do you tell your vet your horse is not insured even if it is?

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thinlizzy

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do you tell your vet your horse is insured, ie if you have vet out for something and vet asks you and suggests further investigations if hes insured ?Do you think this makes some vets go the extra mile when not needed ? Not a personal here just talking about vets to different people a few tell vets they are not insured someone said the vet dragged vets attention for there horse for various issued for ten months and someone got on him (experianced )and he didnt have the problem they thought he had (back issue ) the vet was suggesting ks op , box rest etc horse was working/doing well after a few outings but took a lend of owner
just a general discussion not having a go at vets etc,, they do a good job cant know everything and the horses cant speak , just thoughts please
 
i think that if you can trust your vet, which really is necessary as one day he could have your horse's life in his hands, you shouldn't have to lie. If you feel the need to lie to your vet then maybe he/she isn't the right one for you.
 
I always ask the questions: What would you do if he were yours (or your child's)? and What would the difference in treament be between being insured and not insured.

I have also turned down treatment that my insurance company would have paid for on the grounds that it didn't benefit the horse in any way, the only way to get him better was to turn away for six months.
 
never lied about having or not having insurance, but i have refused to have my horse operated on because i didn't feel it would help him in an way (and i was right!)
 
Why would you lie about it? If you say the horse is not insured, the vet may suggest cheaper options that may take longer. If the horse is insured they will offer the best and quickest option to reach the bottom of the problem. If you are worried that your vet will take the mickey out of you then you should find a new vet.
 
I purchased a well bred young horse 15 years ago which needed an urgent hock arthroscopy to remove bone fragments. Took her to a very well known practice. Quote for procedure was £1200+ until I mentioned the horse was un-insured (as purchased with the injury). Price for the same procedure immediately dropped to £800, allowing us to proceed.

Since the vet normally has to complete and sign the insurance claim form, I'm not sure how people would benefit lying to their vet about being covered, though?
 
Nope, my vets are very good (one of the best in the country). They wont suggest things if not necessary and they will always go with the less stressful and simple option first before going down other lines of treatment.

My mare came in fracture lame in the summer and we found an infected vein that blew up 5 times normal size. Very rare, but the vet went down simple route first. He informed me of what would be required if simple didn't work, but we both agreed to do simple before scoping, xrays and all sorts of nonsense! As it happened simple worked. Phew!

If I want something doing they will do it. I have paid out of my pocket for my mares injuries this year, but if I need a big operation or lameness investigation, I would pay on insurance.

Agree with everyone else. If you can't trust your vet, get a new one!
 
Absolutley not, what if I told them that and suddenly my horse needed a load of expensive ongoing treatment. What would I say? 'as a matter of fact I lied to you because I didn't trust you, my horse is insured and always has been' That wouldn't make for good relations would it? I might also run the risk of the vet running a mile and not trusting my word, they may think how convenient that the horse is insured when it needs money spent and work done.

I would never jeapordise my horses or my relationship with my vets by lying, I trust the vets to do the right thing and suggest the correct courses of action, if I didn't my horse would not be in their care.
 
asterid said:
Nope, my vets are very good (one of the best in the country). They wont suggest things if not necessary and they will always go with the less stressful and simple option first before going down other lines of treatment.
Click to expand...

Wondering if we use the same vets as was going to say exactly this.
 
Everyone knows how expensive any treatment from a vet is and you do get a strange feeling when the first thing they say to you is "Are you insured"...however why lie. If you haven't got insurance then you must be in the position to pay no matter what the treatment is...lucky you.
I have insurance because I can't afford a sudden large vets bill. If your worried about having to lie to your vets to get treatment then just get insurance and put your mind at rest.
Quite rightly vets want paying for the work they do and knowing how expensive treatment is they want to know they are going to get their money regardless if it's from you or your insurance.
 
I wouldn't lie. I'd avoid saying yes or no and ask for some estimated costs for the best treatment available and also ask about alternatives. In my case, one of the treatments recommended was more time/stress expensive than cost and that's why I didn't do it even though it would have been paid for.

My vets didn't ask if I was insured until after they'd mentioned possible treatments.

The vets need to know if you're insured so they can plan treatment.

But as said above, you need to trust your vet.
 
My mare is insured and the insurance will not cover her treatment from different vet so having to find the money myself, vet going for cheapest option first before tildren again nothing to do with if insured or not would have done same treatment anyway.
 
I know from personal experience and that of close friends that one of our local vets really takes the p!ss with the bill if the horse is insured. they really rack the bill up
 
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