Insurance Emporium

ihatework

ihatework

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 September 2004
Messages
23,966
Visit site
Heads up!
A couple of years ago I took a bit of a gamble and switched a few of my animals to The Insurance Emporium.
Formerly known as E&L ???
The premiums have all been exceptionally reasonable so I’ve done it prepared that they might be tricky and to accept the risk.

Last year I had a claim on a horse
This year I’ve had a claim on a dog.

Literally perfect service. Easy forms. Automated receipt notifications. No daft questions/follow up. Paid without quibble within a fortnight.

Seriously impressed.
 
Are there no 'get out' clauses in the small print?

I used E&L in 1995 and on the death of my horse after three weeks in hospital in 1997 they told us we could choose between hospitalisation or insured cost of the horse. Someone else on the forum also encountered this as it was mentioned in the last few days.
 
Agree with the positive reviews, they paid out a £3k claim on Lymphangitis when Cellulitis was already an exclusion due to prior vet history.. They could easily have wiggled out of this claim as the two diagnosis are essentally clinically the same. They were reasonable, easily contactable and paid out very quickly.
 
Birker2020 said:
Are there no 'get out' clauses in the small print?

I used E&L in 1995 and on the death of my horse after three weeks in hospital in 1997 they told us we could choose between hospitalisation or insured cost of the horse. Someone else on the forum also encountered this as it was mentioned in the last few days.
Click to expand...


They've changed a lot since then.

A friend was paid out LoU in 2020 for neck arthritis on her word that the horse was unrideable.

I get the impression they're no worse than any other insurance company these days.
.
 
They have been great/ish for me too.
Over the years on various horses I’ve claimed a lot on vets fees.
Most recently I’m claiming for an unknown condition and each time they pay an invoice for investigations I get an email saying they are reviewing on a invoice by invoice basis and may not continue to pay but so far *touch wood* they have paid out. I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t been totally hassle free, it’s all been quite slow. I sent the last invoice two weeks ago and haven’t even had a acknowledgment email yet. They usually get paid within 6 weeks say, at first I was paying my vet and they would pay me so that she wasn’t waiting. I can no longer afford to do that so it’s a little more stressful waiting!
They won’t pre-authorise so things like agreeing to a bone scan were a bit scary (they did pay it!) and ideally I’d like to be able to call and say can we go ahead with x treatment before taking the risk. That said the premiums are so low comparatively that I still use them. Their customer service manager is fab.
 
If I still have Lari I might get a quote from them on renewal then.

It sounds as if they may be a good alternative, £95 seems such a lot that I'm paying for my insurance at the moment but I've not insured for years so I suspect I might be out of touch with such things.
 
Just be aware that on the quote I got a 17% contribution to any claim is standard, where with other providers you can opt for that to reduce the premium.
.
 
I have very high praises to sing on the equine side, though currently struggling with a dog claim with animal friends which I believe is E&L. Not an issue with the actual claim, just the incompetence of staff in managing basic information like address changes etc.
 
ycbm said:
Just be aware that on the quote I got a 17% contribution to any claim is standard, where with other providers you can opt for that to reduce the premium.
.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is the case with E&L though I was speaking to an insurance co-ordinator at my vets yesterday who thought ‘insurance emporium’ policies specifically might not have the co-payment? So worth checking out if it bothers you- my policies were bought direct from E&L and do have the 17% copayment though I’m happy with that for such lower premiums. It gives me affordable treatment options I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to consider.
 
They paid me for my horses fractured leg with no issues - the only small thing was that they initially deducted the cost of livery at the hospital, for which I pay extra, but that was resolved quickly when I emailed back quoting the correct part of my schedule.

However, my renewal did not include the 17% on top of the excess.
 
It's less than NFU. My friend got mega cheap insurance for two horses with Harry Hall, but I've just had a look, and it seems to be for external/accidental injuries only, and you can add colic. Seems like it doesn't cover a lot of things.
 
WaterySun852 said:
That sounds ominous ?
Click to expand...
I've not sat on him again since he nearly threw me off although this was due to a painful saddle fit.

The pro rider has only started riding him again this morning, third time sat on since Oct, second time ridden and I don't know how she's got on. I just have it in my head the saddle will hurt him again when I get on.

I dearly love the horse now so it will be a huge blow if things don't work out.
 
Just be aware, they automatically used my credit card details to renew my insurance, even though i had phoned to cancel renewal and had paid annually so they shouldn't have saved my details. After a few emails and a telephone call to a more senior person, i had an apology and the monies were repaid promptly.
 
Have to say I had a bit of a wobble after I’d paid my premium and the found out they were related to E&L!! But very impressed- had to claim for two horses and absolutely no quibble on either-easy to deal with and am still insured with them - would recommend.
 
I also have had a positive experience with them, I had to claim for a hoof resection on my horse and they have been helpful, communication has been good and paid all invoices promptly.
 
With such low premiums it absolutely baffles me as to how they make any money?!

My premium was £27pcm, with the £11,000 paid out by them mentioned in a comment up thread, thats 407 other peoples premiums just to recoup that money!
 
Caol Ila said:
It's less than NFU. My friend got mega cheap insurance for two horses with Harry Hall, but I've just had a look, and it seems to be for external/accidental injuries only, and you can add colic. Seems like it doesn't cover a lot of things.
Click to expand...
I have my field ornament and unbacked youngster on the HH accident/external injuries policy, £75 a year, bargain really for them.
The ridden one is with NFU, bizarrely enough at £54pcm they offered the best value cover, £5000 and only something like £165 excess? Others wanted £100+ for the same level of cover. It's gone mental overall though, I remember it costing £25 - £30 pcm a few years ago.
 
are people having to pay their vets and then claim? My vets have historically not been prepared to deal direct with E&L and their linked companies. It makes my life vastly simpler to have my insurers pay the vets direct so have always gone with other insurers.
 
milliepops said:
are people having to pay their vets and then claim? My vets have historically not been prepared to deal direct with E&L and their linked companies. It makes my life vastly simpler to have my insurers pay the vets direct so have always gone with other insurers.
Click to expand...
My referral practise is happy to work with them, so always been easy for me. I had to pay for remedial farriery myself and claim it back, but that was fairly straight forward.
 
milliepops said:
are people having to pay their vets and then claim? My vets have historically not been prepared to deal direct with E&L and their linked companies. It makes my life vastly simpler to have my insurers pay the vets direct so have always gone with other insurers.
Click to expand...

My vets dealt with them directly, although I made it clear that if there were any issues I had the money waiting to be paid to them.
 
Birker2020 said:
If I still have Lari I might get a quote from them on renewal then.

It sounds as if they may be a good alternative, £95 seems such a lot that I'm paying for my insurance at the moment but I've not insured for years so I suspect I might be out of touch with such things.
Click to expand...

Why might you not still have Lari? I thought things were progressing well?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top