Bupa

Is Bupa an ethical insurance provider?

The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Insurance Ratings Table includes Bupa as an insurance company that our research team has rated and ranked for its ethics. The insurance provider has yet to fulfil our ethical criteria, but we hope that the brand will make the necessary changes in the future to function as a more ethical organisation.

Our complete guide to finding Ethical Insurance has more details about the significance of ethical insurance, and the particular sector issues affecting the Environment, People and Animals. You can also use our Ethical Insurance Rating Table to compare Bupa to other insurance providers.

What does Bupa do?

Bupa was created in 1947, being the first major company health insurance scheme in the UK. Bupa stands for the British United Provident Association Ltd. Bupa provides a range of healthcare and health insurance, and operates healthcare companies not just in the UK, but also in Australia, Spain and Hong Kong.

For which criteria does Bupa perform poorly? 

Bupa receives a bottom rating in the Environmental Report criterion. This is due to the fact that the company’s Sustainability Report does not effectively demonstrate its commitment to improving its environmental record.

Additionally, Bupa also receives a bottom rating in the Other Criticisms and Other Criticisms+ categories, due to a high volume of criticisms the company has received in the past 5 years.

For instance, in 2022, Bupa was blacklisted by multiple NHS trusts for allegedly not paying insurance bills owed to them. The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust threatened court action in an attempt to recoup around £400,000 in unpaid treatment for its private patients. You can find out more about this issue in the original article from The Times.

In what areas does Bupa score well for its ethics?

Due to no criticisms being found, Bupa receives a high rating for the Irresponsible Lending, Political Donations and Environmental Destruction categories.

How could Bupa improve its ethical rating?

The Good Shopping Guide divides a brand’s Ethical Rating into three research categories: the Environment, People, and Animals. Find more on how we rate and research insurance companies’ ethics here.

By addressing its poor Sustainability Report and ceasing the unethical practices that have led to criticism, Bupa could improve its Good Shopping Guide Ethical Rating.

Why not look at The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation if you work for or with an insurance firm that prioritises ethics, or if you are looking for methods to boost your sustainability and CSR initiatives? Insurance companies like Aviva and ETA have profited from this accreditation of ethics and sustainability. To learn more, get in touch with us, or fill out our quick initial assessment form to get started.