Insurance - I obviously misunderstood!!

Dollardog

As I understood it, when you made a claim on pet insurance, you paid whatever excess was due for that condition, then that was it for that condition, you only had to pay another excess if you claimed for a new condition.

Apparently, I am wrong and it is per condition per year.

On the back of the insurance schedule, it says words to the effect if your pet is under a certain age you pay so much per condition. It doesn't say per condition per year.
I suppose their argument is that it is a new renewal so classed in the terms of a new claim for that year.
Its annoying though that in previous conversations with the insurance company, they have always said per condition too and never mentioned that it has to be paid again when you renew and have to make a claim for the same condition.

I remember distinctly having a conversation when I renewed last October and my dog's insurance had rocketed to £130 per month from around £69 per month, (because he had moved into a higher age bracket), and they put the excess up from £75 to £125 or 15%. They said it was for new conditions, they never said that the previous conditions would have to have their excess paid again at the higher rate.
I am actually thinking of challenging, writing a complaint and asking them to listen back to the recording of the call, but I bet they will say they can't find it, because I clearly remember asking about it and them saying it wouldn't have to be paid on the existing conditions.

I had an argument yesterday with someone in the claims department when he was trying to tell me I had to pay £125 each excess for the two conditions I needed a claim form for, mind you, he was also telling me I had to pay £125 each plus 15% for each treatment.
I've just looked it up on the policy schedule, to make sure it wasn't plus 15% each time. Then I rang them because I still was not sure about this per condition per year thing. The woman confirmed it is that although not the plus 15% the fella yesterday was trying to make out. I'd hung up on him eventually, because he was droning on and on reading off his script about their policy of doing this and that, I said could he just do as I asked and put a claim form in the post as I was not in the mood for listening to him going on and on.

Now I feel totally ripped off, I've had to be paying £130 a month, which to be honest, I couldn't afford, since October. The vets rang the other day to say that they needed a couple of claim forms as my bill was standing at around £400 something. Some of that bill I know is mine to pay as it is things I couldn't claim for, ie, treatment for an infection being under the excess anyway. Now being told I've got to pay the two excesses - £250 - as well, means that I'm probably going to end up having to pay the whole lot. I really wasn't expecting that, I thought most of it would be paid by the insurance.

I'm gutted!!

chris_n_tj

Dollar which company? Also if you have a good Vet maybe he/she can sort the form out for you.
TJ had other conditions as well as his Cushings, but they all stemmed from the Cushings if you see what I mean. But our Vet put them all together as one. We only ever paid one excess per year and he was on a hell of a lot of drugs.
Petplan were great, they even refunded me a couple of the monthy premiums which they said we had overpaid after our beautiful lad had gone.

In fact I never once filled a claims form in myself, the Vet always did it, and PP paid direct to the Vet.

Just been delving and come across this, its worht a look

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/106/106-pet-insurance.html


http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/pet-insurance.htm
If it was me I would be taking this further, x

Dollardog

It was Sainsbury's - would never insure with them again, one person tells you one thing, another totally different.
They couldn't be put together, one was for his heart tablets, the other was when he was taken because he was drinking a lot, when they did tests, they found he had thyroid, so the drinking and the thyroid problems were put together, but not with the heart.
My vet is very good and has not even put down some of the consultations. She does fill them in for me, I just have to sign them for the vets to claim direct.

rising_from_the_ashes

Smudge had kidney problems from around age 2 until aged 11 so an ongoing condition for many years - I had to pay the excess once per every policy year

Unfortunately pretty standard with most insurance policies

If you've been told differently over the phone, then I'd make a complaint - unfortunately the problem is proving it (and I'm actually a bit worried about my new insurance as I've had something confirmed verbally but not in writing ....) - every time I've asked for the so called recorded conversation, it's mysteriously lost!

Good luck & hope you manage to get it sorted

hethmar

Same with all insurers - the terms and conditions will be per insured period - ie. a year

gettingready

Yup, per condition per insurance year - standard.

Dollardog

But I do remember specifically asking when I renewed the insurance last October if it was only to be paid on new claims and not on the existing ones. The call taker said, only on any new claims.

gettingready

If your insurance runs say May to May. You claim for say skin condition in April. Then you claim for a skin condition in June. They are both new claims as they happen within separate insurance periods.