At what price do you claim?

[Cheshire Chestnut]

At what price of your vets bill do you then claim on your insurance?

I've never claimed on mine but my boy has had a horrid cough for a few weeks that hasn't gone and the vet came yesterday. He said that it could either be that he has a deep lung infection or it could be allergy related, but as he's never suffered with allergies before and this would be an extreme reaction, he's going to have a scope today and a sample taken from his lung. Then there's the treatment on top of that whatever that may be.

I've always been inclined to just pay the vets bill myself unless it was a substantial amount, however a friend said that because your insurance cross reference with your vet for your insurance renewal, you might as well claim as they can penalise you anyway even if you haven't claimed. Has anyone found that?

My excess is £125 so would you be inclined to claim for this? I have a feeling the bill will be about £400 (at the least) with 2 x visits, scope, samples tested and treatment.

 

[ester]

Anything over the excess there is no reason not to as you have to declare illness anyway.

 

[lamlyn2012]

I would doubt that insurance companies cross ref with vet before renewal per se, but when you do make a claim the vet will have to advise on the prognosis. Whenever you make a claim the insurance co will ask for a full clinical history from the vet so they will at some point have a record of all treatment provided by your vet. As the amount is over the excess you may as well submit a claim.

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Thanks, I wonder how a claim like this will affect my renewal price? :-/

 

[lamlyn2012]

Ahh, yes!!! Also exclusions next time. And they don't itemise the exclusions like they used to, they just refer to pre existing conditions which I think is a bit open ended. I think you can't win with horse insurance, but then we decided not to ensure one of ours who then went down with colic. I think it's a bit of a necessary evil.!

 

[ester]

If you haven't declared treatment in that year at renewal that you paid for they can say other things were excluded. Not sure on renewal price.

 

[milliepops]

Based on my own experiences I wouldn't affect renewal price to change that much, but would expect respiratory issues to be excluded.

I also claim as soon as it goes over my excess.

 

[traditionalcobgirl]

My boy had what I thought was a light cough, £1000 later he has now gotten over that, HOWEVER he was then sent to Leahurst with Lawsonia which topped out at £5000. Vet told me to claim because if he gets a cough again they will ask the vet if hes had it before and they will obviously be truthful, so I wouldnt be able to claim anyway! Obviously with the cough getting to such a large bill I had to claim and the Lawsonia incident was a no brainer. I dread to see my renewal and exclusions!!

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

My boy had what I thought was a light cough, £1000 later he has now gotten over that, HOWEVER he was then sent to Leahurst with Lawsonia which topped out at £5000. Vet told me to claim because if he gets a cough again they will ask the vet if hes had it before and they will obviously be truthful, so I wouldnt be able to claim anyway! Obviously with the cough getting to such a large bill I had to claim and the Lawsonia incident was a no brainer. I dread to see my renewal and exclusions!!

Gosh! I hope he's ok. Was that classed as one incident then? Was it within 12 months of the first one £1000 bill?

 

[traditionalcobgirl]

Gosh! I hope he's ok. Was that classed as one incident then? Was it within 12 months of the first one £1000 bill?

Hes ok now, still having monthly blood tests to keep an eye on him. Luckily it was classed as two as my limit is £5k per condition. He had the cough/cold in March and was admitted to Leahurst on the April easter bank holiday weekend.

Luckily they were unrelated and sheer bad luck!

 

[dibbin]

Anything over the excess. You have to notify them anyway or you'll void your policy, might as well get them to pay out first!

 

[webble]

Agreed my experience was this. Price stayed the same but nearly the whole horse was excluded. Including her ovaries which had been removed!!!

Based on my own experiences I wouldn't affect renewal price to change that much, but would expect respiratory issues to be excluded.

I also claim as soon as it goes over my excess.

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Agreed my experience was this. Price stayed the same but nearly the whole horse was excluded. Including her ovaries which had been removed!!!

Sorry that made me laugh - that's an example of exclusions gone mad!

Think I'm definitely going to claim, judging by what just came out of his lung in a scope - did not look nice at all. Poor boy At least it means we can get to the bottom of his coughing now without having to keep second guessing what it is.

 

[webble]

Made me laugh too. Good luck with your boy

Sorry that made me laugh - that's an example of exclusions gone mad!

Think I'm definitely going to claim, judging by what just came out of his lung in a scope - did not look nice at all. Poor boy At least it means we can get to the bottom of his coughing now without having to keep second guessing what it is.

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Thank you, hopefully it's just an infection and can be treated with antibiotics. Fingers crossed that's all it is

 

[Spreebok]

Do forgive me for piggybacking on this thread, but seeing as we're talking about it, do I have to declare to my insurers that I've had the pony treated for feathermites? I don't think it went over my excess, it only came to £100ish so paid it all myself, and in my head it's kind of the same as treating for fleas or worming, just getting rid of some parasites?

 

[twiggy2]

all insurance companies I deal with now ask for a full vet history for all small animals and I am told it is the same for equines too, so there is no benefit to not claiming regardless of how small the amount. the other thing is if you do not declare it when you renew it could invalidate the whole of your insurance policy as you have not declared it.

 

[twiggy2]

Do forgive me for piggybacking on this thread, but seeing as we're talking about it, do I have to declare to my insurers that I've had the pony treated for feathermites? I don't think it went over my excess, it only came to £100ish so paid it all myself, and in my head it's kind of the same as treating for fleas or worming, just getting rid of some parasites?

yes you do