SAGA Health Insurance

I have a Saga health insurance policy, underwritten by AXA PPP, which includes a payment benefit of £150 for every night in an NHS hospital.

I recently had a minor heart attack and spent two nights in an NHS hospital. Despite arriving in A&E at midday on the first day, very depressingly the whole of first night was in a chair/on a trolley in A&E as the hospital had absolutely no beds. The hospital finally found me a bed at 11.30am on the second day! In all, I was 23 hours in A&E.

Very unreasonably, Saga have refused my claim for the £150 for the first night I spent on a trolley as they claim I had not been formally admitted!!

The Saga/Axa customer services agent was very dismissive of my claim for the first night and I have now raised a formal complaint. I very much hope that Saga show some basic common sense and meet the claim in full.

I was very happy with Saga insurance services for 5 years. My premiums increased a small acceptable amount each year and the claims provcess was fairly good. Be aware though, even though you have been a loyal customer with few claims . My renewal this year has increased by a staggering 50%, they have blamed it as everyone seems to, on covid I assume that they do not want my customer anymore as I have got a quote for same cover with Aviva for 50% less than Saga.

Major price hikes on renewal over a number of years. Finally did a check quote this year only to find that a fresh policy (with Saga) would be 40% cheaper - this the result of a claim we made several years ago. Saga’s excuse was that they needed to increase the premium in case of reoccurrence - whereas any reoccurrence would be an ‘pre-existing’ condition, and hence not insured, under a new policy. I pointed out to Saga that my wife no longer has the body parts concerned - so reoccurrence was not possible - but they could still not explain the additional premium, and suggested our taking a fresh policy.

We took our custom elsewhere as we do not buy from exploitative businesses - especially ones that are leveraging a ‘trusted’ brand aimed at elderly clients. Sharks IMHO!

Moral: if you do business with them, make sure you watch their renewal premiums.

Terrible experience with them. Renewal came in and the price had gone through the roof. Told them this categorically but they still took £1000 from our bank accounts when I specifically told them that I would not renew at that value. Worst to come I was told that I would have to wait 7/10 days to get the money back that we never authorised them to take. Didn't arrive and now told there had been an error so we have to wait another 5 days to get our money back that should never have been taken in the first place. Also they wriggle out of paying any claim. Worst health insurance we have ever had and we have had insurance for 20 years previously and never had the experiences we have had with Saga.

Far too many restrictions, get-out clauses make this an almost worthless product. After making a relatively small successful claim my premiums jumped from £120 to £300/month as I had 'made a claim'. Working out the sums, they fully recovered their outlay within 3 months and then I'm expected to carry on paying at the higher level for evermore - I don't call that insurance! Then, they stopped covering my wife's fees for on-going treatment (only £60 every 6 months) as 'on-going fees are restricted'.

Four days ago they told me I would be contacted by the physio team within 24 hours....3 phone calls from me & I'm still waiting.My policy renewal is in just over a week & I suspect they may be delaying for that to kick in.

Something tells me I won't be renewing....

Beware when making a claim with Saga/Axappp.The rules for patient qualification are misleading and although it's difficult at the time you are making a claim to study the Terms And Conditions booklet this is a must. They do not Class MRI as Diagnostic (presumably because it's expensive).If you do not require a procedure following some consultancies they will not pay.They do not send out a claim form in all instances and you are therefore at their mercy to remember what you are told by the claims team. They are cold efficient business people. Remember that all calls are recorded 'for training'.This is a sham as they are recorded to use against the claimant .

This is not an insurance policy to benefit you in any, any way. This is for the Saga financial benefit only! Even if you are lucky to get anything from them it will cost you a Great deal of time, aggravation and money. This has been the worst financial decision I have ever made. The only claim I tried to make they gave me so many restrictions! And though I chose their doctor against my referring doctor's advance and though they said that it will be paid in full they left me with a pitiful £12 shortfall. My husband had to go throgh hell and back to get a routine appointment throgh them!

I have had health insurance with Saga for around 4 years. In April this year the policy renewed and apparently the direct debit was cancelled at some point---whether it was by Saga, the bank or simply in error we cannot ascertain.

As part of the Ts and Cs on the policy, non payment=cancellation. They wrote to me and sent me a recorded delivery letter both of which arrived in July when I was on holiday. I rang to update the payment details on the day I returned to be told the policy was cancelled, could not be renewed and it was tough---they had followed their policy. They give you 21 days notice and no urgent indication of pending cancellation. This is their process, that's how it works and that's an end to it----they simply were not interested.

This leaves me uncovered for conditions which have started in the last 4 years---pretty scandalous i'd say. They do like to make up the rules as they go along. They won't contact you urgently by phone or e mail even if they have your details.

Shame really as the service I had for the one claim I made was excellent. Shooting yourselves in the foot i'd say Saga.

I agree totally with all the previous negative comments about these villains. They exist as a business to make profit and the policy paying customer is an inconsequential barrier to their business objective. I shall refrain from describing my experiences but they have more or less all been described by previous submissions. I actually felt better the day I cancelled my long held health insurance policy with them; after the nightmare scenario of attempting to make my first claim (for a relatively minor problem) which went on for so long without a decision that it was actually making my wife ill! And one more thing; in the view of Saga and to ensure you do not contravene any part of their ridiculous policies - you should have/or ought to have remained with the same GP Surgery for your entire life, you should not seek your GP's opinion on any ailment that may later (but not then) become a claim and you most certainly should never, ever, purchase medications or medical prescriptions for an ailment that may subsequently be the basis of a claim! Save your hard earned money AND DO NOT TAKE OUT A SAGA (OR AXA PPP HEALTHCARE - WHO UNDERWRITE THE POLICY) HEALTH POLICY!!