HBF

When I set off for a year of study in Israel I went with HBF as they give a generous discount for existing members. I have always found their regular health/car insurance to be excellent, but their travel insurance (outsourced to CGU insurance) has been a complete disaster.

About 4 months ago I had to go to hospital with a severe gastrointestinal illness (turned out to be giardia). When I ordered the insurance I was told that they can arrange payment in situations like this over up front over the phone so I'm not out of pocket, but when I actually got to the hospital they said that they wouldn't pay for anything without getting the official report from the doctor first. As the hospital wouldn't admit me without proof of payment first, I had to give my own credit card and pay with that, then get reimbursed by the insurer. I do understand this, mind you - they need to wait to see if it's something I'm actually covered for before they blindly hand over money. My problem was just that this is not what they told me when I bought the product, and I'm just thankful that I had the money to pay for the treatment in advance or I would have been in a lot of trouble.

The real problem came with getting the money back. Initially the claims team were very helpful, they replied to all my e-mails more or less instantly, told me exactly what documents I needed to give them, and even told me that I didn't need to get the doctors report translated from Hebrew, that they could arrange that for me. So far, so good. The problem came when I tried to actually get them to give me my money back. 3 months with no word before I figure something fishy is going on, so I e-mail them. And e-mail them. and e-mail them again. No response. About 15 or 20 e-mails later I get frustrated and say that if I don't hear from them soon (at least with an explanation of why its taking so long) I will be contacting the Financial Ombudsman Service. The next day I get an e-mail asking for one final document from me, and then a few days after that to say that my claim has been processed and paid. So, what could have been a week or so long process ended up taking over 4 months.

100% guaranteed I will never be buying travel insurance through HBF again, and I was very close to just cancelling all my insurance with them altogether.

Been with HBF for over 20 years. Recently went in to HBF at Joondalup shopping center to see what could be claimed for my daughter. I have major dental and orthodontics cover.
She has 2 x impacted molars that requires having the gum cut back, rings put around the teeth and braces... $479 per tooth - out of pocket $413 per tooth! Braces $8690 and get ZERO back and would have to wait 10 years to get braces cover???These aren’t the only issues as I seem to get less cover but pay more in premiums!
I asked the women “am I on the wrong cover?” Her response was not helpful and she did not offer me alternatives policies I could take out in lieu. All she said was “you’re mainly paying for hospital cover”. I said I couldn’t care less about hospital cover. I’m more interested in the extras our family needs.... optical, Chiro, physio, major dental and orthodontics. I said I’m paying more for less and “sorry” was all o got.
The woman was useless and customer service poor. I went in specifically as I thought I would get better assistance and help going over my cover. Huge thumbs down.
On another note we are now changing all of our insurances as we are getting ripped off by HBF. My husbands Nissan Navara renewal was almost $1500 last year. With RAC was $865!! .. could understand maybe maybe $100-$200 difference but over $600 difference? I was fuming. Absolutely disgusting and unconscionable. Looking elsewhere now for 2 x home insurance, 3 x vehicles and health

Following a comparison through iSelect I took out a policy with HBF - on transfer with much detail and information changing hands I selected an Extra that I didn't require - my first phone call to them - they had taken the payment of the first installment - was to ask to change one for another - the other was available to me on opening the policy. They couldn't have been less helpful or flexible to try to impress or please a new customer. And things went from there. I cancelled the policy after less than a fortnight - having processed several claims - which they are obliged to pay - and then I receive an email saying there was several days between cancelling my old cover and taking up theirs - that I wasn't covered and would need to pay extra - iSelect were running that side of things and continue to assist me with the HBF issues. Truly horrible experience ever being involved with HBF

After 6 years on HBF private health, paying $86 a month for up to 6 years and only using it once for a dental checkup, I naturally went for HBF Travel insurance for the 6 months of the years I would travel.

In Sep 2017 I fell down a mountain and open fractured my toe. As I paid for my insurance while in the airport in Indonesia, I was left, Lying in a hospital . . . . dripping from my almost ripped off toe. For 8 hours I argued that I was a valued customer for 6 years with no claim and yet they would leave my High and dry when I needed it most.

I came back to Australia and cancelled all of my insurance with HBF.

If you leave your customer when you are needed the most that is a bad business move.

HBF, lift your game.

I was a member of HBF for over 5 years. I have never had a good experience with claims or customer service but I thought I had a good policy, hence why I stayed with them for so long. I received my new policy in November for 2019 and at first glance, it looked like they had made some improvements. Despite the annual amounts for physio & chiro decreasing, the amounts I could claim back per visit had increased - this was a positive. For some reason although osteo and chiro are combined they didn't increase the cover for Osteo - Go figure?

