M&S Pet Insurance Zero Excess

Umski

Well I had my rant to M&S, the CSR didnt seem at all phased and tried to tell me that premiums have increased due to costs, age of pet, blah, blah, blah. What a load of bull, as above, even Petplan is cheaper which historically used to be the most expensive Anway, I asked not to renew and they made no effort to keep me as a customer so goodbye! New policy with AXA with same cover for £60 less

mrmikegill

minimike2 wrote: »

The change came about because they changed the underwriter. The new underwriter (RSA) would not agree to the £0 excess.

There is NO grounds for complaint as the insurance is an annual contract. Upon agreeing to renew, you agree to the new terms. End of.

I am with M&S still for both my Dogs. I have claimed three times across my two policies since the new £50 excess came in. Paid £150, but saved over £500. In the grand scheme of things, £50 is not a big excess considering it covers £7k of vets bills, where most compartively prices policies only cover about £2k. PLUS its still lifetime cover, whereas most comparatively prices polcies only offer annual or per condition.

But hey.....watch the masses flock away from M&S to E&L to save their £4 a month. You see what happens when you need to claim. Pet insurance is certainly one of the most applicable areas where "you get what you pay for".

Not so - M&S asked E&L to apply the zero excess at the start, but M&S then asked them to remove it again. This happened before they moved to Sun Alliance. That's what E&L told me anyway.

pboae

mrmikegill wrote: »

Not so - M&S asked E&L to apply the zero excess at the start, but M&S then asked them to remove it again. This happened before they moved to Sun Alliance. That's what E&L told me anyway.

Where do E&L fit into it?

M&S used to be underwritten by AXA. The first year they hiked the premiums they said it was because AXA changed the way they calculated premiums. Then they changed underwriters to Royal & Sun Alliance, they hiked the premiums, ditched half the cover and the no excess, and said it was because they had changed underwriters. Then they hiked the premiums again and said again that it was RSA changed the way they calculated premiums. They are just making it up as they go along.

Umski

pboae wrote: »

Where do E&L fit into it?

M&S used to be underwritten by AXA. The first year they hiked the premiums they said it was because AXA changed the way they calculated premiums. Then they changed underwriters to Royal & Sun Alliance, they hiked the premiums, ditched half the cover and the no excess, and said it was because they had changed underwriters. Then they hiked the premiums again and said again that it was RSA changed the way they calculated premiums. They are just making it up as they go along.

I agree - I re-read the policy I got when they changed, it made me :rolleyes: 'best for our customers' my backside

hethmar

Im in the same situation. I signed up two dogs to M and S when they brought out their policy with zero excess. I thought it was wonderful as I dont think Id ever claimed over many years as visits were always under the £50 excess for my pets.

I felt so guilty when they upped the premiums and added the excess as so many of my friends had swopped to them on my recommendation. I am now stuck with them for one dog as we had to claim on skin allergy testing and though he is now ok, that would be excluded by any other insurer and if it returned ................. My other dog had not been claimed for so I moved him over to Halifax.

It is very unfair though that so many of us signed up to a policy which has now changed completely from the deal first offered.

UKTigerlily

I too had my Cat on their £0 excess option, i'll have a look if I have any info still from it. I did actually claim for her Arthritis on it but have changed her now as I think the next year the excess was back & the premium almost doubled. tbh her Arthritis meds are only £100 a year so not too bad & if it develops elsewhere my new policy will cover it so long as it's not linked to her spine which is where she currently has it.

mrmikegill

Sorry, they used to be called AXA Equity and Law when I was with them, so I still think of them as E&L.
My point is, how can they offer a 'bonus' that you get several years later for agreeing to something now, at the same time that they state they can change terms when they want to. Aren't these contradictory? I'm still discussing this with the ombudsman. What I really want is someone to make M&S admit they have reneged on a long term agreement, implied or otherwise, legally or not, which has left a lot of customers in an invidious position!

iceburn

Personally I and my wife cancelled our policies with our animals whilst they were still doing zero excess. Not because did not like the policy, but due to ill health from my part when we had two armed robbery in the post office which even today is still causing us major problems. But how I feel they should of done (and how I throught they were doing until recently) if you had kept your policy current, then what you sign up to they would of kept it going. But "FOR NEW CUSTOMERS / NEW PETS" they would have to go on the new Conditions. Like my wife had a Cane Corso and recommend a lot of Cane Corso owners to it, now they are not covered, but supposely M&S said if you had a policy with them when they allowed it, when it come for renewal they would still insure it. So maybe for ppl who have had a huge increase, reduce in cover etc.. might be worth telling Ombudsman that it is changing and not really covering the animal for life. Cause that is the key thing and one thing they still advertise, the life cover of the animal, if they are reducing the cover, than they might now not cover something which was orginally covered, hence are breaking their "LIFE COVER OF THE ANIMAL."