Insurer insists I continue to pay premiums for a deceased dog!

LoftusRoad

Hoenir said:

LoftusRoad said:

Thanks for the replies. Had no idea that was the norm with insurance policies. Guess they always claw their money back one way or another.

They aren't clawing money back though. Spreading the payment over 12 months is the policyholders choice. Many people would struggle with upfront one off premium pyments . Hence why insurers provide a buy now pay later option. 

I didn't seek to spread the payment over 12 months. And even if I'd paid upfront, I would have still had to cough for the entire policy ie no refund on the unused part. I still think it's morally disgusting. It's not as if I've chosen to cease the policy or move to another provider. My dog died. I just think vets and insurance companies have stitched us all up. My insurance company wouldn't pay for a medicine because the vets had more than a 100% mark up on it. So once again, the consumer is forced to cough up for their greed.
I'm old enough to remember when there was no pet insurance and so vets fees were reasonable. Needs to be an investigation into how they're stitching consumers up.

tacpot12

Vet's fees aren't unreasonable. You only have to look to the USA for the cost of medical treatment and care for humans to see that vets in the UK are quite reasonable. 

Brie

Nothing to add to what the others have said other than I'm sorry about your dog dying.  Silly pets, they get into our lives so much and it's dreadful when we have to let them go.  

LoftusRoad

tacpot12 said:

Vet's fees aren't unreasonable. You only have to look to the USA for the cost of medical treatment and care for humans to see that vets in the UK are quite reasonable. 

Not unreasonable? Wow. Wish I had your vet.

LoftusRoad

Brie said:

Nothing to add to what the others have said other than I'm sorry about your dog dying.  Silly pets, they get into our lives so much and it's dreadful when we have to let them go.  

Thanks for that. It was his time. But yep, they don't half get to you

Slinky

I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm guessing this wasn't Petplan?  We sadly lost out cat a couple of weeks ago, they have just paid out for the last vet's bills, including euthanasia which I wasn't expecting would be covered (£15 excess). I've just checked my account to check to see if it whether the premiums will still be due, and there is a note on the account that the policy closed on the date of her death. I thought this would be the case from when we lost a previous cat.

If you decide to get another pet in future, I'd seriously recommend Petplan. She had a cancer removed last year at the cost of £9.5k, 80% of which was covered by the insurance, which still covered her for the same condition into the next policy year. The premium only increased by £6 a month. It was this which they have just paid out for again as it returned.

I hope the memory of happier times with your pet bring you comfort.

35har1old

MorningcoffeeIV said:

LoftusRoad said:

DullGreyGuy said:

LoftusRoad said:

Have other pet owners come across this?
We had to put our beloved old boy to sleep. Went to cancel the insurance policy and was told that because we'd already made a claim in the policy year (for something unrelated to the cause of his death) we have to continue paying his monthly insurance premiums until the end of the policy. In effect, paying £300 for 9 months to insure a dead dog! Apparently it's in the small print of my policy.
Is this standard and common procedure with pet insurers (who I loathe and despise with every ounce of my being, it has to be said). We'd never heard of such a thing but perhaps we're being naive. Can anyone tell me if this has happened to them?

Pet insurance is typically an annual policy, if you cannot afford to pay it up front they effectively give you a loan for the premiums which you then repay monthly. 

Just like if you got a loan to buy a paid of headphones and you left them on the bus you'd still have to continue making the loan repayments and can't tell the bank to stop the payments just because you lost what you bought with the money. 

On the plus side, they are allowing you continue paying monthly. Were it car insurance or such and your car had been a total loss they would settle the outstanding loan amount from the settlement effectively making you have to pay it off in one and leaving you light for buying your next car. 

Thanks for the reply. I usually pay for pet insurance upfront in a lump sum but due to some admin problem they were having at the time of renewal, they couldn't take my payment so made it a monthly premium (without the added interest). I asked the insurer if I had paid upfront, whether they would be refunding me the part of the unused policy and she said no it would make no difference. So whether you pay the whole lot upfront or every month, I still am required to pay the premiums for the whole year.
Which seems incredibly unfair to me. Pretty sure when I've cancelled car insurance before, I got refunded the bit I hadn't used.
So are you saying, this is common and standard practice for pet insurers?

LoftusRoad said:

DullGreyGuy said:

LoftusRoad said:

Have other pet owners come across this?
We had to put our beloved old boy to sleep. Went to cancel the insurance policy and was told that because we'd already made a claim in the policy year (for something unrelated to the cause of his death) we have to continue paying his monthly insurance premiums until the end of the policy. In effect, paying £300 for 9 months to insure a dead dog! Apparently it's in the small print of my policy.
Is this standard and common procedure with pet insurers (who I loathe and despise with every ounce of my being, it has to be said). We'd never heard of such a thing but perhaps we're being naive. Can anyone tell me if this has happened to them?

Pet insurance is typically an annual policy, if you cannot afford to pay it up front they effectively give you a loan for the premiums which you then repay monthly. 

Just like if you got a loan to buy a paid of headphones and you left them on the bus you'd still have to continue making the loan repayments and can't tell the bank to stop the payments just because you lost what you bought with the money. 

On the plus side, they are allowing you continue paying monthly. Were it car insurance or such and your car had been a total loss they would settle the outstanding loan amount from the settlement effectively making you have to pay it off in one and leaving you light for buying your next car. 

So are you saying, this is common and standard practice for pet insurers?

Not just pet. Home, motor, caravan, travel...

Yxxxxxxxxcxccc

LoftusRoad

Slinky said:

I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm guessing this wasn't Petplan?  We sadly lost out cat a couple of weeks ago, they have just paid out for the last vet's bills, including euthanasia which I wasn't expecting would be covered (£15 excess). I've just checked my account to check to see if it whether the premiums will still be due, and there is a note on the account that the policy closed on the date of her death. I thought this would be the case from when we lost a previous cat.

If you decide to get another pet in future, I'd seriously recommend Petplan. She had a cancer removed last year at the cost of £9.5k, 80% of which was covered by the insurance, which still covered her for the same condition into the next policy year. The premium only increased by £6 a month. It was this which they have just paid out for again as it returned.

I hope the memory of happier times with your pet bring you comfort.

Thanks for your kind message. And so sorry to hear that you had to put your cat to sleep. It's never easy but sometimes, the kindest thing you can do.
That does sound like a worthwhile policy. Ours wasn't with Petplan (it was with the ironically named, Perfect Pet Insurance). I've been told that there are some rare policies that will cover euthanasia, depending on the pet's age.
Anyway, thank you for the tip on Petplan - will definitely keep that in mind.

sheramber

You need to read the policy document carefully before you buy so you know exactly what you are paying and what you are covered for.

What excess do you have to pay?

Does it increase after a certain age.?

What is not covered?

Check whether it is an annual policy or a monthly policy that is reviewed annually.

It should all be in the policy document- not the policy summary.


Perfect Pets clearly states it is an annual policy.
When and how do I pay? This is an annual Policy; You can pay Your premium as a one off payment annually or in monthly instalments. 

Cover lasts for one year and the dates of cover are specified on Your Policy Schedule.

Ginger2025

I had a policy with Animal Friends and received a refund when my cat died. I paid for a year upfront and I had made a claim for treatment and for euthanasia within the first 3 months of the annual policy. I didn't ask for a refund but as they knew she had died they automatically refunded about 75% of the premium I'd paid. I was pleasantly surprised.