Thoughts on insurance exclusions

[Hormonal Filly]

Evening all. Quick question. Thank you in advance!

Horses insurance is up for renewal. I claimed with NFU last year for a abscess on her throat which didn’t go very easily, it has left a permanent lump which the vet isn’t concerned about unless it gets bigger/causes pain.

NFU have no exclusions on renewal and is £989 the year, £82 a month.

I thought I’d cancel NFU and go with Petplan due to the savings.

Petplan would be £684 a year - £57 a month, but they’ve decided to put the following exclusion on ‘Excluding all claims resulting from or connected to Tumours, Warts, Cysts, Growths And/Or Abscesses’

I didn’t expect them to exclude all of that!

Question… Would you continue with NFU and pay the higher cost knowing everything is covered.. or switch?

If I’m honest money is getting tight with the rise in everything. ? but also don’t want the risk not being insured for those exclusions (horse is only 4)

 

[maya2008]

NFU cover anything that is not pre-existing, so will ask for full vet history with each claim. Maybe ring them and ask what would/would not be covered by them in the future?

 

[Hormonal Filly]

NFU cover anything that is not pre-existing, so will ask for full vet history with each claim. Maybe ring them and ask what would/would not be covered by them in the future?

Good call. Will ring them tomorrow, but there are no exclusions on the policy letter so I’d of expected it to list something. We claimed about £1,500

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Having spoke to NFU. They wouldn’t cover the same abscess again or a abscess if it appeared for no reason, but if it were caused by a nail say in the foot they would. Basically each claim is assessed independently.

So unlike Petplan. They would cover tumours, warts, lumps and cysts..


Difficult decision. £300 difference. ?

 

[Fieldlife]

I'd try other companies, south essex / Shearwater Carriage house etc. I think the Petplan exclusion is unreasonable. And I have claimed £000s for a 4 month long abscess. :-(

 

[maya2008]

If you do not have savings to cover out-of-insurance eventualities, NFU is always the best bet. They are absolutely brilliant, always.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I'd try other companies, south essex / Shearwater Carriage house etc. I think the Petplan exclusion is unreasonable. And I have claimed £000s for a 4 month long abscess. :-(

I’ve tried south Essex and shearwater, both extremely expensive will go back and relook.

Sorry to hear about the- abscess.. they can be expensive!

 

[Birker2020]

I’ve tried south Essex and shearwater, both extremely expensive will go back and relook.

Sorry to hear about the- abscess.. they can be expensive!

SEIB have excluded vets cover and third party on my renewal after I claimed £3800 on current horse.

I couldn't believe it, but apparently its linked to number of claims not amount in total, which I think is very crafty as it was they and not my vets that wanted to open up multiple claims when my vet felt they could be linked together.

I was going to go with Catastrophe cover with KBIS but then I'd probably pts if he had to have a joint flushed and deffo would if he needed colic surgery so it seemed to be a waste of time.

 

[Nicnac]

I'd stick with NFU!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

SEIB have excluded vets cover and third party on my renewal after I claimed £3800 on current horse.

I couldn't believe it, but apparently its linked to number of claims not amount in total, which I think is very crafty as it was they and not my vets that wanted to open up multiple claims when my vet felt they could be linked together.

I was going to go with Catastrophe cover with KBIS but then I'd probably pts if he had to have a joint flushed and deffo would if he needed colic surgery so it seemed to be a waste of time.

Wow.. that’s naughty! ? Insurance is a mind field isn’t it. I don’t have enough in savings to be comfortable without it though.

Done another SEIB quote is quite good at £530.. cheaper than Petplan but your experience doesn’t sound great.

NFU hasn’t increased much at all since last renewal and I did claim once (although not a lot about £600) and I claimed over 10k on my previous horse with them.. so very surprised they allowed me to insure my new one last year!

I'd stick with NFU!

NFU are so fab to deal with and do put my mind at rest about ever needing to claim. I’m just worried about finances if I’m honest.

 

[Birker2020]

Wow.. that’s naughty! ? Insurance is a mind field isn’t it. I don’t have enough in savings to be comfortable without it though.

Done another SEIB quote is quite good at £530.. cheaper than Petplan but that doesn’t sound great.

NFU hasn’t increased much at all since last year and I did claim (although not a lot) and I claimed over 10k on my previous horse with them.. so very surprised they allowed me to insure my new one last year!



.

Just watch your excess with SEIB as I have fallen foul of that, although to be fair it was my own choosing. Thinking my new horse would be relatively healthy having passed a five stage vetting 'with flying colours' as the vet was quick to point out, I had my excess put at £250. So I've so far paid £750 with three claims, if I do another claim for the gastric scoping (which cost £440) it will be another £250! £1K in excesses was a bitter lesson to learn, especially as my vet was trying to clump them all together as they could be argued to be related to one thing.

 

[Lady Jane]

Make sure you read the small print very carefully, the devil is in the detail.....

 

[ihatework]

You could try challenging KBIS to see if they could make the exclusion a little more specific.

Otherwise the risk is up to you I suppose. One consideration if your horse is grey (I don’t know) is melanoma cover

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Just watch your excess with SEIB as I have fallen foul of that, although to be fair it was my own choosing. Thinking my new horse would be relatively healthy having passed a five stage vetting 'with flying colours' as the vet was quick to point out, I had my excess put at £250. So I've so far paid £750 with three claims, if I do another claim for the gastric scoping (which cost £440) it will be another £250! £1K in excesses was a bitter lesson to learn, especially as my vet was trying to clump them all together as they could be argued to be related to one thing.

So sorry to hear about your boy. I’ve been following your story. Hope you get some luck!
That is something that doesn’t cross my mind so thank you for that. Having checked the excess would be £200 with SEIB and they don’t do any less.

Make sure you read the small print very carefully, the devil is in the detail.....

You’ve made me nervous now ‘goes to read Petplans small print’

 

[Birker2020]

So sorry to hear about your boy. I’ve been following your story. Hope you get some luck!

Thank you. That is very nice of you.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Petplan have agreed to take off the broad exclusion and just exclude abscesses/s which is fab. The under writers emailed be back within 15 minutes which is pretty good.

Surprised SEIB would like a copy of clinical history (fair enough) but they want a copy of my full NFU renewal?! Bit bizarre.. don’t think I’ll go with them. Thanks for the heads up @Birker2020

 

[Orangehorse]

I no longer insure my horse as he is old, but when I had a claim the NFU were brilliant, the girl in the office told me that a re-hab yard would be covered and then when he was OK again and I said he had returned to the previous activity (which admittedly wasn't hunting or eventing, etc) they continued to cover him in full with no exclusions.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Make sure you read the small print very carefully, the devil is in the detail.....

Very interesting to read Petplans small print. Few things noticed.

If you want a second opinion you must let them know first so they can agree to it, if not they won’t cover any costs. (I moved to a second opinion vet previously without informing NFU and luckily they paid) If they request you must use a vet they choose..

They may involve their vet in your horses treatment and this can not be refused.

They do not cover any livery, bedding, hay or feed costs while at hospital (I’ve heard of this before)