Bupa or Max Bupa Health Insurance is a large British Healthcare organisation, with bases on three continents and more than ten million customers in all over 200 countries. It is a private healthcare company in direct contrast to the UK’s National Health Services, which are tax-funded healthcare systems and do not require private health insurance in order to gain access to hospitals and medical services. Bupa also runs its own hospitals, available only to those in the UK who hold private health insurance policies or who can pay personally.
Max Bupa Health Insurance (First name was – Bupa, originally Based on the British United Provident Association) was established in 1947 when 17 British provident associations joined together to provide healthcare for the general public. The original services provided by Bupa included private medical insurance, and eventually expanded to include privately-run Bupa hospitals, such as Cromwell Hospital. Bupa had an initial registration of 38,000 when founded, but currently has over four million members, and is currently the largest “independent health insurance” like – private health insurance, provider in the UK.
The Bupa firm has entered the Indian health insurance market through a joint venture with the local conglomerate – Max India, called “Max Bupa Health Insurance” Limited.