Transfer Of Animal Friends Insurance Policies

madkitty

has anyone been able to get though to customer services - Im beginning to lose faith in them!

Bromley86

In the OP's case, it's definitely time to move to a totally different insurer. Unless they're changing their Terms as well as their underwriter, Animal Friends have a 35% excess when your dog reaches 8 years old.

madkitty

Bromley86 wrote: »

In the OP's case, it's definitely time to move to a totally different insurer. Unless they're changing their Terms as well as their underwriter, Animal Friends have a 35% excess when your dog reaches 8 years old.

tell me about it - little moggie had 4 teeth out yesterday and she's 11....Ive just realised there is a 35% excess on top of the £49. Ive had my insurance with them since day one and you forget that the little creatures get older. Thats the reason I want to get through to them as I want to change my other policy over to Axa as the cover and the policy wording is good and the excess at 9+ is only £75....big difference!

KeithyT

Hmmm. I'm in the same situation here. I currently have AFI Gold (Super) Lifetime Cover (maximum beneift is automatically re-instated annually so claims are not limited to 12 months) underwritten by E & L.

Another 2 tit-for-tat letters have arrived today and this time E & L are re-iterating that AFI cannot cancel the E & L policy on my behalf. I have to inform E & L myself and now E & L are offering a 20% premium discount! I was about to ring them up and check that lifetime cover remaines etc but thought I would check on here first.

I'm tempted to kick them both into touch too but a 20% discount is tempting. My wife and I already donate to animal charities outside of pet insurance policies so the chance to save some money would be welcome.

Very confusing. I've never had to make a claim so cannot comment on E & L's customer service or claims. I was going to downgrade to AFI Gold Standard (still lifetime cover) a little while ago but decided to wait until renewal cos of admin fee.

Presumably the 35% excess on pets over 8 years old is part of the current E & L underwritten policy (but of course this will also be copied across to the new Red Sands policy if you decide to stay with AFI). My dogs only 4 at the moment so I don't have to worry about that just yet but still...

Decisions decisions...

madkitty

KeithyT wrote: »

Hmmm. I'm in the same situation here. I currently have AFI Gold (Super) Lifetime Cover (maximum beneift is automatically re-instated annually so claims are not limited to 12 months) underwritten by E & L.

Another 2 tit-for-tat letters have arrived today and this time E & L are re-iterating that AFI cannot cancel the E & L policy on my behalf. I have to inform E & L myself and now E & L are offering a 20% premium discount! I was about to ring them up and check that lifetime cover remaines etc but thought I would check on here first.

I'm tempted to kick them both into touch too but a 20% discount is tempting. My wife and I already donate to animal charities outside of pet insurance policies so the chance to save some money would be welcome.

Very confusing. I've never had to make a claim so cannot comment on E & L's customer service or claims. I was going to downgrade to AFI Gold Standard (still lifetime cover) a little while ago but decided to wait until renewal cos of admin fee.

Presumably the 35% excess on pets over 8 years old is part of the current E & L underwritten policy (but of course this will also be copied across to the new Red Sands policy if you decide to stay with AFI). My dogs only 4 at the moment so I don't have to worry about that just yet but still...

Decisions decisions...

Its driving me mad too and Im starting to worry now about the claim that went in today as I can see E&L kicking up over it as the policy with them ends on the 16th!

You need to remember that the 20% discount is only for a year and then upon anniversary you may see a jump of almost 30% to bring you back in line...if there have been any claims in that time then it makes it harder to change to another company.

Bromley86

KeithyT wrote: »

Presumably the 35% excess on pets over 8 years old is part of the current E & L underwritten policy (but of course this will also be copied across to the new Red Sands policy if you decide to stay with AFI).

In fairness to E&L, I believe that other policies that they underwrite do not have the 35% excess. No big surprise there as AFI is also very different on the premium side (one premium fits all).

Presumably that tends to attract animals from higher risk categories, hence the punitive excess .

madkitty

Bromley86 wrote: »

In fairness to E&L, I believe that other policies that they underwrite do not have the 35% excess. No big surprise there as AFI is also very different on the premium side (one premium fits all).

Presumably that tends to attract animals from higher risk categories, hence the punitive excess .

so if we moved across to E&L does anyone know what the excess would be?

KeithyT

madkitty wrote: »

so if we moved across to E&L does anyone know what the excess would be?

Dang! I just phoned them and forgot to ask! I'm due for renewal in September so i'm going to stick with E & L for now, get the 20% discount, and then shop around in September.

There's something about the AFI letters and this new underwriter that just doesn't sit right with me. Can't put my finger on it and I know E & L are probably just a faceless big company but that's my instinctive feeling...

ikr2

According to the first E&L letter they will "renew your policy on the same terms"

So to me that means same excesses etc.

It's all rather unedifying but I will be moving both our dogs to E&L and taking their 20% discount.

Next year I will make a note to SHOP AROUND as I always do this with the cars and house but for some reason never for pets since we got them 5 years ago.

madkitty

I know what you mean as Im really unsure about the underwriter change but Im stuffed having anorexia as a pre-existing condition I dont stand a chance changing with one of mine so I have to just ride it and see.