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Bupa International - Best International Private Medical Insurance

Response from Keith Biddlestone, Managing director of Bupa International

Bupa International is delighted to have won the award for Best International Private Medical Insurance for the sixth time in seven years. It immediately follows last year's win and demonstrates Bupa International's continued commitment to its intermediary partners and to its ongoing innovation in the international health insurance market.

Bupa International continues to grow from strength to strength and today is one of the leading international health insurers in the world. Having pioneered international health insurance, the company now provides cover for nearly 750,000 customers in 190 countries and has a network of more than 5,500 hospitals and clinics worldwide.

The company has also received a royal seal of approval twice, having won a prestigious Queen's Award in 1999 for continuous achievement in international trade and again in 2005 for export.

Earlier in the year, Bupa International strengthened its 24-hour worldwide emergency medical centre, based in Copenhagen, with the appointment of three new doctors. The medical team ensures that immediate and correct treatment is always arranged for its individual and community-rated members whenever the need arises, with ISOS continuing to deliver their excellent service to their experience-rated clients. It also introduced webchat, which provides a live and secure online 'chat room' environment and has been designed to give customers immediate access to Bupa International advisers who can answer a multitude of queries speedily and follow up on claims.

Satisfaction among Bupa International customers has also risen to an all-time high. The latest figures show that 85 percent of members rate the company's service as 'excellent' or 'very good' and the number of members scoring 'excellent' has risen by six percent since last year. It also showed the number of customers saying enquiries were dealt with and resolved in one contact increased by 22 percent and this is one of the main drivers of overall satisfaction.

Bupa International is part of the Bupa Group and employs around 1,400 staff in Brighton (England), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Miami, in the USA.

Bupa International hopes to build on its success to help give even more people living and working abroad peace of mind about their healthcare.

Bupa International would like to take this opportunity to thank its intermediary partners for their continued support over the last 12 months, as their endorsement of its products and services, along with their votes, has enabled it to win this prestigious award again.