By Robyn Hall Channel Islands IFA Rossborough Healthcare has sparked concerns from BUPA and WPA afte...
By Robyn Hall
Channel Islands IFA Rossborough Healthcare has sparked concerns from BUPA and WPA after teaming up with BCWA Healthcare to launch a bespoke private health insurance plan.
Rossborough received calls from both BUPA and WPA after launching the product for the businesses and residents of Jersey, with the groups concerned about the 'exclusivity' of the deal.
Guy Jones, managing director of Rossborough, said: "We had a phone call from BUPA and WPA which were both concerned about our position as an independent health insurance adviser and the fact that the word 'exclusive' had been used to link us with BCWA.
"We have since explained that the exclusivity is for our purposes to sell the product and in no way are we exclusive to BCWA."
Stephen Flanagan, sales director for BUPA UK, said: "If anybody does that type of deal then obviously it limits the customers' choice. We launched our own product three or four months ago.
"At the moment it is too early to say whether BCWA's plan has impacted on the sale of our own. Its product is good, but it does not have the same wide coverage as ours. But then, BCWA's is probably better in other ways."
Jones, whose firm has offices on Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney and also covers Sark, explained: "We actually signed up two companies on the day we launched the plan, a dental practice and a small trust company. Since then we have had a string of enquiries and I even got stopped in the street by a taxi driver who requested details for the product."
Several Jersey businesses have also transferred their group schemes over from other providers, with one reason being that some groups had been taking up to eight weeks to pay fees to specialist consultants.
But Flanagan said: "I would be surprised if that was the case for BUPA. Normally a consultant partnership will sign an agreement saying that if there is any issue with regard to fees the customer will not be involved. Sometimes it can be a matter of days, sometimes a matter of weeks before we pay consultants. If there is a delay then, more often than not, human error is to blame."
BCWA's Private Health Cover is based on its Preferential plan and provides comprehensive PMI cover, GP fees and dental and optical benefits in one package.
GP fees are up to £200 per person per annum while dental charges cover up to a maximum of £160 a year, including dental check-ups and treatment. Optical cover is up to a maximum of £140 a year, which covers sight tests.
Similar cover is being adapted for the residents of Guernsey.
