Halifax pet insurance ending

HELEN75_2

Don't mind me asking but how long have you had your dog insured with the halifax, i had a heated discussion with them last week and eventually the girl admitted when i took the policy out i was sold a lifetime policy and that compensation was only being offered to people that had been with them for over a certain period, i have been with them since 2008 when my dog was 8 weeks old but not sure what the year is they are compensating people from i am still trying to find this 1 out.

Mabinogion

Hi
In the beginning when Jess was 8 weeks old we had a free year with Pet Plan so when that finished we went with Pinnacle Pet Insurance up until 2008 when we took out the Pet Xtra Policy with Halifax and we have been with them up until now.
We started claiming for Jess's eye condition in 2010 when she was really ill with Primary Closed Angle Glaucoma in both eyes and had to rush her to the Eye Clinic in Leominster straight from our Vets as he said the condition was so painful so we have to pay out for visits and medication all the time which is so expensive as you know and struggling with the fact that if the four lots of eye drops stop doing their job (keeping the pressure down) she will have to have both her eyes removed and god knows how much that will cost us so we are living on a knifes edge too.
I have done what you have said you have done and had a heated conversation with Halifax and BDML and was told more or less the same but she would not say what criteria has been set out.
It's not fair to pay out to some Policy Holders and not others. I haven't heard any more and don't know if it's any good phoning again.:(

HELEN75_2

Well i was told it depends how long you have had the policy and i know some people that took policies out in 2006/7 have been compensated so guess the cut off was at some point in 2007, when i spoke to the ombudsman last week that also said this isn't fair and have told me to put it into there hands now which i have done as i feel i have nothing to lose in letting them take up the case, they said they cannot guarantee anything but they will definitely look into it and hopefully get a fair outcome. They did say this can take up to 6 months but i am not getting anywhere with halifax and bdml so perhaps they will get somewhere now.

Mabinogion

Hi
Yes I agree with you and we will have to do the same now as I cannot get any satisfaction from H/fax or BDML so have written a letter and sent them copies of letters I have received from the two of them so will hope for the best. I just can't believe how they were allowed to get away with this I thought someone would have stepped in and helped us pet owners out it's not so bad for pet owners who haven't needed to claim as they can go elsewhere.
Have you joined another insurer yet? I am still looking to be honest with you as I keep going back and forth looking at the ones I have short listed and then I read a review and then back to square one as I have been put off with someone's bad review.
Oh well lets hope the Ombudsman will come up trumps:)

martin1959

I have been affected by the closure of the Lloyds scheme, which has a different underwriter. I am having difficulty actually speaking to anyone from Lloyds, as they keep putting me through, and sending my letters on, to the policy underwriters, UKI.

I have started a thread on the consumer action group forum - Lloyds Bank forum - to view post and replies.

Or search google for:

Lloyds TSB pulling out of pet insurance

This board will not allow me to post a direct link.

Personally, I am not going to bother with the Financial Ombudsman, as I do not believe they will uphold. My claim will be made in the small claim court. I will be citing BCOB, where it clearly states the bank 'must treat customers fairly'. I believe on this occasion, they have not. The FO does not pay a great deal of emphasis to BCOB.

Please continue to post here the results of any communications with either HBOS or Lloyds TSB, together with any phone numbers or address's that have yeilded positive results.

sooty&sweep

Hi
My 3 cats were insured with Halifax and I have a vague recollection of receiving a letter last year to say that they were stopping doing pet insurance.
I've just received renewal notices for each of them at £10.13 per month for each of them so £30.39 per month. These are 3 4 year old moggies with no ongoing health issues so needless to say I will be declining their kind offer and seeking insurance elsewhere.
I'm starting the trawl through all the different issurers weighing cost v policy offered. Where has everyone else shifted ? Any recommendations ?

Thanks

Jen

kerrysdogs

I have just suffered the same fate as many others, my dog, having been recently diagnosed with an ongoing eye condition, had her insurance with Halifax Pet Insurance eXtra. Halifax will not renew her policy and we are unable to get cover elsewhere which will include her present condition.

I would ask everyone who has received the same disgusting treatment from Halifax to contact "Watchdog" and "Rip Off Britain" and request they take up the challenge on their behalf.

Halifax is a huge company and can easily ignore individuals but there really is strength in numbers. If sufficient individuals join forces and giving the media the information they need to pursue the just causes those same huge companies will sit up and start to take notice, they hate bad publicity and will try to avoid it at all cost.

As individuals we can pressure Halifax by simply withdrawing from their services. If sufficient customers took their business elsewhere they may soon get the message. For myself, I am cancelling all accounts with Halifax and moving to Santander (as a bonus Santander are paying everyone who moves their current account to them so it is well worth the effort). Dont forget to tell Halifax exactly why you are closing your accounts!!!

selbylass

Hi Everyone,
I'm in the same position as you all are. I've had Billy's Insurance with Halifax since Feb 2006 and I didn't even warrent a letter from Halifax; I had to wait to hear from BDML last week. PLEASE go to 'theconsumeractiongroup'. I started a thread 'Halifax withdrawing from pet Insurance. I have a complicated pet'. One of the site moderators called 'Bankfodder' is so helpful and has asked me to direct anyone with the same problem to the thread; they can help. If we all work together we might actually get the Halifax to take notice and treat us more fairly. They are breaking the Banking Terms and COBS by doing what they are doing and they are trying to 'buy people off' with so called good-will payments. They want us to disappear quietly so we don't draw attention because the more attention the more likely other customers will come forward and it'll cost them. Well I am going to do whatever I can to go public because the more of us there are willing to make a noise - the more likely they'll take notice and be forced to treat us fairly. So please, can we all try to work together?

P.S If you can't find the thread try looking under my user name. Selbylass.

Thank you.

Grandma_Lorraine

I must be really out of touch, but it was only a week ago that I heard that the Halifax was withdrawing from the pet insurance market. I have had my five year old Cavalier insured with them since he was 12 weeks old. In 2010 he had a bad throat and after having his tonsils removed (everyone says that they have never heard of dogs having tonsils!) he was eventually diagnosed with a condition involving tonsilitis/pharyngitis which has needed very regular veterinary attention ever since and will continue for his lifetime. The treatment involved antibiotics initially and has graduated on to steroids. He has to have his throat examined under GA and swobs taken every six months. Halifax has always given me considerate and speedy settlement of numerous and substantial claims. I was absolutely flabbergasted when I received their letter last week informing me that they were withdrawing pet insurance from my renewal date in March. I realised that this was going to make life very difficult as no other company would be willing to insure this ongoing condition. I rang the company and was assisted by a very willing young lady who offered compensation. My plan of action is to place the compensation in a separate account and also pay into it each month the premiums which I would have been paying had the company continued cover. I can only hope this will cover future expenditure.

HELEN75_2

When did you actually take your policy out with them, my westie has been insured since 8 weeks old back in 2008 and he has ongoing skin problems that will need lifetime veterinary assistance as when his skin flares up he needs antibiotics and ear treatment as his inner ears swell, they haven't offered me anything in compensation after many phonecalls, and when i last spoke and asked why some were being offered compensation and others not they said it depended when your policy started and there is a cutoff year for when compensation stops, but i cannot seem to work out when this year is.