Help Animal Friends pet insurance declined claim

betsie

Can any one advise me on what to do next.

My miniature schnauzer is 5. I have never claimed on pet insurance.
Few weeks ago went to vets with a sore ear, got drops and also had his annual booster. The next day he had terrible diarrehea, not sure if it was the booster or something he ate. Got more meds. Next day still very ill, crying in agony, I thought I was going to loose him ( I had buried my dad the previous week so the thought of loosing my dog as well was too much)
Back to vets, did pancreatitis test which was clear, did x ray, abdominal area very swollen and shadow he wasn't sure about so vet said he would open him up to see what was going on.
Poor thing had a litre of diarrhea stuck inside him, no blockage but intestines had stopped contracting as they were so inflamed.
Vet did claim forms for me, total was £950.
Got letter from Animal a Friends today saying claim has been declined as he has had diarrehea and sickness before so they are a pre existing condition!!! Yes he has had diarrehea and sickness before, once in 2013 from eating daffodil leaves ( he grew out of this luckily) and in 2014 from a bug.
I phoned the vet and they said, as I assumed that they are not a condition but a symptom of a significant number of different conditions. The vet said they would contact the insurers but couldn't promise anything.
Has anybody had a similar problem and is their anything else I can do to get them to pay my claim?

krlyr

You could try the insurance ombudsman as a third party to get involved. Unfortunately it's not the first time I've heard of insurers (not just Animal Friends) doing this

sheramber

I assume the previous episode was before you took out insurance.

Insurance companies do tend to make blanket exclusions from a simple episode.

You can go through the complaints procedure. There should be details in your policy document.

Once theys end you a final letter saing they cannot help you any more you can refer the case to the ombudsman.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

gettingready

he has had diarrehea and sickness before, once in 2013 from eating daffodil leaves ( he grew out of this luckily) and in 2014 from a bug

.

Was that before you took the policy with Animal Friends or was he already insured with them when those happened?

dionne_clark

I am not surprised by this unfortunately, but agree with others to take further, sickness and diaorrhea are not a pre-existing condition, it's not even a condition, dogs can get it from just picking something up in garden but you wouldn't even take them to vets most of time?

meritaten

If you have had a letter denying your claim then you can take it to the insurance ombudsman. its bad enough having a sick pet without worrying about the vets bill, especially when you pay for insurance.

pinkteapot

Although insurers exclude pre-existing conditions, surely they can't define "diarrhea" as a condition! It would never be considered a 'condition' by providers of human medical insurance, travel insurance, etc. As your vet said, it's a symptom.

Please keep us posted on here and let us know how your complaint goes.

Our kitty has been to the vet recently with a fever and diarrhea. They did tests but didn't find a specific cause. They think he picked up a bug outside and gave him antibiotics which resolved it. I have been wondering whether we'll have to keep insuring with More Than at renewal - whether anyone else would then refuse to cover any future incidences of fever/upset tum. I assumed not as they're vague symptoms that go with so many illnesses, but you've got me wondering again.

Good luck, and I really do hope they pay out.

gettingready

If something happened while the pet was already insured with Animal Friends this should not be classed as pre-existing for the following insurance year if the pet continues to be insured with the same company.

It would only be pre-existing if owner changed the insurance company but not if they stayed with the same insurer.

That is why I asked if the issues happened when the pet was already insured with AF?

bebewoo

Animal friends are well known for trying every trick to avoid paying out.

BJV

Think it is very naughty. If they declined the claim based on the fact that for example he had a specific skin condition and that same skin condition came back then ok. It was something that you had had treatment for before ok that is pre existing.


I had a dog and two cats and have looked into pet insurance before but have always thought it was cheaper just to put a little away in case.


As other posts have said write to them. I understand that they have to have rules but what next your dog crying in pain is something that has happened before so what will they do if something else happens. Decline payment for an operation because he had been in pain before.????


No sorry not good enough. Writer to them and then if needs be the FCA.


PS sorry to hear about your dad, can not be easy and I hope it is a long time before I find out just how horrible it can be.

pinkteapot

gettingready wrote: »

If something happened while the pet was already insured with Animal Friends this should not be classed as pre-existing for the following insurance year if the pet continues to be insured with the same company.

Not necessarily - it depends if the cover is lifetime or non-lifetime. Non-lifetime cover is cheaper but may have time limits in which case conditions do become pre-existing in subsequent years, even though you stay with the same insurer.

Lifetime policies are just that - although taken out annually and paid for annually, conditions don't become pre-existing as the pet is covered for life (well, for as many years as you pay).

If OP was insured with Animal Friends at the time and has a lifetime policy then they've most definitely made a mistake and should pay.

If they weren't insured with Animal Friends then, or have a non-lifetime policy, the issue is whether diarrhea is a "condition". Even if Animal Friends claim it is, surely a complaint would stand up.