Pet Health Plan benefits the Insurance Company

Cariboudle

Hi All,

I did my research and budget and figured that the pet health plan offered by my vet was a good idea and went for it. 

My vet's service has been excellent since I registered with them a while back now.  I pay around £30 per month for the health plan and get routing vaccinations and certain routine medications (flea and worm treatments) free.  I don't I pay routine consultation fees and any consultation or treatment that is not routine is discounted (in some cases up to 20%).  So for my older dog this means a good saving annually, since he is seeing the vet more often as he gets older.

Recently my dog had to undergo treatment and will now be on Librella injections possibly for the rest of his life.  This is covered by my pet insurance.

However, due to my pet health plan the treatments he received were discounted - over the last three months this discount has amounted to ~£40 (so would potentially be £160 per year).  I pay around £30 per month for the pet health plan at the vet which is what entitles me to the discount - essentially I've 'pre-paid' an amount towards some treatments.

When the claim was submitted to my insurance company, they paid out without query but of course they paid the straight cost that I had paid - thereby benefiting from a discount that I have technically paid for through the pet health plan.  I.e. they paid circa £40 less than I feel they should have, since the discount was due to my health plan that I already paid for.

I have spoken to my insurance and they say they can only reimburse the cost of a treatment.  My argument is that I paid the full cost - partially through the pet health plan and partially on the day - and so should be paid out for the full cost.  Essentially, my insurance company has benefitted from this, rather than me.

I wondered what you moneysavers think of this?

I understand it was my decision to join the health plan at the vet.  But I also feel I've now been done in of around £40 and will continue in this vein going forward to the tune of £160 annually.  I'm not likely to make any changes now, but would appreciate your thoughts. 

Ready set go!

DullGreyGuy

If you paid £40 then your insurer should pay you £40. It doesn't matter if thats full price, Black Friday sale price, you've had an illicit relationship with the vet and are blackmailing them price or because your a member of the vets scheme. 

Your insurers will be there to indemnify you so only have to pay the amount you paid, so yes in part they benefit from your health plan just as they'd have detriment were your pet to get injured whilst on a trip to London and you had to pay London prices for a vet rather than your local prices. They follow your fortunes. 

sheramber

Overall , is the Health CLub to your benefit? If it is,  then you have gained.

Who do you think should get the discounted amount if the insurance covered it?

You?  You haven't paid it.

Your  vet?  He hasn't charged it.

Your policy is to cover your vet costs, not your voluntary monthly payments.

_Dolly_Rocker_

It's your decision to pay the pet health club and like you say it does benefit you and your dog. 

Throwaway1

If you believe you’d be better off not in the health plan then cancel it. If you think it’s still worth it overall and you’re still benefiting from it, don’t worry about it. There’s no way the insurance company is ever going to pay you back more than the amount charged. You decided it was a good deal overall and that hasn’t changed, you knew you were on the hook for around £30 a month and that’s still the case. Whether the treatment is £50 or £5000, you pay £30 plus insurance costs.