Insurance.. is £3000 per claim enough?

[Hormonal Filly]

Insurance, which policy, is £3000 enough?
I'm taking out new insurance on my 6yr old.

I just require vet fees really and only insure him for £500 as bought him as a baby for that and not fussed on loss of use etc.
Don't want the excess more than £175 ideally. I want a company that will payout. Use to use petplan but been told Petplan isn't as great as it was.

KBIS are highly recommended, but have 2 policy types I'm not sure about.. £3000 per claim doesn't sound enough to me. My last mare had surgery on her back, that alone was over £3,000 minus after care, re vet visits by vets etc it was topping £4000 and i'd be annoyed if he was insured and then I had to put my own money in or couldn't afford surgery if he needed it..

Quotes for KBIS - Pays approx 90% of claims
£3000 per claim, £175 excess, £42 a month
£5000 per claim, increases to £7500 for colic surgery, £175 excess, £55 a month. (alot more than I wanted to spend)

SEIB - Pays approx 85% of claims
£5000 per claim, £175 excess, £31 a month

Petplan
£5000 per claim, £145 excess, £30 a month but seemingly they only pay out 50% of claims when looking only

Haven't done NFU yet but tried calling, they promised they'd call back and they haven't.

 

[asmp]

£3000 isn't enough IMO, which is one of the reasons I don't insure these days (horse is 18).

Try Shearwater too. I was insured with them for years and they are very good at discussing what exactly you need to fit your budget.

 

[flying_high]

I am sure KBIS will also offer £5K of vet fees if you ask.

Where are you getting the payout rate figures from?

 

[twiggy2]

No its not, if your going to insure you want the biggest limit you can get.

 

[Blurr]

I don't think £3,000 is enough. I use PetPlan (£5,000 per condition), never had a problem, and I've had a lot of claims (5 horses insured).

 

[LaurenBay]

No, I'd want 5000.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I am sure KBIS will also offer £5K of vet fees if you ask.

Where are you getting the payout rate figures from?

They do, but its £55 a month and the £3000 limit is £42.. but almost don't see the point of paying £42 for only £3000.

A friend told me told me what to search and I found the figure, i'm sure they aren't certain but someone said petplan had gone down the pan so had a look and found it said they only paid 50% of claims. I claimed 3 times with them within 4 months of insuring 4 years ago and they paid over £8,000 without a single quibble but worried about re using as everyone has said they aren't as good as they use to be.

I don't think £3,000 is enough. I use PetPlan (£5,000 per condition), never had a problem, and I've had a lot of claims (5 horses insured).

When was your last claim? What worries me is Petplan will only pay out IF the horse has something wrong. My gelding started to be bad to travel and looked uneven behind last year.. we done a work up, x-rayed through vet recommendations and it came back as inconclusive, couldn't find anything.. luckily it only cost around £500 but Petplan refused to pay as there was nothing found, so paid it myself and called the insurance as was really irritated! However 4 years ago as above, I claimed over £8000 within 4 months and they paid every penny..

 

[lottiepony]

I would say no.
A horse I have is only up to £3,000.00 (long story short wasn't mine but now is) anyway he's had a hind limb lameness issue which we have now discovered is arthritis of the hocks. We had to be very cautious with what decisions were made in regards to treatment and investigation as that amount of money soon disappears!

He's actually insured with Horse Emporium which is basically E&L - which did make me shudder but I must say I've been pleasantly surprised as they have paid out for everything so far and within a decent time frame as well!

ETA his insurance is £26.00 a month. My other horse who is insured with SEIB is £46.00 a month but much higher fees covered.

 

[Theocat]

Personally, I would either get the maximum cover available, or not bother and save the money instead.

The reality is that even at £5k there is a strong likelihood you will be paying out more on top.

AFAIK no insurer will pay out for investigations that don't show anything.

 

[MasterBenedict]

Insurance, which policy, is £3000 enough?
I'm taking out new insurance on my 6yr old.

I just require vet fees really and only insure him for £500 as bought him as a baby for that and not fussed on loss of use etc.
Don't want the excess more than £175 ideally. I want a company that will payout. Use to use petplan but been told Petplan isn't as great as it was.

Petplan recently would not let me insure my now 7 year old for £850 (the amount I bought him for as a yearling), as they argued that he was now broken in and worth more. I agree with them in principle, but was rather annoyed as like you, I'm not fussed about LOU. They rather firmly told me that the minimum I could value him at was around £1,500. Of course, then the premium goes up...

 

[Hormonal Filly]

. I agree with them in principle, but was rather annoyed as like you, I'm not fussed about LOU. They rather firmly told me that the minimum I could value him at was around £1,500. Of course, then the premium goes up...

Odd, never had that problem before. I'll look into it, thank you!

 

[teddypops]

Petplan are really good and will pay out if you have a legitimate claim. (As with all insurance companies) They do pay out if nothing is found if there is a good reason for your vet to do the investigations. I had my Connie x rayed for kissing spines, scoped for ulcers and had her ovaries scanned in May this year. Nothing was found but vet gave her injections to stop her coming into season as she was horrendous to ride when in season, Petplan paid the bill straightaway.

 

[MasterBenedict]

Odd, never had that problem before. I'll look into it, thank you!

Me either. Apparently their policy on it has changed...Do let me know if you get a different answer!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Petplan are really good and will pay out if you have a legitimate claim. (As with all insurance companies) They do pay out if nothing is found if there is a good reason for your vet to do the investigations. I had my Connie x rayed for kissing spines, scoped for ulcers and had her ovaries scanned in May this year. Nothing was found but vet gave her injections to stop her coming into season as she was horrendous to ride when in season, Petplan paid the bill straightaway.

