Ulcers and insurance.

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Dizzle

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I think my horse might have stomach ulcers. He’s a crib bitting ex-racehorse who hates being touched…

So… I’m aware that he needs to be scoped. I’ve been told this is a couple of hundred pounds. Then he’d need treatment, Gastroguard??? at £££ a week for how long??

I can’t afford this so would have to claim on his insurance, would I have to pay for everything and then claim it back (I’m with NFU).

I know that once you claim things can then get excluded from the policy, would this mean his intestines/stomach would be excluded from the policy?

Any help or experience you can offer would be great!

Thank you x
 
I think that you may not be able to claim if he's already a crib biter? Also, whether you claim or not this time it will be excluded as you have only 12 months from the start of an issue like this to claim. I suspect that any further stomach or digestion issues would be excluded. I would speak to your insurers now to see if any investigations would be covered before you commit yourself to expensive treatment.
 
I am with the NFU and my young horse has just been and is being treated for secondary ulcers after a nasty bout of peritonitis. I would suspect they will slap some exclusion on. For the vets to visit him every day for 7 days and then scope and gastroguard, we are at nearly £3000 and due back in in two weeks for second scope. I am just waiting for them to agree the claim. Good luck
 
NFU paid out for all of our gastric ulcer claim. Every scope (she had 4, they need regular ones throughout treatment), all the gastroguard (which is something ridiculous like £300 a week, but they did pay it), and obviously all the vet visits.

You need to ring NFU before you start treatment though, to warn them. x
 
My horse is going on on Monday for scoping for suspected ulcers. I am also with NFU - yes I must call them beforehand (I had forgotten that). Luckily I have got him onto a free scoping clinic at the local equine hospital, but will go to the NFU for the cost of the drugs (I believe it to around £1000 for the course) but I didn't realise he may have to be rescoped several times too? Am hoping to get away with just the £250 excess. To be honest I'm hoping it is ulcers as I am at my wits end trying to work out what may be the problem, as crazy as that sounds, as at least then I can do something about it.

I'd be interested to know what your horse's symptoms are. My lovely gentle chap has become a grumpy git, hates being tacked up, still eats volumes but has lost a lot of weight and condition, grinds his teeth and is reluctant to work with any real enthusiasm. He has had blood tests done which have come back inconclusive. (all other checks; saddle, dentist etc have also been done).

I hope NFU won't make exclusions on his policy but I expect them to :-(

As to whether you have to pay up front or not - I think it depends on whether your vet has an arrangement with them to settle the bill directly or not. When my boy had bone scans at the RVC I had to pay a fee (£15 ish) for them to handle the paperwork for me and it was all settled directly with NFU except for the excess which I had to pay to the RVC I think.

Hope you chap is better soon. Good luck x
 
Angelbones which clinic you going too? as im going to one on monday too with a horse from work. His syptoms are reocorring colic grummpy to tack up and groom, kicks out at leg when ridden. We dont think NFU will payout if he does need treatment beacuse of the colic but we will see
 
She hated having her armpits and tummy touched, generally a grumpy cow! But its difficult to say exactly what her symptoms were - because we found she also had kissing spines, so when she reared up and over Im not sure whether that was ulcers or ks! Good luck. x
 
I was able to claim thro Petplan with my windsucking v.slightly colicy horse.

She was scoped three times and had three boxes of Gastroguard in the end.

I now have an exclusion regarding ailments arising from windsucking. How that would work if she did develp ulcers again I don't know as the current evidence seems to suggest that windsucking is a symptom of ulcers and develops after the ulcers. Therefore ulcers do not arise from windsucking.

I wouldn't fancy my chances much though!
 
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