Advice requested on Pet Plan insurance please

Unity

I do apologise for the length of this question, unfortunately it comes down to being assured all the way along that the treatment prescribed by the vet would be covered by Pet Plan - but now finding that for some reason it isn't - despite the fact that there are no exclusions on the policy

We took our cat to Vets4Pets at the end of September as he had been over-grooming to the extent that he had bald patches on his stomach, back legs and in what would be his arm-pits were he human:o.

The vet suspected allergies and prescribed Royal Canin Sensitive cat food to start with. She said this treatment would be covered by his insurance and as we were with Pet Plan there wouldn't be a problem. He was also given anti-biotics by injection and a repeat appointment. When we took him back he was much the same, so the vet booked him in for a full day appointment to have tests done under general anaesthetic, including hair plucks, skin scrapings and I presume biopsies as he came back with stitches.

When the results came back, he was found to have multiple food allergies, and I mean multiple everything including chicken, beef, pork, lamb, tuna and even milk. The only thing he's not allergic to is venison so the vet prescribed Prescription Diet Venison and Green Pea and ordered in both tins and dried food. Once again she said that the insurance would cover it and just as well as it is expensive. At each visit we were asked to sign a claim form that Vets4Pets said they would complete.

We received a letter from Pet Plan for the first claim stating:

"We are sorry that we cannot help you with this claim because your claim is for something that is not covered by your policy"

I assumed this must be because the claim form had perhaps not stated that the food was part of the prescribed treatment so I contacted Vets4Pets and was told not to worry - and that the person who deals with the claims would also receive a copy of the letter from Pet Plan and she would sort it out. She telephoned me and asked me to contact Pet Plan, just to give authority for them to discuss the case (because of the Data Protection Act) and this was done immediately.

I've had a call this morning from Vets4Pets - unfortunately not from the person dealing with it, but one of her colleagues, who said that she had been in touch with Pet Plan and whilst they would cover the food supplied to disperse crystals in the cat's urine - they would not cover the cost of the additional food. This surprised me as the cat has not had a urine test, so I am now wondering if they have got his case mixed up with another pet :huh:.

I didn't think it worth questioning the person on the phone as she was just passing on a message and hoped to get some advice here and then e-mail the claims handler at Vets4Pets in time for Monday.

I should add that the cat is fully vaccinated and there is no prior illness or claim on this policy - or any other. He has been fit and well until this episode.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Waterfalls

it sounds like they wont pay for the food unless ur pet has a urinary prob. As she doesnt, u wont be able to claim for the food. (ive never known them to pay out for food.) you should still be able to claim or any other treatment that was/is needed (just minus the food)

Unity

Waterfalls wrote: »

it sounds like they wont pay for the food unless ur pet has a urinary prob. As she doesnt, u wont be able to claim for the food. (ive never known them to pay out for food.) you should still be able to claim or any other treatment that was/is needed (just minus the food)

Thank you for your reply. I was initially surprised when both the vets I saw, plus all of the office staff said it was normal and his special diet would be covered, because it was the sole cause of his problems and now I'm just as mystified as to why it suddenly isn't. It never looked like being a urinary problem and the cat didn't have a urine test, so I suspect there's been a mix-up in claims, between my cat and another one.

Waterfalls

i doubt there was a mix up. i think they were just giving an example of the food that was covered.

its not up to the vets to say what is covered or not as each policy is different. they shouldnt have told u it was.

spookylukey

Have you checked the T&C's? I looked online and I'm afraid it looks like they only cover urinary food hence mentioning it.

What we will not pay

8. The cost of any food (including food prescribed by a vet) unless it is:
*Used to dissolve existing bladder stones and crystals in urine, which is limited to a maximum of 40% of the cost of food for up to 6 months. The cost of this food is only covered for the first occurrence of bladder stones and crystals; we will not pay for the cost of this food if the bladder stones or crystals recur.
*Liquid food, used for up to 5 days while your pet is
hospitalised at a veterinary practice, providing the vet confirms the use of the liquid food is essential to keep your pet alive.

Edit to add:

If he needs to be on the diet long term and your isurance doesn't cover it then it's worth seeing if you can get it cheaper online. Contrary to the name prescription diets don't actually require a prescription.

I've used VetUK, petmeds, bestpetpharmacy and viovet in the past so can recommend them.

Unity

Waterfalls wrote: »

i doubt there was a mix up. i think they were just giving an example of the food that was covered.

its not up to the vets to say what is covered or not as each policy is different. they shouldnt have told u it was.

The reason I suspect a mix up is, when they phoned today, the person said that Pet Plan would only pay for the food to treat the urinary crystals that had been diagnosed and that they would get back to me when they had worked out the bill and taken off this amount.

I agree they shouldn't have told me it was covered and - if it had been any other situation I would no doubt have questioned it, but I was more concerned at getting my cat well again . What the heck, I'll know for next time and if it helps other pet owners as a cautionary tale, fair enough .

spookylukey wrote: »

Have you checked the T&C's? I looked online and I'm afraid it looks like they only cover urinary food hence mentioning it.

