The paid everything!
GeoBlue is now called BCBS Global Solutions. Though some of the processes are a bit cumbersome, you can always get someone (human) on the phone. I had a serious issue on a cruise ship mid-Atlantic. I paid that bill out of pocket but they reimbursed me within 30 days after submitting my claim when I returned home. I had to submit my itinerary, proof of the start date of the vacation, itemized invoice from the ship hospital, and proof of payment. They took care of direct payment to a hospital in Bermuda where the ship disembarked my wife & I. Then, due to my serious condition, they organized for an air ambulance from Bermuda to my home hospital and paid them directly. All I paid was the expected $100 deductible. They just need to work a bit to streamline their processes avoiding some duplications and better coordination. All in all, I recommend them and will keep buying the affordable multi-trip annual insurance coverage.
Manny
We puchased an expensive policy with $0…
We puchased an expensive policy with $0 deductible. We both went to the clinic to establish care with providers in France. GeoBlue wouldn’t cover the clinic visits requesting itemized bills?? We submitted the forms found online plus the physician’s bill. This is France and the paperwork is different than in the US. Unfortunately I also had poor interactions with Customer Service as well. GeoBlue is basically finding any type of excuses to deny reimbursement. It’s during a claim that one finds out how good an insurance is and based on our experience, this is a costly insurance which does not deliver. Please be aware, read the small prints, and avoid being taken as we were. Check other options and importantly read the reviews. This is an honest objective review.
Karina
Exceeded my expectations- will only use GeoBlue onwards
I wanted to leave a review because this travel insurance exceeded my expectations. On the second day of my trip I got severely sick and had to go to several doctor visits, labs, medication and a have a small procedure. All this so I could be properly medicated to feel comfortable enough to return home to continue treatment. That said, there were many costs. My only out of pocket costs were at the pharmacy and one lab order - these I got paid back within 2 weeks after submitting an e-claim on the app. All other visits I would call GeoBlue prior and ask for a guarantee of payment that was sent to my email and the provider by the time I hung up the call. By the time I got back home, all my costs were covered and I got refunded in all claims that I paid out of pocket. Being sick in a foreign country is awful to navigate but not having any worries for my health coverage was a HUGE plus. I’m the kind of person that reads the fine print and will only do GeoBlue from now onwards. Only callout is that I will add coverage for my trip cancellation/interruption since all non refundable costs are not covered in the health only plan (Voyager). PS. I had to double check this was the same GeoBlue from all the negative reviews - I hope this means there was a change for the better.
C L
As a retired Federal Employee Geo-Blue…
As a retired Federal Employee Geo-Blue took over the overseas contract several years ago from GMMI. I have had issues with Geo-Blue ever since. They really should not be involved with the FEHB program overseas as they are just a middle man and offer no resolution, explanation or any assistance though they claim to be the overseas assistance center but they should be taken out of the loop as I do not see what value they bring.
Douglas Stanley
I signed up fort Single Trip
I signed up fort Single Trip - Voyager Choice coverage. I paid $555. I created a password. I got confirmation of the password and a verification code. I went back, entered my password and the verification code and was immediately locked out. After spending over 2 hours on the phone with a person who clicked her keyboard constantly, I was told that IT would contact me in 3 business days. Then they sent me a lot of documentation on how I was signed up. But no password, so no access. I contacted my credit card company to block payment (first they have to receive a pending charge before blocking). So BEWARE of the worst customer service I can recall and remember this is for health insurance. Think about what might happen (or not happen) if you need to use it.
Raven
Website Error Extortion
Our daughter was required to purchase GeoBlue for a study abroad program. She attempted repeatedly to purchase the one required semester. Their system only allowed her to purchase a year plan even though her visa is only for one semester. When we contacted the university, they were shocked that she was charged TRIPLE for the plan as her travel was only for one semester. GeoBlue informed us that they would process the refund and would contact our daughter. They have since sent a email that they cannot process the refund. We will be fully escalating this as their system error is clearly predatory and borders on extortion. We look forward to GeoBlue acknowledging their registration error and refunding the incorrect charge as they said they would during our initial correspondence.
JC
Horrible insurance company for expats
Horrible insurance company for expats. They cover nothing, even if it is listed in your policy. They did not follow up with doctors who submitted directly if they needed additional information, they just rejected the claims. No explanations, no one to talk to. The worst experience I have ever had.
D S
Highly recommended
I've had great experiences with the company as an American expat living in Europe. They process my claims quickly and easily, they answer emails within one business day, and their processes are user friendly with no hassle. They were willing to work with the bureaucratic paperwork for my EU visa.
