Eek - insurance help (petplan)

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Puddock

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Quick question (I only noticed this today and Petplan's offices are closed till tomorrow).

My horse has recently been ill with suspected bladder stones. After the first vet visit most test results came back clear etc. and the bill was only slightly more than my excess. I notified Petplan of what had happened, but said at the moment I didn't need to claim.

Since then, however, a second batch of tests have been run, and they indicate that he probably does have bladder stones. They are coming out to scan on Friday (this will obviously be a more expensive bill, especially given that treatment could involve surgery). Horse is fine in himself at the moment and in no pain, as the problem is only evident upon exercise. I notified Petplan that I would now need to claim. I haven't submitted the form yet, however, as I am waiting to see the vet on Friday for them to complete the rest of it!

This week, my renewal is due, so I received one new certificate of insurance, and then another. I assumed this was some sort of duplication error and have only just noticed the second has a new exclusion on it - it excludes any claims for urinary system problems from 01/04! I am rather worried - I haven't even started the claim yet as I am not sure what the outcome of the scan will be and the vet won't have their section completed till the afternoon of Friday 30th. So Petplan won't receive the form by the 1st. Can they avoid paying the claim if they don't receive the form by then? :confused:

Am stressed enough about horse potentially requiring surgery, without having to worry about the insurance too :(
 
I would think you would be ok as you are still in the same original 'incident' of bladder stones that is causing the excess to then be introduced for future events. Esp as you kept them fully informed.

But if you want to be sure, ring and check.
 
Yeah, will be ringing first thing tomorrow. Have tried to do the whole thing totally by the book, but I am now getting a bit paranoid. It's just the fact that this letter/new certificate was sent out after my first call (to inform them of illness, but saying I currently didn't need to claim) and before my second call, when I notified them that I DO in fact need to claim. And obviously, I haven't "officially" started the claim yet, because I haven't been able to get the form back to them.

I'm hoping that my latest call to say I would be claiming will count as the inception date of the claim, as opposed to when they get the form back, if you see what I mean?

Thanks so much for your help, though. Can you tell I've been lucky enough not to have to actually use my insurance before?
 
Thanks Lgd. That makes sense. I am just getting myself wound up in knots over everything at the moment. My boy will be 21 on Wednesday and I really don't want to put him through a general anaesthetic if I can possibly avoid it :(
 
you will definitely be ok. My renewal happened similarly with my mare - I had advised them of something but not yet claimed for it and that came back with an exclusion on. but when I phoned,the claim is open from 12 months from the date you first noticed it so you will be fine.
 
Be very careful - I bought a horse and later found out the reason why he was being sold was that he had had some expensive treatment that Petplan had apparently agreed to pay for over the phone then turned down when the bill was presented. The owner had to sell the horse to fund the vet bill. Get confirmation in writing!
 
Thanks very much Holly Hocks. About to just give them a call to double-check.

That's pretty frightening Magnetic Sparrow, I will definitely bear it in mind. Is it usual to get confirmation from the insurance company beforehand for something big like an op? I am a total insurance novice!
 
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