Contact Shan Harvey, Media Specialist on 0438 772 752 or [email protected]
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1 July 2025
Bupa incorrectly rejecting claims is just another example of unethical and illegal conduct by insurers
For those of us who remember the 1997 Francis Ford Coppola movie based on John Grisham’s book, The Rainmaker, the film brought to Hollywood the story of insurance companies refusing clients in need. This theme appeared in Grisham's other works too reflecting real-world concerns about insurance practices.
What we have witnessed here in Australia would not be out of place in one of Grisham’s books - namely the appalling case of leading private health insurer, Bupa admitting to engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct and making false or misleading representations by advising members they were not entitled to private health insurance benefits when they were. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said some Bupa customers financed their own medical treatments and were left thousands of dollars out of pocket while others upgraded to more expensive policies to ensure they were covered.
Almost every adult in the western world pays hundreds of dollars off their pay cheques every month to insurance companies in a bid to ensure they are covered in the unfortunate event they are injured, struck down with illness or suffer property or financial damage, making insurance companies and their underwriters amongst the richest entities on the face of the planet. However, it’s not those payments from the population alone that makes them wealthy. Most of them try to pay out as little as possible on claims made by innocent victims by using tactics which are unfair and predatory including delays and denials, relying on fine print and exerting the power imbalance.
When many people hear from an insurance company that they are not covered after an accident or health issue, they believe that the insurer, being a model, respectable commercial citizen, is telling the truth, whereas in reality, often they are blatantly lying (misleading or deceiving) to ensure payouts are minimised in order to meet key performance indicators and to maintain the wealth of the company.
As this story shows, the Royal Commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry (2017-2019) which exposed widespread unethical and illegal conduct by insurers, failed to achieve anything in real terms, proving the Royal commission as yet another toothless dog, and a waste of time and money.
Attributed to Attwood Marshall Lawyers’ Commercial Litigation Partner, Charles Lethbridge
-ENDS-
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Established in 1946, Attwood Marshall Lawyers is a leading law firm providing expert legal services in all areas of law including wills and estates, aged care, estate litigation, family law, compensation law, commercial litigation, property and commercial law, and equine breeding and racing law.
Find out more about Attwood Marshall Lawyers at https://attwoodmarshall.com.au
About us:
Established in 1946, Attwood Marshall Lawyers is a leading law firm providing expert legal services in all areas of law including wills and estates, aged care, estate litigation, family law, compensation law, commercial litigation, property and commercial law, and equine breeding and racing law.
Find out more about Attwood Marshall Lawyers at https://attwoodmarshall.com.au
Contact details:
Shan Harvey, Media Specialist on 0438 772 752 or [email protected]
