Health insurers recording calls

geem

Hi am with my health insurer for about 8 years. Over the last 2 years have had several small medical procedures and operations. Prior to this - no claims.
I am aware that calls are recorded and I want to know do we have any rights concerning this. Do we have to accept this or can we say no - we do not want our calls recorded?
My other query is that despite each procedure and claim requiring the filling out of a form, a couple of weeks following this the insurer rings up and asks the same questions as on the form. These can be quite personal and as far as I know when you sign up for health insurance - they say all you have to do is fill in a form to claim, can't find where they say you will be subject to a personal and intrusive medical quiz.
Does anyone know what our rights are regarding these 2 issues?

RoadKillTs

You have a right to change health insurers

Honestly I don't. Most busineesess like that will record calls. Obviously you can complain but if thats the way they do business then they are hardly going to change their policy because of one person.

I'd look at altenatives if your not happy with them.

NuMarvel

geem wrote: »

Hi am with my health insurer for about 8 years. Over the last 2 years have had several small medical procedures and operations. Prior to this - no claims.
I am aware that calls are recorded and I want to know do we have any rights concerning this. Do we have to accept this or can we say no - we do not want our calls recorded?
My other query is that despite each procedure and claim requiring the filling out of a form, a couple of weeks following this the insurer rings up and asks the same questions as on the form. These can be quite personal and as far as I know when you sign up for health insurance - they say all you have to do is fill in a form to claim, can't find where they say you will be subject to a personal and intrusive medical quiz.
Does anyone know what our rights are regarding these 2 issues?

I've had a look at the Data Protection website regarding call recording and it doesn't specifically mention anything about having a right to not have the call recorded, but says the following:

"Even where an organisation has a comprehensive and general policy of recording all (external) phone calls, it is advisable that it examines the potential to offer callers an option not to have the call recorded. This follows the data protection principle of proportionality, specifically the requirement that data are relevant and not excessive."

Taken from here - http://www.dataprotection.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=%2Fdocuments%2Ffaq%2FFAQ%2Ehtm&CatID=25&m=f, question 4.6.

My interpretation of that is that while it would be best practice to allow calls not to be recorded, it's not an obligation. Next time you ring them, tell them you would prefer not to have the call recorded and ask them how you go about this. That said, having your call recorded can be to your benefit if you want to know exactly what you were told on any given occasion.

As for being asked medical questions at the time of claiming, I imagine there's something in the insurer's handbook that says they can request further information to validate/pay a claim. In one way, I can see where they're coming from as in alot of cases, patients just sign a claim form when in hospital and don't see what the consultant/hospital has written on it.

However, if you're finding it intrusive, you should tell them, assuming you haven't already. If they are asking the same questions as on the form, ask them to send you a copy of the form instead and you'll write back to them to confirm if it's accurate or not. Under the Data Protection Act, you can request a copy of the completed form anyway, so they can't really object to sending it to you.

broker2008

Two things spring to mind: not sure if all 3 insurers record their calls or not but only 2 of the companies are regulated by the financial regulator so I would imagine that they would be obliged under certain instances to allow you or least them to listen to the calls. The other insurer I think records calls but may not be obliged. I do know from a previous job that some recording systems are set up in such a way that it can cost up to €2K to obtain recordings - I know I questioned the amount and was told that that was the case. Lastly not all the insurers require you to complete a claim form either so there are choices. Is there a particular reason why you want to hear the content of the call or just wondering?

stepbar

If a company records voice calls it must notify the customer of this fact. Personally I don't see the problem. It works both ways.There's nothing stopping you from stating that you're not prepared to discuss this sort of information over the phone and that you would be preferred to be contacted in writing.

geem

Thanks for all the replies, most helpful. It's not that I want to hear the content of the calls, its more that I find it intrusive and that they ask the same questions as are already answered on the phone. I get the feeling from the questions that they are trying to find reasons to disallow the claim.

January

geem wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, most helpful. It's not that I want to hear the content of the calls, its more that I find it intrusive and that they ask the same questions as are already answered on the phone. I get the feeling from the questions that they are trying to find reasons to disallow the claim.

Of course they are trying to find a reason to disallow the claim! All insurance companies including home, motor and health insurers will try their best not to pay out on a claim! It saves them money!

crossmolinalad

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Of course they are trying to find a reason to disallow the claim! All insurance companies including home, motor and health insurers will try their best not to pay out on a claim! It saves them money!

they recording your call but if i call them i recording the call to them too

January

crossmolinalad wrote: »

they recording your call but if i call them i recording the call to them too

Yep that's fine as long as you put a disclaimer at the start of the call letting the person on the other end know that you're recording it. That way you'll have no legal implications!