AXA pulling out of pet insurance

Kinski

And me, why the hell didn't they put their brains in gear before they opened their gobs ( or shoved stuff on their website ), don't they realise the anguish that they're putting people through :mad:

stormchaser2005

This is a statement Axa sent to dogs today.


"After a strategic review of our business lines, we have decided to no longer offer pet insurance through AXA Direct and swiftcover.com,!and focus on our core product lines of Home, Motor and Travel insurance. AXA will continue to provide cover for existing customers until!a new insurer is secured. At the time of the switch over, existing customers will have their policies transferred to the new insurer who will continue to provide them with the same or similar levels of pet insurance cover. Customers will be contacted with more details before their policies are transferred."


A new insurer is unlikely to cover existing conditions and if they do premiums would probably be hiked to cover their costs. I have 4 dogs with Axa, I've already pulled 3 before I have to claim and find myself up the creek with no paddle and a hole in my boat. The 4th is 12 1/2 with existing conditions, nobody will cover him so I have to wait it out and see what happens next.

Treevo

JudgeKitteh wrote: »

I'm in exactly the same position and will be moving to Animal Friends. My mother in law has been with them for years and has had no problems.

FuzzyWhuzzy wrote: »

Thought i'd join this discussion as I switched from AXA to Animal Friends Insurance last year as I wanted cover for my cat who is now almost 14 years old.

I'm glad I did now knowing that AXA have pulled out just as Lloyds and Halifax did last year. Seems all the big insurance providers are withdrawing from pet insurance. I guarantee that at renewal either they'll add loads of exclusions and/or add massive premium increases or suddenly withdraw completely from ongoing cover.

As i say i'm with Animal Friends because they are a specialist pet insurance provider, premiums are comprehensive, they can insure pets even when they're old and they support loads to animal charities. I took a lifetime policy which means my cat pre-existing conditions are covered each year...unfortunately he's started to develop Arthritis so this has helped massively in affording the treatment.

This is obvious spam.

stormchaser2005

When I took my old dog in to the specialist in February they did a direct claim to Axa. They had 2 insurance companies that they wouldn't direct claim from one I didn't recognize and don't remember the name and the other was animal friends. Never a good sign.

SophieBlueRoanLover

I just had my renewal notice through from Axa - went from £26.83 per month (1 year-old cocker spaniel in London) to £190.26 per month (that's £2,283 per year!!). I made 3 claims this year, with payouts amounting to £854, the last of which was for £360 a congential cataract that has just been diagnosed. Obviously I have declined the renewal, but now find myself with a young dog with a congenital cataract which will now be uncoverable.

Basically Axa has increased my premiums so much (that's 7 times as much as last year) so that I have to leave. Not quite sure what to do - absolutely shocked and disgusted, given that I paid more to get lifetime cover. I called Axa and they said that it wasn't a mistake and that was the best quote they could give. I asked if it had anything to do with Axa pulling out of the market but the clerk said nothing.

I will make a complaint to Axa, as well as report it Ombudsman, Sunday Times, etc...

Kinski

SophieBlueRoanLover wrote: »

I just had my renewal notice through from Axa - went from £26.83 per month (1 year-old cocker spaniel in London) to £190.26 per month (that's £2,283 per year!!). I made 3 claims this year, with payouts amounting to £854, the last of which was for £360 a congential cataract that has just been diagnosed. Obviously I have declined the renewal, but now find myself with a young dog with a congenital cataract which will now be uncoverable.

Basically Axa has increased my premiums so much (that's 7 times as much as last year) so that I have to leave. Not quite sure what to do - absolutely shocked and disgusted, given that I paid more to get lifetime cover. I called Axa and they said that it wasn't a mistake and that was the best quote they could give. I asked if it had anything to do with Axa pulling out of the market but the clerk said nothing.

I will make a complaint to Axa, as well as report it Ombudsman, Sunday Times, etc...

Bloody hell that's some increase there's a facebook page about insurance companies stopping pet insurance https://www.facebook.com/groups/houndoutHalifaxandlloyds/, also on there is some insurance expert that dogs today uses and he's offering a free 15 min consultation, don't know if it's worth taking up but no harm in looking at what he has to say. Can you keep us up to date with what happens please just in case it can help someone else in the future.

mtbbuxton

SophieBlueRoanLover wrote: »

I just had my renewal notice through from Axa - went from £26.83 per month (1 year-old cocker spaniel in London) to £190.26 per month (that's £2,283 per year!!). I made 3 claims this year, with payouts amounting to £854, the last of which was for £360 a congential cataract that has just been diagnosed. Obviously I have declined the renewal, but now find myself with a young dog with a congenital cataract which will now be uncoverable.

Basically Axa has increased my premiums so much (that's 7 times as much as last year) so that I have to leave. Not quite sure what to do - absolutely shocked and disgusted, given that I paid more to get lifetime cover. I called Axa and they said that it wasn't a mistake and that was the best quote they could give. I asked if it had anything to do with Axa pulling out of the market but the clerk said nothing.

I will make a complaint to Axa, as well as report it Ombudsman, Sunday Times, etc...

OMG :eek: I've claimed around £14,000 for my whippet in the past 2 years so heaven alone knows what my current £36 a month will rise to when my policy is up for renewal next month..
I feel sick with worry now

M x

SophieBlueRoanLover

mtbbuxton wrote: »

OMG :eek: I've claimed around £14,000 for my whippet in the past 2 years so heaven alone knows what my current £36 a month will rise to when my policy is up for renewal next month..
I feel sick with worry now

M x

I hope for your sake that you don't suffer the same fate. I haven't stopped thinking about it for the past 4 days since I found out! I cancelled my policy on the spot - don't want them to get one more penny (unless they renew at a reasonable rate), but I don't think this will be helpful for my case. The dog is going to be uninsured for his cataract, I'm sure of that :mad::mad:. I'm surprised I haven't heard of any other cases like mine yet - have looked on FB and other forums. Will keep you all updated.

krlyr

I've heard of 2 increases since the announcement : one a 100% increase, and one only £10 more on a £35 policy. Heard of a 300% increase just before the announcement though. Making it really tough to know what to do, hold off so I can keep claiming for Kiki's existing condition, or switch now so we don't end up with another pre-existing (bit she has had a sore leg - vet assumed a sprain - that I'm not sure a new place will cover fully now)

rising_from_the_ashes

I've just received the renewals for the cats (Maisie's doesn't renew until November) and TBH much better than I was hoping:

Mia has gone to £7.16 = +35%
Archie has gone to £10.38 = +43%

I guess it depends how you look at it - still affordable & only a few £s each BUT still an awful lot above inflation!

Maisie's may be a different matter ...........