IMG Global -- Beware of Travelors Insurance

[green_world]

Sorry this is not immigration related..but related to Immigrants..SHOULD read if you are planning to take travelers insurance from International Medical Group (International Medical Group - IMG)

Just wanted to post this message out here so that you will not end up as a pray like me to the money making travelers insurance companies like IMG Global.This is about IMGGlobal (International Medical Group - IMG) one of the travelers insurance provider that I thought was geniune..but realized to be a bogus one after I went through a claims process for my dad.

Short story, My parents were here on a visitors visa. I took the insurance from IMGGlobal through Patriot America (https://www.insubuy.com/img/patriot/...ateid=patainsu). My dad was very healthy, no medication at all until he went through a sudden heart attack 6 months back. We had to take him to the emergency, the treatment was very good. He recovered well now. I called IMG and got precertification etc for the treatment, the claims process started. I thought the insurance company will be paying most of the bills except the deductable..but the insurance company denied the entire claim stating that it was a preexisting condition, infact there was nothing preexisting. Their defenition of heart attack is, it does not start on fine day, it gets build up eventualy..so it is preexisting

Summary IMG Global do not cover any medical condition..I think the only one they may cover is some kind of accidents that may happen, you never know..they might have some fine prints to block those kind of claims as well.

Following are the statements in IMGs policy

T. EXCLUSIONS - All charges, costs, expenses and/or claims (collectively “Charges”) incurred by the Insured Person and directly or
indirectly relating to or arising or resulting from or in connection with any of the following acts, omissions, events, conditions, charges,
consequences, claims, Treatment (including diagnoses, consultations, tests, examinations and evaluations related thereto), services
and/or supplies are expressly excluded from coverage under this insurance, and the Company shall provide no benefits or
reimbursements and shall have no liability or obligation for any coverage thereof or therefor:

(3) Pre-existing Conditions - Charges arising or resulting directly or indirectly from or relating to any Pre-existing Condition, as herein
defined; and

[ilikekilo]

Thanks for sharing.

However on the contrary in our experience even though it was not great they took around 10 +months to settle claims in our case. not to mention that we had to fill in lots of paper work ( i think that may be the norm for all carriers) for each claim. but they finally settled it but took forever. I think its better late than never. but nonetheless by the time they settled the claims a bunch of bills went to collection. what a PIA..

[green_world]

That is good to know..what was the insurance company? If you dont mind sharing..

Originally Posted by ilikekilo

Thanks for sharing.

However on the contrary in our experience even though it was not great they took around 10 +months to settle claims in our case. not to mention that we had to fill in lots of paper work ( i think that may be the norm for all carriers) for each claim. but they finally settled it but took forever. I think its better late than never. but nonetheless by the time they settled the claims a bunch of bills went to collection. what a PIA..

[ilikekilo]

sorry, wasnt clear, mine was IMG too,

[sats123]

Couple of years back, we took insurance from ICICI for my in laws. Claim processing was done within a month and it was straight forward. But they reimbursed in Indian Rupees which was OK. If its inpatient ICICI makes payment directly to hospital.

I took from IMG couple of times for my parents. Thanks for sharing info about IMG. Though its least expensive, its better to pay more and get from companies like ICICI.

[shivarajan]

Thanks for the headsup, i was this close in going with them... but finally went www. kvrao . org way for my MIL.

Visitors insurance from Indian companies is strict no no, they never work (esp. when they askf or bills/clarifications and deny later). People want to save money and get stuck with poor insurance here, if folks don't mind paying little more than they should get the catastrophic kind of insurance from reputed companies eg. they should go with right american companies like assurant health. High deductible like 2k but rest covered.

(the hearth attack being pre-existing is illogical pre-existing condition, don't believe if anyone says these companies are good)

Learnt never to fall for these phony health insurance whos underwriters are unknown and frequently change their name whenever they get sued and escape.

[GCNirvana007]

Any suggestions for a good one guys

My folks are coming in 10 days

[krishmunn]

IMO none of these Travel Insurance companies ... be it American or Indian, are any good. Even the American ones are not regulated by Insurance Department (unlike traditional US Health Insurance).

Only way to get the money out of them is to sue them.

[sandy_anand]

Thanks for sharing. Useful information! Gave you green

[acs_78]

We had similar experience with IMG. I don't think it matters which insurance company, they all try to avoid paying. In our case, couple of years back, my mom was really sick, we took her to urgent care. They suggested we take her to emergency.

