Vets going over insurance limit

[kirstie]

My horse has not been right since October, had my vet out and followed his advice. She still wasn't right by March, I got him back up again, he took x rays, couldn't see anything so referred her to a well known and respected horse hospital to have further investigation.

I took my horse, spoke with the vet she was seeing. Discussed insurance, the limit and what had been done so far. Investigations took place, issue found and treated, no mention of cost from them.

Yesterday I received a bill from them for £5600. I also owe my local vet approx £500, so am over £1k over the insurance limit. I'm pretty angry that it's gone so far over without even a murmur from them. Is this a normal thing to happen? I am not rich by any means and this is not helpful financially at all!!

 

[twiggy2]

what was said when you discussed insurance limits?

 

[kirstie]

He asked what the limit was and how much spent so far. We then discussed what investigations would be best etc.

 

[be positive]

What was the diagnosis? was it very hard to pinpoint and was the best treatment required expensive, they tend to run through every test and if it is the least likely place then by the time they get there the diagnostics have cost a fortune, they may well have forgotten that the vat adds to the total which makes a huge difference. It is amazing how quickly the insurance limit is reached, bone scans and mri will be half of the £5k without any of the nerve blocks etc.

 

[twiggy2]

He asked what the limit was and how much spent so far. We then discussed what investigations would be best etc.

did you say 'I am not in a position to go over the limit' or 'you must call me when the limit is reached'?

 

[Nari]

Did you say to them not to exceed £4,500 without contacting you first? Simply saying you'd only got that much left on the insurance may have been open to misinterpretation.

I don't think you've a leg to stand on if you're thinking of not paying the full amount, but maybe if you can politely explain the situation & what was said then they'll agree to being paid in instalments.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

What's done is done , I think you will need to negotiate payment in stages.

 

[Polos Mum]

What's done is done , I think you will need to negotiate payment in stages.

This, hope the treatment was worth it in the long run, a six month period of lameness cured by £1k contribution from yourself (I assume you are already considering the excess on your policy) is a winner - you could have spent that and got nowhere !

Vets will spend spend spend given the chance - I lie and tell them I am uninsured (for the new one that I do insure), they give very different advice in those circumstances.

 

[kirstie]

Ok, thanks for the advice. I will pay but am going to say something first. I didn't specifically say to contact me when getting close to the limit, so I think I will have to live and learn.

The diagnosis was good, my horse is going to be fine which is the most important thing to me anyway. It did take a bone scan, MRI and nerve blocks to reach that stage though, so got expensive very quickly. She has very slight changes in her coffin joint and there was an increase of fluid in her navicular bursa. Joint and bursa have both been medicated and she has had Tilden. They are confident that she should come sound now and have no further problems, perhaps remedicate the coffin joint in the future. It could have been a lot worse!

 

[twiggy2]

Ok, thanks for the advice. I will pay but am going to say something first. I didn't specifically say to contact me when getting close to the limit, so I think I will have to live and learn.

The diagnosis was good, my horse is going to be fine which is the most important thing to me anyway. It did take a bone scan, MRI and nerve blocks to reach that stage though, so got expensive very quickly. She has very slight changes in her coffin joint and there was an increase of fluid in her navicular bursa. Joint and bursa have both been medicated and she has had Tilden. They are confident that she should come sound now and have no further problems, perhaps remedicate the coffin joint in the future. It could have been a lot worse!

glad the prognosis is good, but I don't understand why you are going to say something your insurance limit is between you and your insurance company and unless you say to your vet there are financial issues then that limit is nothing to do with them

 

[Henry02]

I've been in similar scenario. Vets knew the value of money they had to spend with insurance, then promptly spent another 20% without consulting me, on items that were not necessary.

Read the rcvs guidelines. I kicked up a stink with the vets I used as I was pretty disgusted in the way they had treated me. They then reduced the bill back to the insurance limit.

 

[twiggy2]

I've been in similar scenario. Vets knew the value of money they had to spend with insurance, then promptly spent another 20% without consulting me, on items that were not necessary.

Read the rcvs guidelines. I kicked up a stink with the vets I used as I was pretty disgusted in the way they had treated me. They then reduced the bill back to the insurance limit.

the OP did not make the vets aware there were any financial restrictions by their own admission even though a discussion was had, so the scenario is not similar.

I hate the blame the vets culture, when my animals are seen then if there are things I don't want done then I tell the vet before we begin, if there were to be financial restrictions then I would tell them before we begin-I own the animal, I am responsible for it financially, I am responsible for its well being, I call the shots as long my decisions do not make welfare an issue, I expect my vets to do the best they can by my animals within the remit I give them, I want their educated opinion on things and am willing to pay for that. It is my responsibility to make my vet aware of what the remit is...not for them to guess.

 

[minkymoo]

glad the prognosis is good, but I don't understand why you are going to say something your insurance limit is between you and your insurance company and unless you say to your vet there are financial issues then that limit is nothing to do with them

I disagree, I think your insurance limit is very much to do with your vet. My vet knew what my financial limitations were and still are and he has always taken that into consideration when treating my boy for his knee problems.

If you don't tell your vet, they'll never know and so can't advise accordingly.

 

[twiggy2]

I disagree, I think your insurance limit is very much to do with your vet. My vet knew what my financial limitations were and still are and he has always taken that into consideration when treating my boy for his knee problems.

If you don't tell your vet, they'll never know and so can't advise accordingly.

Yes, IF you tell them there is a financial limit you are not willing to exceed-the OP did NOT do this

 

[minkymoo]

Yes, IF you tell them there is a financial limit you are not willing to exceed-the OP did NOT do this

I appreciate the OP didn't do this, my response was to the poster who stated that your finances are to be between you & your insurers.

The OP should have told her vets what her limits were and as she didn't, I don't feel she has much come back unfortunately.

 

[twiggy2]

I appreciate the OP didn't do this, my response was to the poster who stated that your finances are to be between you & your insurers.

that was me but i think you may not have read the whole of that post

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

There is a note on my account at the vets stating my insurance limit and that they must advise me when it's nearing that limit.

Fortunately I've never had to claim Kias insurance with KBIS and he only has a year of insurance left before he is too old.

I think you should state to the vets that you are disappointed they went over the limit without advising you.

 

[Henry02]

If you told the vet the insurance limit was £x thousands of pounds, I wouldn't then expect them to be spending another thousand on top of it.

Pretty sure there is stuff in the rcvs code of conduct too about insurance ie vets are supposed to ask exactly how much they have to spend and consult the client when approaching the limit