International Medical Group (IMG)

Absolutely the WORST insurance experience I have ever had. Unbelievable incompetence bordering on blatant corruption. Patriot Travel I fell ill while traveling, and was insured via the IMG Global Patriot Travel insurance policy. I called IMG ahead of making an appointment with a doctor to make sure I was using the plan properly, and followed instructions for how to find/see a doctor and file a claim. When the normal treatments that doctors prescribed didn’t work, I went back a couple of times, the treatments escalated as per protocol, and I was referred to a specialist. Of course called ahead to get “preauthorization” from IMG to see the specialist, and for the CT scan that was ordered. I did EVERYTHING within exact instructions, filed my claims online, and 6 months later they have paid NOTHING. What were my claims? Something medically bizarre or my own fault? Was I drunk, riding zebra unicorns out of a plane with no parachute and trying to claim a broken ankle later? Nope. I had a simple sinus infection that was not responding to the regular antibiotics. Not a preexisting condition. Nothing outside the norm. And no treatments that were crazy or even expensive. It was SIMPLE. But they haven’t reimbursed me a single cent. That was October 2017. I’m writing this April 23 2018. What I DID get from IMG: Incompetence: Employees couldn't look up claims, had the wrong info, couldn't see claims, couldn't find a claim within the weird 15 minute cut-off system on chat, didn't email info as they promised, gave "cut & paste" responses to deny culpability & make the client look like "the bad one" for asking what was going on when the company wasn't up to snuff. I kid you not, they “lost” one of my claims at east 3 times, and wanted me to “reapply”, WHILE I was looking at THEIR system, and I was seeing that claim and all its details. I was actually made to prove to them that I put a claim in their system by sending screenshots to their tech department, FROM THEIR OWN SYSTEM! Apparently, I can do an IMG agents’ job better than they can from my home laptop. By the second and third time they tried to pull this one on me, which was after 5 or 10 communications, I got the IMG communication system down, and I could predict every response. I noticed that the lag time would simply increase when I asked a pertinent question - so an actual answer could be avoided and I could be bumped off the call/chat. And if I asked about a claim, they might just say it was lost. What were they doing, buying time while my premiums earned them income sitting in their interest-bearing accounts? The LONGER they can hold on to your money, the more they make. Insult: As if I was being unfairly demanding, I was told to “give them a chance to review the claim” and “they’re just doing their job” as a cut & paste response to all of my queries as to why my claims still hadn’t been resolved 6 months later. They got me with this one and I almost felt guilty the first 4 times, until l realized they just said this EVERY time to avoid giving me an answer. D’oh I’m the stupid one here! They would delay answering my questions & put me on “hold” until their 15 minute customer service timeframe ran out. Well, heck! That’s a handy way to avoid responsibility! Simply ignore the customer on hold with a time limit, and then blame them when you don’t pay. There’s a whole set of morals (or lack of them) at work here that I just don’t understand. My Money, Time & Energy Wasted: They seemed happy enough to keep my premiums, and to not pay out my claims, so I am now out a few thousand Euros. However they seemed unable to take me seriously, to take my calls, to answer my questions, or to explain why they didn’t pay my claims. They simply refused or ignored me. Over 6 months later, they STILL haven’t resolved simple doctor’s visits, and the ONLY communication I’ve received is a denial for one of the middle claims in the series, stating that going to a doctor is not in my insurance coverage. Uuuuhhhhh… THAT is a new one. I actually laughed when I got that email. IMG insurance the doesn’t pay for doctors. Hehehehe. Riiiight. I have now publicly warned people not to get IMG insurance, will continue to make sure people know, and have switched to another company myself. The cheapest, worst travel insurance I ever had (TripMate via World Nomads) actually paid claims in a way that made IMG look embarrassingly incompetent. Heck, I’m going back to them for my short trips. I had imagined I was getting a better service with IMG. I was WRONG. In fact, I found it so impossible to deal with IMG that I haven't bothered to cancel my coverage or try to get my money back. Why bother? The lack of honesty & lack of service I have experienced in the MANY months since my claims were submitted has already wasted enough of my time, money & energy. It was my mistake to get IMG, obviously I should have listened to the bad online reviews. At this point, I have no more time to waste nor bad money to throw after good on IMG. Seriously, what is wrong with this company's system? Why is it that people who work for IMG can't seem to do their jobs? How is IMG surviving? I can only imagine it is through exhausting customers and keeping their money, and never paying out. Thank god I only lost a few thousand Euro on IMG, and I wasn’t really ill or injured severely - I would be bankrupt now. I run 3 companies, and I would never treat a customer the way I've been treated by IMG. It's pathetic and embarrassing to see grown adults mismanaging their business they way IMG has. My heart goes out to people who got really hurt or ill, needed insurance, and got this same treatment by IMG. I imagine some poor older folks who can't deal with the tech, or people who have no recourse. That is really just... sad. Unfortunately all it takes is one look on the internet to realize I'm not the only one. :( I’m not sure who is writing all the nice reviews. Maybe it is IMG employees while they are putting their clients on hold. That would explain many things at once.