They kept her for 3 days as she had some infection of pancreas. IMG denied the claim saying it was a pre-existing condition. We talked to the doctor who treated her and she was a very nice lady. She gave us a letter and sent the same to insurance company stating that it is not a pre-existing condition.

Based on the letter, we appealed to the insurance company and they had no choice but to pay it.

If you can do the same, they will pay. If they dont pay even after the doctor says it is not a pre-existing condition, you can appeal again and a third party will decide.

So, do not give up and keep going after IMG.

[akilaakka]

So which one is better? may be I should rephrase and ask which one is least problematic.

Thanks
Senthil

[manuseeksgc]

I switched over to ICICI Lombard last year during my parents visit and my experience has been very good so far. They took some time but processed all claims. and FYI... they are not one of the cheapest option available. They also cover the existing conditions as long as you mention it in advance ( it will increase ur premium by 20-25% but thts nthg for a coverage which no one else provides)

[thescadaman]

Is the general consensus that ICICI shown in the link below a good insurance for parents?

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd
ICICI Lombard General Insurance for Health Overseas Travel Home Motor Car Insurance Student Insurance Personal Accident

If it is, then they have a regular one and a platinum one - which one is advisable?

Please provide feedback as I also need to start looking for Health Insurance for my parents.

[psaxena]

As per my understanding , you don't need to take any insurance for in laws or parents visiting US.
I am stating this as per my last year's experience. The insurance companies never reimburse for anything except for accidents or something like that. So when I was in the similar situation a friend of mine suggested to take MIL to the ER or County hospital ER and get her the treatment. He did the same for his in laws. The ER cannot refuse the treatment for the patient for the inability to show the proof of insurance. He also told me not give your SSN and just give them the right information that she is a visitor and she doesn't have the social and they will treat her and send the bills to your house address for 3 months. Let them do that and after that they send the bill to state and state will negotiate and pay the bills to hospital.
Also illegals use the ER services in the same fashion and get treated and they have no issues.

This is what I know , so this time I am not taking any insurance. These insurance companies are just for ripping you off and nothing else, when you really need they are nowhere.
Last year I was in the situation when my MIL has BP problem and I had insurance but they denied saying pre exisitng condition. I mean old age parent have 99.99% times these kind of issues only, they are not going to play soccer and break their leg or anything like that. So what good an insurance is when it doesn't pay for anything.

Anyone has a similar experience of not taking the insurance but using the ER for the treatments in this fashion?

[chi_shark]

I am in your camp psaxena! as far as i understand, there is no insurance policy for visitors (NONE) that covers pre-existing conditions and almost all ailments in old people come from pre-existing conditions. even a fracture of the leg after slipping in the snow can be partially denied on the basis that the patient has an early onset of osteoporosis if the diagnosis reveals so... whether we like it or not, the only insurance that really covers anything is the one that covers funeral and transport of remains. (too morbid? apologies). as far as fighting the insurance company goes, that totally depends on your doctor and how hard the insurance company fights back to keep the money...

what psaxena writes below might be the only option to get best possible treatment with least possible impact.

Originally Posted by psaxena

As per my understanding , you don't need to take any insurance for in laws or parents visiting US.
I am stating this as per my last year's experience. The insurance companies never reimburse for anything except for accidents or something like that. So when I was in the similar situation a friend of mine suggested to take MIL to the ER or County hospital ER and get her the treatment. He did the same for his in laws. The ER cannot refuse the treatment for the patient for the inability to show the proof of insurance. He also told me not give your SSN and just give them the right information that she is a visitor and she doesn't have the social and they will treat her and send the bills to your house address for 3 months. Let them do that and after that they send the bill to state and state will negotiate and pay the bills to hospital.
Also illegals use the ER services in the same fashion and get treated and they have no issues.

This is what I know , so this time I am not taking any insurance. These insurance companies are just for ripping you off and nothing else, when you really need they are nowhere.
Last year I was in the situation when my MIL has BP problem and I had insurance but they denied saying pre exisitng condition. I mean old age parent have 99.99% times these kind of issues only, they are not going to play soccer and break their leg or anything like that. So what good an insurance is when it doesn't pay for anything.

Anyone has a similar experience of not taking the insurance but using the ER for the treatments in this fashion?