NEVER, NEVER USE TESCO INSURANCE......

[Joules]

Fantastic news that Parker has made such a great recovery.  You must be thrilled. 

 Hurrah!  Sounds very hopeful about the insurance claim.  Hope it does the trick! 

[hamfam]

can i suggest that regardless of the outcome with tesco, you change insurers. As tesco only cover each condition for a year you will not be covered for any relapse after a year from the date of the first vetinary treatment so you will have nothing to loose.

I would suggest you look at Healthy pets , Argos or M&S

Healthy pets cover up to £5000 per condition with £50 excess - no time limit on claims - £6 a month for our lucy

Argos cover up to £6000 per condition with £50 excess - no time limit on claims - £11 a month for lucy

M&S cover up to £7000 per condition per year with variable  excess - no time limit on claims - £21 a month with no excess for lucy

[Annette]

Great news all round by the sounds of it.

And I think you might as well change insurers now too.

[dood]

Just caught up with this -really pleased that things are sorted -we'd be totally stuffed to if we had to find that sort of money-it's what you pay insurance for isn't it?

[happydog]

can i suggest that regardless of the outcome with tesco, you change insurers. As tesco only cover each condition for a year you will not be covered for any relapse after a year from the date of the first vetinary treatment so you will have nothing to loose.

I would suggest you look at Healthy pets , Argos or M&S

Healthy pets cover up to £5000 per condition with £50 excess - no time limit on claims - £6 a month for our lucy

Argos cover up to £6000 per condition with £50 excess - no time limit on claims - £11 a month for lucy

M&S cover up to £7000 per condition per year with variable  excess - no time limit on claims - £21 a month with no excess for lucy

  I've just changed 7 year old Fern's Insurance to Healthy Pets Gold option. Instead of 12 months cover for any condition up to a maximum of £2,500,  I now have a £5,000 lifetime limit for each and every condition, the excess is £50 (a £10 saving) and it's over £40 a year cheaper.  I've checked that should another grass seed in the ear incident occur it will be covered. Luckily she has no pre existing conditions 

Thanks hamfam 

[JaspersMum]

You might also want to take the complaint to the Financial ombudsman if you believe them to be in the wrong or guilty of mis-selling the policy, try this linkfor instructions what steps you should take and what the service can do http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/about/index.html

[Mary]

Jeeves, your claim is sounding much more hopeful now, I do hope you get it sorted   I really begrudge paying insurance and it's reading the small print and then hearing about cases like this that I know why

M&S cover up to £7000 per condition per year with variable  excess - no time limit on claims - £21 a month with no excess for lucy

The variable excess option has now ceased.  I received renewal notification from M&S yesterday and excess for a pet under 9 years of age is £50. (£50 over 9 years or 15% of treatment costs, whichever is the greater).

Last year my premium was £8.70 a month with a £75 excess.  My renewal is quoting me £11.82 a month with the set £50 excess. 

From what you all quote it seems like this is still pretty reasonable but I'm still annoyed that it's gone up by 35% in one year   Luckily (touch wood), I've never had to make a claim in the four years we've had Lottie (she is 4 today ) so I'm sure it would be much higher if I had

[Nicola]

I'm glad Parker is on the mend  and I hope you manage to get the claim sorted out too, that's an awful lot of money 

[Jeeves]

Thanks for all the information on different policies chaps, once this is sorted I will start looking round.

I spoke to my vet today and she will write a letter stating that with the previous neck problem there was no hint of disc problems whatsoever, it cleared up quickly and is not considered to be related.  We also have to get a letter from the vet who referred Parker (she's in the same practice, but not the one I normally ask to see) but she's away for a few days, so it may be a week se so until I'm in a position to send paperwork back to them.

However, we are making progress so I'll keep you posted!

They are, however, paying out the £381 for the tummy and bowel problems he had just before this neck business, so at least they've got something right!! 

Bottom line though, Parker is the happiest little dog imaginable, so even if we get not a penny back, going bankrupt will have been worth it to see him so happy and pain free 

[hamfam]

can i suggest that regardless of the outcome with tesco, you change insurers. As tesco only cover each condition for a year you will not be covered for any relapse after a year from the date of the first vetinary treatment so you will have nothing to loose.

I would suggest you look at Healthy pets , Argos or M&S

Healthy pets cover up to £5000 per condition with £50 excess - no time limit on claims - £6 a month for our lucy

Argos cover up to £6000 per condition with £50 excess - no time limit on claims - £11 a month for lucy

M&S cover up to £7000 per condition per year with variable  excess - no time limit on claims - £21 a month with no excess for lucy

W O O O P S

Sorry guys the M&S line should read cover up to £7000 treatment per year with variable excess - no time limit on claims - £21 a month with no excess for lucy

I can confirm that the variable excess IS still available the premium was about £2 a month cheaper with a £50 excess when i checked last night

[Mary]

I can confirm that the variable excess IS still available the premium was about £2 a month cheaper with a £50 excess when i checked last night

I've just checked M&S website and it confirms on there that you can reduce your premiums by 5% if you take an additional £25 excess or 10% if you take an additional £50 excess.  This however, has not been offered to me upon renewal so I shall be ringing them tomorrow to find out why

[miche]

I am with Direct Line, I have gone for the more expensive policy and it works out about £25 a month for my 2.  Never had to make a claim so hope they are OK.

[michelle123]

Jeeves if your specialist writes a letter to confirm that the two neck incidents arent connected Tesco's will have no other option than to settle your claim.
I know it is frustrating but Insurance Companies deal with 1000's of claims and whilst I am not defending them they have probably seen that Parker had suffered a previous neck injury (not sure who advised them of this if it wasnt on the vets print out) but a clerk will have just acted, in insurers interests, appropriately - whilst this does not assist you that clerk is only doing his job.
Quite likely the individual who initially denied your claim is likely to have little experience earning about £5.50 per hour.  It is only when you query a discrepancy and provide further information that a person who has insurance experience will deal with your claim.
If once the additional information has been considered and the claim is rejected again you should approach the ombudsman - however, this is unlikely as the conditions are unconnected.
If you should need any advice regarding your insurance claim please pm me.
Glad that Parker has got the all clear 

[henaly]

im with  direct line too

[PennyB]

I've never had to make a claim in the four years we've had Lottie (she is 4 today ) so I'm sure it would be much higher if I had

Regardless of how much you claim (or not) your insurance goes up like everyone elses at the same rate. M&S decided this year to put up their premiums a lot higher for male dogs to reflect the number they are getting in re dog fights (or so they say). My insurance has gone up at the same rate as someone who hasn't claimed. They just don't penalise you if you claim as you would with other types of insurance (Wilf claimed back almost 3000 in his 1st year yet insurance was same for him as Ruby's and friends who had same insurance but who hadn't claimed anything at all).