Amy Jackson
Tried to renew the travel insurance…
Tried to renew the travel insurance plan, I've not used the insurance. called customer service someone answered all I could hear is pots and pans being thrown around, second call, nice lady answered call, she put me on hold then hung up on me.customer service sucks. I'm changing companies
Jorge Villarreal
Reimbursement for a Claim is Major Hassle - Very Upsetting - Horrible Experience
I called international customer service for the status of claim and was told to contact the Claims Department EST. I am traveling. I stayed up late to make the phone call, only to be transferred to the International claims dept. ALSO.. We indicated on the claim form to send reimbursement to us directly and not the provider, so GEO BLUE sent the reimbursement to the provider. Evidently in the multiple emails - they never requested nor got a receipt. They only asked for the invoice. Now, we have to do the entire claim process over and wait another 6 months? ALSO..The hospital in Coventry England would not accept GEOBLUE and we had to pay with our Credit Card. The hospital made us wait 3 months to get any invoice and the hospital refused to follow the rules of GeoBlue...needing letterhead, exact procedure codes, and individual costs of each procedure. back and forth communication between the hospital and GeoBlue was so time consuming and a NIGHTMARE. We are on our 5th claim # for something which should have been resolved long ago. My husband had a ischemic stroke and survived, but all the emails went to his email and in the confusion of his post stroke rehab - it was very difficult to have another job of admin assistant of everything needed to process a claim. There needs to be a guide explaining the difficulty of a reimbursement. It is not as easy as uploading one document electronically.
Lori Delay Homstad
Not trustworthy
We've been buying this insurance for years. Now for the first time we needed to make a claim. All I know is that they told me 12 days ago that they had mailed me a check that day, after I had called them twice, and I still don't have it. So I'm going to need to call them a third time. I won't buy this again. I don't trust them anymore.
Alan Mazer
Great Travel Medical Insurance
I've purchased GEO Blue travel insurance many times and had one claim on a cruise ship in the Caribbean and another at a hospital in Tokyo. All I can say was the claims process was simple and straightforward, and Geo Blue paid my claims promptly and without a hassle. The best travel medical insurance around and at a good price.
Joel
I used GeoBlue Travel Insurance…
I used GeoBlue Travel Insurance (Xplorer) for 2 years while I was in China.Bad:- I had a simple claim that took over 2 months to process. No controversy or complications, just slow- My general emails to the company also took days or even weeks to reply- Member website is about 20 years oldGood:- Price was reasonable for the package- My claims eventually got coveredOverall my experience wasn't as bad as some others here suggested. I just feel like there are better options.
Andrew Kruse
I've been a customer of GeoBlue for…
I've been a customer of GeoBlue for almost 5 years now. It has hands down one of the worst customer service of any companies I've ever dealt with. Not just insurance companies, but companies in general. There is a supervisor there named Michael Burke. This person basically just sends out coverage denial emails. When you email him back for more clarification he just never responds. When I call in and ask to speak to him, he doesn't accept calls.I call in at least once a month to speak to a supervisor to file a complaint. They take my information and tell me that they will follow up with me but they never do. They'll send out extremely vague denial letters but won't tell you what their claims department wants. Then one of their supervisors will tell you that they will personally follow up with your doctor to get the needed information, but never will. Instead they'll just continue to send you vague denial letters and tell you to provide more information.
Jeff Roller
I purchase Geo Blue for a trip to Costa…
I purchase Geo Blue for a trip to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, I was hospitalized for 5 days in San Jose, Costa Rica with a severe pneumonia. Intensive Care for 2 days. After returning home I submitted everything the hospital gave me in paper work & my receipt for payment that I made to the hospital. Geo Blue said the paperwork did not match my payment but I had everything & Geo Blue had the hospital phone number & information. I never received any compensation from Geo Blue and the communication with them was not good. Obviously, I would not recommend this Travelers Insurance. Lois S. Los Angeles, CA
lois Shickman
The website looked so promising.
The website looked so promising. The first of two claims was paid timely without issue. The second took 168 days of many emails and phone calls and broken promises that "X" would call back. Agents were trained to only say that something was happening and had no access to my total account file.And, when I sent in a final email after my check arrived detailing the chronology of what had happened and asked that it be sent to the CEO and acknowledged, no reply even came. I had corresponded with him once before I left but his email address didn't work after that. I just thought he would want to know.If you are going to Australia, you need to know that you only get details of the coverage after you buy. It is only then that you find out that Geo Blue has a relationship with almost ZERO medical facilities in the country so you will be out of pocket.I also discovered that a large number of the high ratings given to the company came from people who sent them in at the request of Geo Blue before they even left on their trip and or actually filed a claim.I got burned as I was looking for a company to use for that and future trips to Australia as well. Thankfully, the costs I incurred on my credit card bills were not enormous, but they easily could have been.Buying travel insurance is not easy and as I said, the website looked promising.
Paul Bartos
Perhaps a post helps?
My earlier post was not very complementary to Geo Blue as I was experiencing difficulty getting reimbursed for a scan that a Swiss doctor that Geo Blue sent me to recommended I have. 16 hours after I made the post I received a call from Geo Blue that my claim was being honored. I don’t know if my post had anything to do with my claim being honored, but if the check does arrive, I can’t complain anymore.
