The Greek Consumer Union EKPIZO has raised serious concerns over a recent decision by Hellenic General Insurance Co. S.A., a private insurer, accusing them of making arbitrary and unfair changes to how policyholders are reimbursed for hospital care. According to the union, the company has started informing long-term and lifetime health insurance customers that, starting from 1 June 2025, they will be required to pay for hospital expenses upfront themselves. Reimbursement will only follow later – and only under specific conditions.

In these notices, the insurer states that policyholders must now cover hospital costs directly, and then submit various documents to apply for reimbursement. These include prior notification of the planned treatment, a detailed medical diagnosis, relevant test results justifying hospitalisation, and an estimate of costs. Even then, the company will decide how much to reimburse based on its own assessment of what it considers a “reasonable cost,” using its own data on similar treatments in private hospitals.

EKPIZO argues that this new approach upends long-standing practices in the insurance sector and disproportionately affects those with long-term or lifetime policies – many of whom struggle to maintain them due to steep and repeated premium hikes. The organisation stresses that the change undermines policyholders’ expectations of reliable and dignified healthcare coverage, especially at a time when many rely on it the most.

Essentially, EKPIZO says, this move forces insured individuals to carry the financial burden upfront, with no clear or transparent criteria for how much they will eventually get back. In a climate of rising living costs, such a change puts a significant strain on consumers – many of whom may simply be unable to afford it.

The union believes that insurance appears to be trying to phase out long-term and lifetime contracts by shifting more risk to customers, creating uncertainty, inequality, and a loss of trust in private insurance altogether. It has condemned the change as unilateral, unlawful, and exploitative. It has pledged to take all necessary legal action to protect consumer rights and is urging Hellenic General Insurance to reverse its decision immediately and avoid further actions that would disrupt the proper operation of these insurance contracts.

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