Pet Insurance guide discussion area

PhiltheBear · 13 October 2016 at 11:07AM

If any company offering lifetime policies attempts to exclude a condition that it has previously accepted and does so because it was claimed against then it should be referred to the Financial Ombudsman. A lifetime policy is a contract which is renewable every year under the same conditions. However, I am well aware that AF has exclusions such as all legs if one leg has a problem, which is why I wouldn't use them. What they cannot do is introduce such an exclusion if it wasn't there before. Their website clearly says: "Our Lifetime policies for pets will also provide cover for veterinary fees you incur if your pet has an accident or falls ill. Lifetime means that any one illness or condition is covered year after year up to a limit per condition that ‘refreshes’ annually upon renewal."

However, tucked away in their terms and conditions is: "When inviting renewal of this policy we may, at our sole discretion (and for a valid reason as we deem appropriate, taking into consideration,but not limited to your pet’s age, medical and/or claims history) change the cover, benefits, premium, terms and/or conditions "

I believe that if they invoke that under a lifetime policy the FO would squash them. (And the FO has squashed them before).

(I have no idea why the text sizes have changed

)

sheramber · 13 October 2016 at 4:24PM

Petplan state]

Changes at renewal:
a) When we offer further periods of insurance we may
change the premium, excesses and policy Terms and Conditions

gettingready · 13 October 2016 at 5:53PM

As I said - personally I would have nothing to do with Animal Friends as I know of quite a few people they have completely *^&^& over by doing exactly what you said they "can not do"

kirkn99 · 14 October 2016 at 3:53PM

Just a heads up for any remaining NCI users who came across from AXA. We just got our latest renewal through and it looks like NCI are at it again.

We have an eight year old Labrador who had cruciate surgery on both rear legs during 2014 so we’re not expecting things to be cheap but our prices with NCI have gone from £535 in 2014, £607 in 2015 to an eye watering £1872 in our latest renewal letter

Obviously I’ve complained (couldn’t use Resolva website as NCI Pet not recognised) so will see what response we get but I would advise anyone looking for insurance to avoid NCI Pet if you’re not stuck with them like we are

sheramber · 14 October 2016 at 8:06PM

kirkn99 wrote: »

Just a heads up for any remaining NCI users who came across from AXA. We just got our latest renewal through and it looks like NCI are at it again.

We have an eight year old Labrador who had cruciate surgery on both rear legs during 2014 so we’re not expecting things to be cheap but our prices with NCI have gone from £535 in 2014, £607 in 2015 to an eye watering £1872 in our latest renewal letter

Obviously I’ve complained (couldn’t use Resolva website as NCI Pet not recognised) so will see what response we get but I would advise anyone looking for insurance to avoid NCI Pet if you’re not stuck with them like we are

My dog had a cruciate repair in 2014 with AXA. She is 7 year old crossbreed.

Annual Premium for 2015/16 was £313.29. Renewed it for 2016/17 at 31 August and annual premium is £259.63.

It's the first time I have known a premium go down but I am not complaining.

gettingready · 16 October 2016 at 1:50AM

Lucky you.

Zara had both hips done, both cruciates too - insurance just went up from 140.00 per MONTH to 197.00 per MONTH.

But she is 10 yo now, got to keep it.

Kinski · 16 October 2016 at 12:04PM

kirkn99 wrote: »

Just a heads up for any remaining NCI users who came across from AXA. We just got our latest renewal through and it looks like NCI are at it again.

We have an eight year old Labrador who had cruciate surgery on both rear legs during 2014 so we’re not expecting things to be cheap but our prices with NCI have gone from £535 in 2014, £607 in 2015 to an eye watering £1872 in our latest renewal letter

Obviously I’ve complained (couldn’t use Resolva website as NCI Pet not recognised) so will see what response we get but I would advise anyone looking for insurance to avoid NCI Pet if you’re not stuck with them like we are

They did the same with me in April when I got my 9 year old Sheltie's renewal through, he'd had 2 lumps (they were fatty lumps ) and a sebaceous cyst removed all in one op but nci took it as three separate claims, his renewal went up from about £800 to £1900, I phoned them and they offered me continuous cover for 4 grand instead of the 7 and at approx what I paid last year. I felt I had no choice but to take the 4 grands worth of cover. My other dog an 8 year old Bichon had a cancerous lump removed last year but her renewal hardly went up at all so she's still got the 7 grands worth of cover.

Lizby · 19 October 2016 at 8:58PM

Bit of a learning curve I wanted to share. Got our first dog last year and insured through Sainsbury's but renewal was so expensive, despite never claiming, decided to shop around and opted for Pets @ Home which was half the price for the same cover. BUT BE WARNED - your pet is NOT covered for the first 14 days of any new policy for illness or injury. Stupidly I didn't register this fact as with any other insurance it just continues on from the previous cover expiry date. I understand a company needs to protect themselves from fraudulent claims but surely if you have an existing policy they could provide a continuation. Seems the only way you can do this is to buy an additional 14 days of cover each time you choose to shop around for a new policy? Wish MSE could look into this as it doesn't seem fair?

owlet · 20 October 2016 at 9:08AM

Lizby wrote: »

Bit of a learning curve I wanted to share. Got our first dog last year and insured through Sainsbury's but renewal was so expensive, despite never claiming, decided to shop around and opted for Pets @ Home which was half the price for the same cover. BUT BE WARNED - your pet is NOT covered for the first 14 days of any new policy for illness or injury. Stupidly I didn't register this fact as with any other insurance it just continues on from the previous cover expiry date. I understand a company needs to protect themselves from fraudulent claims but surely if you have an existing policy they could provide a continuation. Seems the only way you can do this is to buy an additional 14 days of cover each time you choose to shop around for a new policy? Wish MSE could look into this as it doesn't seem fair?

It seems almost all companies have the 14 day exclusion period. If you are switching then you need to start the new policy 14 days before the old one runs out. That way you will get continuous cover.

sheramber · 20 October 2016 at 6:04PM

All policies have an exclusion period to prevent people taking out policies when they find out their animal has a problem.

As said above you overlap your policies but if a condition arises in that period you will have to claim on the old policy and then that condition will be an exclusion on the new policy you may need to stay with the first one.

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