How long had you had the insurance policy with them? Seriously considering Petplan as they're the cheapest but worried after they didn't pay out previously.

 

[meleeka]

I’m with SEIS and that’s £5k per claim. I also like that they pay all hospital costs. Most don’t pay livery costs so you still end up out of pocket.
I’ve claimed a few times, one as an inpatient and everything was covered.

 

[teddypops]

How long had you had the insurance policy with them? Seriously considering Petplan as they're the cheapest but worried after they didn't pay out previously.

That particular pony I had had a year but I have 4 others also insured with them and I have never had a problem with them paying out.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I’m with SEIS and that’s £5k per claim. I also like that they pay all hospital costs. Most don’t pay livery costs so you still end up out of pocket.
I’ve claimed a few times, one as an inpatient and everything was covered.

Just called them, they want a 5* vet certificate done if I want to insure with them as he hasn't been insured for a year BUT has a clean vet history and don't exactly wanna pay £300 for a 5*..

 

[Tiddlypom]

Just called them, they want a 5* vet certificate done if I want to insure with them as he hasn't been insured for a year BUT has a clean vet history and don't exactly wanna pay £300 for a 5*..

SEIB did that to me, too, on a homebred who I had full vet history for from birth.
I self insure now.

 

[Elbie]

Petplan are really good and will pay out if you have a legitimate claim. (As with all insurance companies) They do pay out if nothing is found if there is a good reason for your vet to do the investigations. I had my Connie x rayed for kissing spines, scoped for ulcers and had her ovaries scanned in May this year. Nothing was found but vet gave her injections to stop her coming into season as she was horrendous to ride when in season, Petplan paid the bill straightaway.

The difference with this is this would suggest your horse's behaviour was due to a hormonal issue. However, with the OP if they physically could not find an issue that would suggest why the horse was bad to travel they wouldn't pay it and I doubt that would be an opinion exclusive to Petplan

 

[teddypops]

The difference with this is this would suggest your horse's behaviour was due to a hormonal issue. However, with the OP if they physically could not find an issue that would suggest why the horse was bad to travel they wouldn't pay it and I doubt that would be an opinion exclusive to Petplan

I can’t see anywhere about an issue with a horse that is bad to travel but no, no insurance will cover behavioural issues.

 

[wiglet]

3k will not be enough. Having said that, 5k will not be enough either if you need colic surgery.
I'm with NFU and have 5k - they do pay out and will pay the vet direct.

 

[Bermuda]

I agree that if you are going to pay for insurance £5000 is a better option, costs can go higher than that so at least you have as much cover as possible.

 

[ShowJumperL95]

Have you looked at KBIS Catastrophe Cover? That is just for vet fees covers colic, tendon flushing etc

 

[Blurr]

When was your last claim? What worries me is Petplan will only pay out IF the horse has something wrong. My gelding started to be bad to travel and looked uneven behind last year.. we done a work up, x-rayed through vet recommendations and it came back as inconclusive, couldn't find anything.. luckily it only cost around £500 but Petplan refused to pay as there was nothing found, so paid it myself and called the insurance as was really irritated! However 4 years ago as above, I claimed over £8000 within 4 months and they paid every penny..

I've had at least 4 claims with three horses this year. All paid. Vet ensures they can justify any investigations to Petplan before going ahead so as not to leave me with a bill.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I can’t see anywhere about an issue with a horse that is bad to travel but no, no insurance will cover behavioural issues.

They didn't mention behavioural, they said it was because nothing showed on the x-rays even though the vet recommended them being done.

How does that work, we should basically only x-ray a horse if we know it will show something? Therefore, if the vet recommends scans/x-rays in the future but they show nothing, the insurance won't pay?..

 

[teddypops]

They didn't mention behavioural, they said it was because nothing showed on the x-rays even though the vet recommended them being done.

How does that work, we should basically only x-ray a horse if we know it will show something? Therefore, if the vet recommends scans/x-rays in the future but they show nothing, the insurance won't pay?..

That’s odd because when I sent my pony to the vets, it was only to have her ovaries scanned, I didn’t know they were going to x Ray her back for kissing spines, (or do the scoping) but Petplan didn’t query anything.

 

[SOS]

I am with Petplan and they paid out without issue on a large claim recently. Getting correctly signed/stamped forms from my vet practice was actually the longest part.

That said my max limit was £3500 for vet fees as I did not want to put this horse through any large ops etc. I am about maxed out on that with xrays, nerve blocks, horsepital stay, MRI and diagnosis. As he has tore his DDFT there is no surgery/treatment, but I would be having to self fund if there was. £2500 for a three day hospital stay, £800 for all the vet visits at home so far. Goes quickly!

My new horse is insured for vet fees up to £5000.

 

[ester]

Realistically the not finding anything wrong situation is as much on how your vets word the claim I expect. It is also why vets will often keep going and do a bone scan/some ultrasounds to find something as then the whole bill will be covered.

I would want 5k cover without question.

 

[eggs]

I am with NFU and have vet cover up to £5,000. Seven years ago one of my horses had an operation for impacted colic. It was straightforward with no resection required but the bill was still just a smudge under £6,000.

Just doing a lameness work up can result in a pretty hefty bill.

 

[MagicMelon]

Personally Id want £5k as you can get through £3k pretty easily. I insured my last horse with SEIB and had to claim, they paid out brilliantly for full vets fees and then loss of use - they were very easy to deal with and didnt argue at all. Id highly recommend them.