However when I read the dental limits I found the information on my schedule very vague. I therefore emailed to get more information. This was the start of numerous emails going back and forth with HBF not prepared to give much away at all. I emailed a list of common dental item no's to try and find what I would be able to claim on the new policy. With my current policy I was able to claim 80% back for most items. With the new policy it appeared HBF was changing to offering fixed amounts which equated to 20% or 30% of the cost. That's a 50% to 60% decrease! I queried this with HBF and I was told that the amounts they had given me were of general advice only and that they needed more information to provide a quote. I told them I wasn't wanting a quote. I needed to know exactly what I was covered for and what I was not covered for so I could make an informed decision of whether to stay with this health fund. We went back and forth with them refusing to give me exact amounts of what I was covered for. They kept copying and pasting blurb that had obviously come from Management about addressing the concerns of customers querying the decrease in the level of cover. I was told they are focusing more on preventative dental (despite the fact that this had decreased severely too).

I urge anyone who has extras cover with HBF to check what their 2019 policy actually covers - especially dental. Don't be afraid to ask them exactly what you are covered for as once you visit the dentist if you are not happy with the level of cover when you get a quote, it is too late! Shop around and look at other health funds. There are some great health funds out there and not all of them are as evasive and deceptive with the information they provide. You no longer have to put up with their appalling customer service and rude claims team. I have changed funds and I wish I had done this several years ago. I urge you to do the same. Your new health fund takes care of all the paperwork so it is a very seamless and easy process. I think lots of customers will be leaving HBF now their cover has decreased.

I agree completely with the Ralph[Not competitive]. As a 79 year old member I expected better service from HBF in travel insurance.I suggest that HBF changes their insurer and finds one more sympathetic to the needs of older members.

Evan

I recently called to question why a competitor was $500 cheaper in Car Insurance -absolutely useless , we dont price maqtch and its the underwriters . I pay $1250 for a small SUV where the competitor is just under $700.00 . It now will force me to review my wifes car , Landlord insurance and Home Insurance x 2 Properties , Health Insurance. I reckon i can save a clear $2000 by switching and getting a few better deals and happy to maintain my direct debits with multiples . One other gripe was after over 20 years with HBF i have had my so called loyalty discount removed to line their silk wallets ... over it HBF . to cap it all i go to my dentist and ohh sorry we have been removed as a prefered provider , obviously too many claims from them so i lose again and have to pay exorbitant costs and pay a larger gap in the process for basic medical services.
Bye HBF .....

I have been with Hbf for more than 5 years paying 130aud monthly. Today, I decided to have my eyes checked and decided to get a new pair of glasses. My old ones full of scratches and no longer the right prescription. Total bill was 600 dollars and hbf only gave me 9 dollars back from the gap savers. My gap saver balance is about 940aud. Their trick is to cover the first item of the glasses parts. So if you're covered on the first one, you won't get covered on the lenses. Which is ridiculous. So gap saver is useless and basically fake saver. Very disappointed and I definitely feel ripped off.

They claimed that this is due to legislation. However, how can they cover for the frame but not the lenses. In their heart of hearts, I think this is an unfair thing to do to a loyal customer. Gutted!

I have had HBF health insurance for 3 years and decided to sign up with their car insurance when I bought my new car as I had a very pleasurable experience and they were very helpful. They must be completely different companies because the car insurance are evil. About 2 months ago my car was stolen, HBF responded by asking me for documentation for my claim which was understandable and I complied. A week later they had a fraud investigator come to my house and insult me in my home. They then made me send in forms from the licensing center twice because they "didnt recieve them" the first time. I called this morning to speak to my claims officer he wouldnt take my calls so I went to the switchboard and made them put me through to him. He informed me they would be charging me double my excess because their investigators "advised it" and when I very calmly stated that that was ridiculous and that I was unimpressed with the service as it has taken about 2 months only to be told I am expected to pay double my excess. My claims officer then got very aggressive and rude, insulted me and made me sound stupid and treated me like a child.

Once the claim is settled I will be ending all my accounts with HBF which is a shame because the health insurance was good.
Nothing, not a single thing. Its expensive and the customer service is terrible
Horrible Service, Extra hidden costs, Unhelpful, Rude, Abusive, 2 months still no settlement

Third time I've had to tell them I'm not married anymore and today they put my ex-husbands claim for his accident in my name! Scary! They also doubled my excess without informing me and then refused to lower it even though I have a very good driving and insurance record. This is just three of a very very long list of mistakes made by HBF. I've physically gone in there and complained, and mailed and phoned. I was promised no more mistakes and yet here I am again. They've even charged me two excesses for one accident. I've been with HBF for other insurance since my birth! 35.5 years and this is how they repay me. Disgusted.
Unreliable and insensitive.
Poor records, poor service, poor communication, $400 excess per claim, do not listen or care.

