Advisers claim application process for BUPA Heartbeat is too time consuming
BUPA has pledged to improve the application process for its Heartbeat plan following a series of complaints from intermediaries.
Intermediaries report that the application and quotation process, which is only accessible online, is too time consuming and does not work with the way that most advisers conduct business. Many of the problems have arisen from advisers needing to send a great deal of medical information just to get a quote.
As a result, anecdotal evidence suggests sales from intermediaries have been very low.
Stephen Walker, proprietor of Medical Insurance Services, said: 'The system is completely impractical from intermediaries' point of view. We can only get a quote from the website and many intermediaries, including myself, do not work in this way. It can also take half an hour just to get a quote.'
He added: 'This is a classic example of insurers pushing forward with a product without consulting intermediaries.'
Les Curson, director at PMI brokerage Nicles, agreed and said the online process created more work for advisers. 'This reduces their costs, but simply places it on to the intermediary. We used to be able to ring up BUPA, and get a quote,' he said.
As a result, the brokerage is no longer using BUPA for individual PMI, despite previously being one of their most used providers.
Curson added: 'We have not sold one Heartbeat policy because of the time it takes.' Combined with the fact that this policy and BUPA's budget plan, Local Hospital Care, are the sole individual products available to most IFAs, the intermediary market is beginning to feel the PMI giant is neglecting this distribution channel.
Walker said: 'BUPA has spent a lot of time and money attracting intermediaries and has said they form an important part of their future sales, but through doing this they seem to have knocked all intermediary sales on the head.'
Stephen Flanagan, director of sales at BUPA, accepted that take-up from advisers had been slow and said that in recognition of complaints it would act to improve the process. 'We are now considering using a paper-based application form, but it is still being finalised.' He added that the new process was close to sign-off and would be available to advisers 'within weeks' following further consultations with advisers.
He added that the time taken to apply for the product was caused by the need to get all medical information upfront so the client can get an individually tailored price. However, Curson said he was not convinced clients would get the best deal. 'We are still not clear on what they will or will not cover, or the loadings they will apply. This is just a way for BUPA to avoid publishing prices,' he said.