What we will not pay

8. The cost of any food (including food prescribed by a vet) unless it is:
*Used to dissolve existing bladder stones and crystals in urine, which is limited to a maximum of 40% of the cost of food for up to 6 months. The cost of this food is only covered for the first occurrence of bladder stones and crystals; we will not pay for the cost of this food if the bladder stones or crystals recur.
*Liquid food, used for up to 5 days while your pet is
hospitalised at a veterinary practice, providing the vet confirms the use of the liquid food is essential to keep your pet alive.

Edit to add:

If he needs to be on the diet long term and your isurance doesn't cover it then it's worth seeing if you can get it cheaper online. Contrary to the name prescription diets don't actually require a prescription.

I've used VetUK, petmeds, bestpetpharmacy and viovet in the past so can recommend them.

Thanks for this, I just came on to post that same paragraph, having found it in the updated T&C's booklet sent out.

I must admit being very MSE conscious :money: I did question both the vet and the reception staff at the outset (and when I re-ordered) as I was surprised at a special diet being covered, but they were quite adamant it would be fine. It's immaterial as he'd be getting the food either way with it being the only type he's not allergic to but I've no doubt it will be cheaper to buy it on-line and I'll certainly check the suppliers you mentioned to work out what will be the most cost effective. Cheers for the tips. :beer:

KVet

That's quite bad of them to say that your insurance will cover it! We never say that as so many policies even in the same company are so different. Only a few companies will pay out for all prescription food (no idea which ones, soz) so they or you should have looked into it first off. Bit cheeky of them!

Unity

KVet wrote: »

That's quite bad of them to say that your insurance will cover it! We never say that as so many policies even in the same company are so different. Only a few companies will pay out for all prescription food (no idea which ones, soz) so they or you should have looked into it first off. Bit cheeky of them!

I agree and if it had been car insurance or house insurance I would have checked automatically and I should have done so here as well - silly me :o:o. As it was I was just concerned that my cat should get proper treatment. Thankfully the insurance covers what it should, including the general anaesthetic and all the tests, plus after care appointments, by far the more expensive stuff. I've always bought good cat food like Science Plan (gluten free) so I hope I won't be tremendously out of pocket :think:.

I think/hope it is an honest mistake on their part, although given the choice, I would have just bought dried food as it is all my cat will eat - whereas they supplied 24 tins as well. I tried to get him to eat it and he did manage a little, but the rest has been hoovered up by his sister .

If nothing else this might serve as a cautionary tale to others - so not all is lost .

sazziecee

Sorry don't have any advice re PetPlan but just wanted to say that my cat who is no longer with us had the same problem, she would overgroom until she was bald and even bleeding, and then she would grow a yellow "plaque" like substance over it, which would then dry out and crack... not nice at all.

She went to the vets for it for 3 years, it only ever flared up in the summer and they thought it was some sort of allergy, either to fleas (which she never had at any vet visit..) or something in my house. She was given antibiotic injections, tablets and made to wear a buster collar til it had cleared up (which she would lick the inside of, thinking she was grooming), but she would always go back to doing it once the collar was removed.

Never once was a food allergy mentioned as a possibility and I feel sad that it could have been something that was easy to treat, instead of us always referring to her as "the fruit loop cat" as she was so loving, but seemed to have this compulsion to over-groom. We would have struggled to afford the special diet, but at least she would have been happy and not spent her final days in a buster collar being miserable

Hugs to your cat and hope the food helps
x

Unity

sazziecee wrote: »

Sorry don't have any advice re PetPlan but just wanted to say that my cat who is no longer with us had the same problem, she would overgroom until she was bald and even bleeding, and then she would grow a yellow "plaque" like substance over it, which would then dry out and crack... not nice at all.

She went to the vets for it for 3 years, it only ever flared up in the summer and they thought it was some sort of allergy, either to fleas (which she never had at any vet visit..) or something in my house. She was given antibiotic injections, tablets and made to wear a buster collar til it had cleared up (which she would lick the inside of, thinking she was grooming), but she would always go back to doing it once the collar was removed.

Never once was a food allergy mentioned as a possibility and I feel sad that it could have been something that was easy to treat, instead of us always referring to her as "the fruit loop cat" as she was so loving, but seemed to have this compulsion to over-groom. We would have struggled to afford the special diet, but at least she would have been happy and not spent her final days in a buster collar being miserable

Hugs to your cat and hope the food helps
x

I'm sorry to hear about your cat, that is so sad. They tested ours to see whether it might be something in the home that he was allergic to as well.

I must admit I wonder if half of my cat's problems might be down to something behavioural as there are a couple of worrying things that have occurred around the same time. He's eight year's old and has developed an aversion to the cat-flap . He will use it at a pinch to get out, but will never use it to get back in :huh:. It can be torrential rain outside, but he will just sit next to the cat-flap until we open the door. He's also taken to spraying up one of the curtains :eek:. He is neutered so I really don't know what is up with him. Apart from this he is still the affectionate, lovable creature he always was.