Making a phone call at 6.45am this morning has led to more frustration after dealing with a staff member. This lady who I have the name of, simply did not want to help me in anyway. I was asking questions and she was condescending and non caring. It costs nothing to give the customer the information they need to know. I will have to call back again with the hope that I can get the information that I need with some consideration given to me.

One year I got nothing refund Bec of thenew policy I didn’t recieve they said I can’t do nothing about it hopeless people and you can’t really with them.

Been with HBF for approximately 2 years. Do not recommend. Every time I have tried to process a claim there is always a reason/fine print as to why they don't cover it. E.g. vaccinated by baby with Bexsero based on doctors advice, however this isn't covered under 'pharmaceutical items' which I am covered for, but is classified as a 'travel vaccine' which would require additional cover (even though this vaccine was recommended for within Australia and is not in any way for travel). Similar situation with other claims. When I have made policy changes on the phone in the past, eg changing extras covered, completely incorrect changes were made to my policy. Have also had claims which were knocked back which I then had to follow up on as they were indeed correct claims. Will look elsewhere.

We had been with HBF for over 20 years. I needed a prostatectomy because of aggressive cancer. The latest technology was to have the surgery using the Da Vinci method. In its wisdom HBF decided they don't cover for such technology and I was forced to pay the $7000 myself. They would not contribute one dollar.
A disgusting immoral company to say the least. You are warned!!

3 years

Called on November 12th to cancel direct debit. Recorded on your system.

Received cancellation request from Bupa on 15th November. Recorded on your system.

21st November you debit my account. Nice one HBF! nice one!

I have had to contact HBF twice in the last year, once to make a query for a patient and once to make a query regarding a motor claim. The first phone call was never answered. I was waiting on hold for over 40 minutes before I hung up. So far today I have been on hold for 25 minutes.

HBF does a lot to promote its image and I have enjoyed their Run for a Reason events. The customer service has deteriorated however, and if a cheaper option were available, I would cancel my membership straight away.

I have been with HBF for 7 years but I don't feel the value in my policy. Every 6 months my premium goes up and my policy now costs about 50% more than it did when I signed up. I just got an online quote for the Equivalent policy and it would be hundreds of dollars cheaper if I cancelled and signed up again. And that is even with the significant discount I am supposed to be receiving through my employer.

I am trying to cancel but they don't make that easy. I would need to take time off work to be able to contact them during their work hours.

I have been a HBF member for around 18 months. I liked the idea of funding a non for profit organisation rather than feeding money into the larger organisations like Medibank and NIB etc. If I had my time again however, I would definitely be more open minded and clearly read every line of the PDS. I joined the Super Saver Hospital & Flexi Extra's Top Cover.

One of the other main reasons for joining HBF was their cover for Dental, I wanted to ensure I was covered for my wisdom teeth extraction & orthodontics which were both under major dental. The cost of the wisdom teeth removal was $1380, the benefit received was $680, this equates to 49% on the highest level of Top Extra's Cover. Other health funds have guaranteed benefits of 60% & 70% depending on level of cover. As I was going in for day surgery I was not covered for the Hospital visit as my policy only covered for accidents, this really wasn't that clear but I also accept responsibility for not looking into this more. They are however rolling out a new Hospitals Cover on Jan 1st 2020 which includes Dental Surgery but unfortunately the excess goes up to $750 from $500, but your premium goes up also. The hilarious part about all this is that the day surgery hospital costs for my procedure worked out to be $730, so even if I had this cover I wouldn't have this covered. As my policy didn't pay for Hospital that didn't include the Anesthetist, that was another $750 for this but Medicare paid $150. Overall, the whole procedure cost $2860 which HBF covered $680.

Now, this is purely my thoughts and for my situation only, but I will be moving my cover over to a health fund which has the most optimum hospital cover and remove the extra's completely. The extras cover is well over priced and until you need to claim you never really know how much you are going to get back, unless you are with a fund that has guaranteed benefits paid, which HBF do not. Medibank on the lowest extra's cover, covered more for general dental than HBF did on the Flexi Extra's Top Cover, I couldn't believe it when I went back through my receipts. Shop around and make sure you read the PDS if you go with HBF so you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. If it's for you great! It wasn't for me.

My daughter got Denghi Fever while volunteering in Bali. She was admitted to hospital and given advice to fly home before she deteriorated. She flew home under advice from doctors but HBF say, that because she didn't get their permission she is not able to claim this fare or a refund for her return airfare she had previously paid for. I don't think anyone would get paid out if they are refusing in this cut and dry claim. Check reviews before you take out travel insurance.

more than 6 years health and they asked me to transfer my car insurance to them 2 years ago that was biggest mistake