Anyone else having trouble with Petguard?

notisis

Curious as we had 2 cats insured via them on "lifetime" policy on automatic renewal as per renewal notices. One has renewed automatically but the other policy (where we have claimed in the past) has not. And we didn't notice no further premiums were being collected until some months after. Petguard despite initially saying it was their fault will not now reinstate the policy having been refused by their underwriter. They will also not issue a new policy because they say they don't have any underwriters and are not accepting new business.

Oddly a quick google shows this is not an isolated case although people appear to have been told their policy won't renew. Anyone else had the same thing? Am wondering how widespread it is. I'm now not going to be able to get insurance for one cat to cover anything that could be attributed to previous investigations.

Bunny

Hi, my 2 cats are insured with pet guard, however, they aren't due for renewal until the end of July. So far no problems with them and last year managed to get the policy renewed a few weeks late!
Thanks for the heads up though, at least if there are problems, it won't be such a shock.

just found this
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?300467-petguard-insurance-problem

notisis

Thanks Bunny. Think I will do the same as those in the link you gave and complain to Petguard first and then go the Ombudsman. Will have to find another insurer but whether it will even be worth it I don't know as the investigations we had culminated in a probable allergy type thing but no real diagnosis. That pretty much gives any other insurer carte blanche to refuse any future claim for anything whatsoever. Might ring around a few like Axa and see what they will exclude/include otherwise it'll be money down the drain!!

lifewaiting

I have just spoken to Petguard as I have a few policies with them. They informed me that they have not had an underwriter since March and are writing to customers as their renewal dates come near to advise that cover is being withdrawn. They are apparently still trying to find a new underwriter and hope that they will be able to find one but have no idea of the terms and conditions they would impose.

I am not happy that I am paying extra for lifetime cover which they are not now able to provide. I will struggle to find a new insurer for my older pets and those with pre-existing conditions.
The lady I spoke to was sympathetic but could only suggest that I follow the complaint process and then go to the ombudsman if I still wasn't happy.

My other issue is that they are continuing to accept monthly premiums from customers for more expensive lifetime cover, when they are currently not able to provide it. Not sure if this is legal or not ??
My newest policy was only taken out in Feb 2011 and if I wasnt already aware of the lack of underwriters, Petguard had only intended to tell me about the problem next January after I had paid for 12 months of life time cover.

melbury

I have been reading and posting about this on the Consumer Action Group thread, as my dog has an ongoing condition and, from everything I have read, will not have any insurance cover from the end of next month.

From reading the posts on here it sounds as if Petguard will be ceasing to offer any pet insurance in future. I feel quite bad because I have recommended them to many other people, as in the past they have always been very good.

I just cannot understand why they seem to have buried their heads in the sand by removing their website for the past few months. Why didn't they extend people the courtesy of writing to them and explaining what is going on rather than just waiting until the renewal is due and then break the news that they won't insure them anymore.

It is terrible news; nobody will insure my dog for his condition, whereas I thought I had peace of mind knowing that he was covered.

Why don't Thistle Insurance who seem to own Petguard underwrite the policies?

tilbarn

Firstly I would just like to offer my sympathies to everyone who is having a bad time with Petguard. I insured my dog Rosie, on a Lifetime policy with Petguard from February 2011 when she was 3 months old. I only discovered the problems Petguard were having when I was searching the internet yesterday for new insurance quotes for my new puppy and came across this forum. So I rang Petguard today and they confirmed that they have now got themselves a new underwriter but because of different underwriting rules Petguard are not renewing existing policies, nor are their policyholders being contacted to advise them of this until their renewal date. In my case, that would have been next Feb 2012, by which time my dog could have developed a health issue which would be then be classed by any new insurer as a pre-existing condition and therefore not covered. For me that would be a horrendous prospect as I have another dog with Lymphoma cancer in which his insurance company (Animal Friends - don't touch them with a bargepole) are refusing to pay out. So I have bitter experience of what it's like to pay for 'peace of mind' when really it's not.

But at least I hope I have got away from Petguard early enough in Rosie's life not to have any pre-existing conditions to worry about. How they can morally do this to people I just don't know, so I hope that everyone who has gone to the Ombudsman wins.

I asked the Petguard girl on the phone if she was encountering many complaints about this and she sighed a big 'yes'. I don't envy anyone who works for Petguard at the moment. By the way, I found John Lewis insurance offering £10000 pa cover renewable each year, underwritten by Axa, and they seem to have good reviews...