Insurance renewal - vet fees - WWYD

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Roonat

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As per title & also in veterinary - I *would really appreciate your advice. So I have just received my insurance renewal and my policy has doubled in price. Me and the boy have had a busy year at the vets. £4,300 has been spent on his right-foreleg for impar ligament damage and a reversed pedal bone. Horse also has bilateral hind lameness which so far has only been investigated up to £300 and investigations have halted due vets being more concerned with the ongoing fore leg lameness. There are no specific exclusions listed on my renewal other than it saying any pre-existing conditions so it would be down to the vet to argue/decide/ prove that a new condition isn't due to an existing condition. I am not happy that the premium has doubled in price and potentially my insurance company are going to exclude three legs, is there any point in accepting the renewal?? I am thinking of joining BHS for public liability and not renewing my insurance and if anything major happens then i will have to call it a day. Horse in question *has only just turned 5.*

What are your thoughts?? *
 
Personally, in your shoes I would check if the insurance will pay for the on-going investigations, and if so, then I would pay this years premiums. If they are not going to pay then you might as well save your money.
 
Thanks for your reply - I have checked with them and they are willing to pay for on going treatment / investigations up until the 12th august thats when I first started the claim. The renewal is due from march so if I cancel policy they will still pay out on existing conditions until august as it falls under last years policy.
 
Well tbh it depends on size of premium and value of horse? From the sounds of it you've had good return on your premium to date. If continued treatment required and may exceed new premium, then pay it this time and review next year.
 
I'd be amazed if they pay for anything between March and August if you are not a customer after March. I would imagine treatments covered for up to one year would be on the proviso that you remained a customer for that time

Personally i would renew it this time and review next time round, I think its fair the premium was high this time around as they have already settled £4000+ and know they have more to pay out almost straight away this policy year
 
Does the insurance cover loss of use, as if he's been lame and/or if he's still lame, you need to take this into consideration.
My mare had operations on both hocks, as a 4yo, she then went slightly lame in front, but is now in foal to see wether she will come back sound after rest.
I had the operation done through the insurance, but she was not covered for loss of use, so I decided to cancel it last year.
But like welshd said, if you cancel, they won't pay out on any further treatment up until August, they just pay the vet bill of what's owing when you cancel the policy.
 
I've just cancelled my renewal for the same reasons; list of previous injuries was getting quite long and I'd rather put 60quid in a savings account for him each month so I can pay for any vet treatments, rather than pay a premium that pretty much just covers his tail! Having said that, it depends on your financial position - I know I can put big bills on credit cards if I have too in case my horse fund doesn't grow! (Have liability through BHS). Horse is 12 and has navicular, did both hind suspensories, sacro illiac pain, and a respiratory infection in 2005 which has given him an exclusion! The insurance company have been brilliant to date - I'm getting out whilst I'm ahead.
 
When I was in this position I paid another year as the new insurance year had £5000 cover and current issues were included in the same way as you (12 months from initial diagnosis) as I'd had £5000 payout already then if I didn't renew there would be no more left in the previous policy's pot so to speak. Hope that makes sense?! I may change this year now that time has run out
 
Have you tried ringing other insurance companies for a quote? I'm guessing they'd need details about current issues from vet etc before finalizing anything, but I'm sure they could give a basic quote just from your description of current claims.
 
My normal view is don't bother with insurance unless your horse is worth 10K plus and has no exclusions. BUT in this case I would continue the insurance for as long as they are continuing to pay for ongoing treatment - get to the bottom of her issues (I believe pre existing means before you started the insurance policy - not before the renewal - unless they put exclusions on the renewal
Even if your premiums are £60/80 a month you vet will easily spend more than that on investigations ! so this year you will be 'up' on the deal.
 
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