silly insurance question

[TarantuLove]

my boy needs a course of gastrogard unfortunately but at £850 for a month, i am going to claim through it via insurance. Would I have to pay it first of all then insurance will pay me back? Or can I send the invoice to the insurance company? I have to go and pick up the course of gastrogard from the practice, bit worried they're going to ask me for £850 upfront!

 

[Gluttonforpunishment]

Have you started the claim with your insurance company yet? If so then it should be invoiced directly from the vets practice to the insurer as part of an ongoing claim.

If you haven't notified your insurer and had the claim agreed then the vets could ask you to pay (my practice invoices at the end of each month rather than asking for payment up front).

Cannot emphasise too strongly how important it is to get your insurer involved from the outset - less likely to have any hiccups in payment / what is isn't covered arguments that way.

 

[TarantuLove]

thanks ive rung them and asked them, they say theyll consider it but cant guarantee any claim over the phone but have noted it on my policy.

 

[pip6]

Tell your insurer. They appeciate being kept in the loop & knowing about invoices before they arrive. They can get a problem if you authorise treatment (then expect them to pay for it) without them being informed of the illness/injury as soon as reasonably possible.

 

[BigRed]

thanks ive rung them and asked them, they say theyll consider it but cant guarantee any claim over the phone but have noted it on my policy.

You need to be very careful about this, because this is not the same as them agreeing to pay for the treatment, so your vet has every right to expect you to pay for the drugs, how fast they expect the payment is down to them. Mine invoice within 7 days. I have to pay them directly - always.

 

[TarantuLove]

thanks

 

[Holly Hocks]

It also depends on who you're insured with as to whether your vet will accept payment directly from the insurance company - some vets won't take it from the more unreliable companies as they have to wait months for any payment.

 

[Puppy]

As above, it depends on the insurance co (who are you with?) and your vet's policy.