is no record of tests or treatment. He assumed I was not hospitalized because nowhere was that information requested. (I was hospitalized). Phone call, waiting, phone call, waiting... Contact! After a clarifying discussion he accepted my doctor was not lying and I was in fact hospitalized (on day of canceled departure). I just needed to provide documented proof. This took another few weeks and at my expense ($33.00).Weeks later cheque finally arrives to be short two items. 1 A claimed cancellation fee from travel agent (need further clarification) and the member $50.00 excess fee. I reviewed the MBF Travel Insurance Booklet detailing terms and conditions and found in clear large print on page three, first item! Title: No claim bonus for MBF members. (I am a member) Text: If you are an MBF member and did not make a claim on your last oversees trip with MBF Travel Insurance,(I did not make a claim) the $50 excess will be waived on the first claim against your current policy.I am now seeking further clarification and, guess what, they are not available are this time, can I get them to call you back'!!

Excellent – This was a terrific buy. Middle-of-the-range in terms of price, but absolutely top of the line service. In a crisis, I was able to reach someone immediately, explain my situation, and then leave the paperwork until after all my medical needs had been taken care of. Their reimbursement process was less than a week between me submitting all the… Read more

paperwork and the check in my mailbox. Superb. Will definitely use them again. Fast, friendly, supportive service when you need it most.