Should I use a BUPA agent in Udon?

Looking over the health insurance threads I notice that several members have policies with BUPA. Some use a local agent and some out of town agents. I'm still with my original agent in Pattaya. It's easy using him since he speaks English and knows what farangs expect. I haven't had any claims since I moved to Udon 3 or 4 years ago but I've been wondering if it might be better to be dealing with an agent here. Especially if there was some sort of emergency or I was incapacitated.

I've had a couple of claims over the years and the agent really didn't do much more than provide a place to drop off papers related to the claims and a place to pay the premiums. If there were any questions I generally spoke directly to BUPA. I'm also a touch uneasy because now to pay the annual premiums I do a bank transfer to an account with only his name on it and don't get a receipt until I get the policy statement back. I've been using him for 10 years without a problem but this is Thailand. Or, he could have an accident while the money was still in that account, etc.

Since I only have inpatient coverage, generally the hospital handles contacting BUPA directly. So, I was wondering if those with a local agent have ever had them do anything where it helped being local. And on the other hand have those with a non-local agent run into any problems where having a local agent would have helped.

Hey what do I know. I use one (agent) out of town, don't see any difference, in town or out. Any contact I would do is by phone or email, and that is for paying and any changes, otherwise its BUPA.

Car insurance is in-town, except for paying, all contact has been by phone, although its not an agent, but the company itself.

I've sent you a PM, fremmel.

I hope it's useful!

We have seen in other threads the issues with paying agents direct for premuims and then finding them doing a runner. etc. Car insurances.

Remember these agents , make money on the commision , and are not really interested in supporting the claims issues, should they arise.

For sure long standing agents with good business practices should be honest, but be careful.

I found that the agents prices for my car insurance were actually more expensive than going direct to LMG.

Not going off topic, just using examples.

At the end of the day, the hospital that is admitting you will contact BUPA direct for approval of direct debitting for the claim, not your agent, who has no approval lines for this .