Hanley Bodek
Scam scam scam
Scam scam scam, do NOT buy Geoblue. Price is low for a reason, when you end up needing to use it you will not get your money. Been waiting since January and they give you the go around, the phone seem to route to the same person (possibly located in the Philippines). They want you to give up and be SOL. Warning to BCBS to immediately remove from being affiliated with a company that scams people. We provided everything asked for, invoices, travel tickets, doctors medicals records from the hospital and when they run out of things to ask for hoping you can’t provide they don’t give you any concrete reason why the claim is not being processed.I don’t know how the employees rest at night knowing they a part of this scam. It’s very unfortunate. We will go with United Healthcare travelInsurance next time. Stay far away from Geoblue
SandyNG
International Insurance Claim Nightmare
I would leave no stars if I could. The handling of my son’s insurance claim has left a sour taste in our mouths. Despite submitting all the necessary documentation and fulfilling all requirements in two instances where additional information was requested, the claim is still in “review” after seven weeks. Date of incident was 12/28/2023. In mid-February-2024, Geo Blue asked for confirmation of flight records, and we provided that information. Then, a month later (early March 2024), they asked for medical records from the hospital in Quebec; I provided that information on 3/19/2024. It’s now 5/9/2024, and despite multiple calls to the Geo Blue Voyager Claims department, I keep getting the same response: “Still in review.” I’ve asked for the claim to be prioritized, and customer service agents tell me that the claim has been “elevated,” but after calling today for the 10th time and getting the same response, I’ve decided to leave a bad review. This delay in processing and approving the claim is unacceptable, and it has left my family and me feeling tired, frustrated, and neglected by Geo Blue. As policyholders, we expect timely and efficient service, though we understand things take time. However, we are going on month five dealing with this claim. Anyone looking to purchase a policy through Geo Blue should consider other options.
DANIEL
GeoBlue is an insurance scam
Unfortunately, based on an ongoing horrible experience with GeoBlue, I firmly believe that they are perpetrating an ongoing scam to defraud policy holders, at least for larger claims. I badly injured my knee in Mexico in mid-January. I needed an ambulance to pick me up and take me to a nearby hospital. Friends I was with confirmed that the hospital was on GeoBlue’s approved list. At the hospital after an X-ray, I was told I had a tibial plateau fracture and needed emergency surgery. The hospital put several temporarily holds on my credit card, telling me they would be released as soon as GeoBlue provided a letter guaranteeing that they would pay 100% of the hospital and physician charges less $100 deductible as provided on my Trekker policy. Within about an hour, a hospital administrator told me that GeoBlue had provided the necessary letter of guarantee. The surgery was successful, I was transported to a flight back to Los Angeles and the hospital did release the holds on my credit card. I assumed that I was in good hands with GeoBlue and that they were handling the hospital payments. I never received, and have not to this day received, a copy of my bills. GeoBlue even refused to pay the $750US charge for the ambulance company that transported me to the hospital. In April 2024, nearly 3 months after my injury, I received an email from the hospital indicating that GeoBlue had not made ANY payment on my outstanding bills and that therefore they were charging nearly $30,000USD on my credit card…which they did. Additionally, I've been assessed a nearly $800USD "foreign transaction fee" by my card issuer. I immediately contacted GeoBlue and as of today, May 4, have spoken to or emailed GeoBlue at least a dozen times, never given any concrete information or even a copy of my hospital billing but was told again and again only that they were “still waiting for a response from the provider.” I requested the matter be submitted to arbitration (which GeoBlue forces in a dispute) and they have ignored my multiple requests. I strongly believe that GeoBlue has not acted in good faith, does not intend to pay the claim and is hoping that I will tire of pursuing the matter. The stress, depression and anxiety GeoBlue has caused me has certainly impacted the healing of my leg. I am still unable to walk without pain while doing physical therapy every day, this after months using a wheelchair and walker. I contacted the California Department of Insurance and was told that they could not take action because the policy issuer is a Bermuda company. This has all the signs of being deliberate insurance fraud being perpetrated by the underwriter and their GeoBlue sham “customer service” located in PA. Since GeoBlue is licensed by Blue Cross Blue Sheild and GeoBlue markets using their logos, I'll be notifying them of this scam. I imagine they do not want outright fraud to be associated with their brand. Reading through comments of others on various websites, I know that I am not the only customer to have been defrauded by GeoBlue. Many have had experiences very similar to mine. I’ve had to draw on my home equity line to pay my credit card bill to reduce the interest rate on the Mexican charges. At no time has anyone I've communicated with at GeoBlue expressed any sort of sympathy or even understanding of the terrible position they have put me in. I retired recently and now may have to get a new job since I don't have $30,000 to pay for an event for which I had every right to believe I was insured. If anyone reading this has any suggestions for other ways I can aggressively pursue restitution, I’d greatly appreciate it!
KennyKPM
