Insurance Claim - Is this Normal Procedure?

measles

measles

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We're insured with NFU for loss of use on one of ours who had a bang to her fetlock and was diagnosed with very slight swelling around the branch of the suspensory. NFU have received the completed claim form from me and from my vet but have written to ask for a print out from my vet of all "routine and non-routine" treatment since I bought her.

Is this normal - do other insurance companies do this? I guess NFU are trying to find a way out of paying (they won't - she's not injured it before) but will they want to exclude other things like her wind from the slight pollen allergy she had for the first time this year?

I'm raging - what do we pay insurance for if they are so slippery??
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When I claimed with NFU earlier this year they asked for this, it was also in the claim form that it was to be sent?? I had to get them from her old vets as well as moved to another last year, and the notes included details of a previous claim. They still paid, it's just procedure I'm sure.
This wasn't LOU however as don't have that, just vets fees.
 
Hi,

They wanted that for merlins claim as well. If you read the small print on this years renewal, they are now excluding all previous problems whether you claim for them or not!!! Anything that the vet discloses had occured before the start of the policy will not be covered.

If however your horse has not had trouble with the fetlock previously, then you will not be excluded.

Its to save them listing exclusions seperately apparently!!!
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That seems a bit unfair, if your horse had a 'minor' problem that you have never claimed for why the hell should they exclude it? makes insurance very limited
 
Don't be raging, they are a business just like anyone else and they will pay out provided you have complied with the policy. NFU are a good straight forward company, they don't try and wriggle out of things! What they are asking for is normal.
 
I agree, but I think that it has always been the case that if the horse was suffering from a pre-existing condition before the insurance was taken out that they would not cover it...... they have now changed that to the current years policy.. or at least that is how I read it!!!
 
Thanks everyone. Didn't see any reference to providing this info on the claim form - must have missed it somehow. She didn't have any problems before we got her and insured her and has no exclusions at present. She is insured for LOU and with the huge premiums for that in mind I'm keen not have have any exclusions for things that are not issues.

Call me pessimistic, but am I right in thinking there will be a long drawn out process of negotiation to ensure her wind isn't exluded due to that allergy/virus that couldn't be traced to anything?
 
ALL insurance companies request this kind of info. It is not that they are shirking their obligations, they just need to check that someone is not taking the P. People buy horses with pre-existing conditions and then insure for loss of use... a few months later they claim. Then the insurance will not pay out because the horse had the problem before the policy started.

It is GOOD that they check these things. Customers premiums are what pay for the payouts so it is nice to know that they don't just pay out casualy.
 
It is normal procedure and they have always excluded pre existing conditions which you disclose on proposal or claim form they just recently changed the wording to the general exclusion to save them having to list each and every exlcusion to each seperate animal which was time wasting and also annoying for the cutomer who received lots and lots of paperwork, especially for those that have lots of horses. The general exclusion does not apply to things they would not have excluded before, If she has not had a pre-existing conditon then it doesnt matter anyway. All insurance companies act in the same way to protect themselves from paying for illness/diesease that the owner knew about. In the same way if you took out health insurance and you previously had heart problems, they would be unlikely to cover you for heart conditions or you would need to pay a hefty premium. Hope this helps.
 
[ QUOTE ]
ALL insurance companies request this kind of info. It is not that they are shirking their obligations, they just need to check that someone is not taking the P. People buy horses with pre-existing conditions and then insure for loss of use... a few months later they claim. Then the insurance will not pay out because the horse had the problem before the policy started.

It is GOOD that they check these things. Customers premiums are what pay for the payouts so it is nice to know that they don't just pay out casualy.

[/ QUOTE ]


Perfectly understandable really I guess.
 
Quite possibly, but if it was minor and didn't lead to a claim you should be fine. Even if they do exclude they will lift it the following year provided no repeat.
 
Thanks. Moomin6 - have longstanding business with local agent but he doesn't know one end of a horse policy from the other and neither do the office staff, pleasant as they are.

Ben-and-Jerry's - I've never heard of an exclusion being lifted - I thought one they were there it was permanent?

All of this would put some people off treating their horse when it needed vet care, possibly? I mean, if their insurance company was going to add an exclusion for everything that was looked at, even if no problem was found. I'm thinking of the times when we worry something is abnormal and it turns out to be over-reaction on our part or unexplained..
 
Can anyone answer me this then?
My insurance has been in place since March.
My horse had a bout of simple gassy spasmodic colic about a month ago, I called the vet out but it cleared up on its own within 30min. I didn't claim on my insurance because the fee's didn't even come over the excess.
This last week my horse has been in hospital with a right dorsal distention and impaction colic which my local vet said wouldn't be related to the previous different type of colic. Do you think they will class it as a previous condition, do you think they will pay out?
Thanks
 
I have been with NFU for years and they have been excellent in settling claims. I have never had this when I've claimed, but I haven't needed to claim this year.

Do they exclude anything that might be associated with a previous Vet visit forever?
 
Measles - Don't know about other companies but NFU are quite good at considering lifting exclusions if there is reasonable evidence to suggest it was a one off. Gloster Image did apply for a few, don't know what came of it.
 
No probs with NFU they have been brilliant when I claimed a couple of years ago... and think yourself lucky you are not with South Essex!
 
It is standard policy.

Most insurance policies state that they have to be informed of any treatment whether claiming for it or not. This is a way that they check up. The only way around this is to inform them of each time you call the vet, however minor that way you both know where you stand on any subsequent problems and are alerted to early problems on them paying out for a future incident.

Read the small print in all policies it saves a lot of heartache when you have a real problem.
 
NFU haven't always done this but have asked for this in 2 recent claims I put in. They did try and say when my pony was diagnosed with Cushings that because she had had laminitis in the past it was a pre-existing condition. Luckily my vet disputed this with them and they paid up fine. I do think NFU area one of the better companies, however sadly what it means now is that if you make a claim for say colic, if your horse has had a touch of colic in the past it is quite likely you will not be covered.
 
Will second that NFU are excellent and do not use the small print to try to wriggle out of paying. since moving to them 10 + years ago I havnt had a single problem with them (unlike previous insurance company) My current ongoing claim with them is going through without a hitch - I too had to provide details of previous treatments since purchasing the horse. When speaking to my Vet he assured me from his point of view they are one of the best companies to be insured by. So I am sure there is no need for you to worry. Whenever I have had a query though I ring HO and they always helpful.
So if your local agent cant help give the HO a call, they will put your mind at rest.
M
 
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