Insurance Claim Help

[vikki.k]

We received a letter today about the claim we have made with Petplan for Baja's treatment since having giardia. I'm left confused from what they have written and wondering if anyone can try and explain what they mean?

This is what the letter says......
With reference to claim number ********** we have placed an exclusion for gastrointestinal/digestive system disorders with effect from 19.06.10 as according to your claim, the first noted signs of this condition were on 19.06.09

Had we been aware of this treatment, the exclusion would have been noted on your annual renewal documents.

What has 19.06.10 got to do with it? I'm confused 

[Eve]

Not an expert but could it mean that with effect from 09.6.10 gastro problems will be excluded.
One of my goldens broke a toe, the first year arthritis was excluded in foot the second year in leg and the third year arthritis all over was excluded, needless to say we dispensed with insurance and just put money away.

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be on soon.

Eve

[Hurtwood Dogs]

 

Have no idea, sounds like they are wriggling... but extremely badly. I'd call them, they can't tell you of an exclusion they will include next year and say if they'd known your dog was going to have a certain condition they'd have placed an exclusion on it before it happened...

Makes you mad but try not to get wound up until you've spoken with them... whoever wrote that sounds like they'd been to the pub at lunch time

Hope they pay up though.

Hannah xxx

[sharonmansfield]

Sounds to me that as from 19th June next year you will no longer be covered for gastrointestinal problems.
Dont know what the rest is on about because how could you have informed them of an illness your dog has had this year on 19th June when you did not know it was going to get sick, written by a fool if you ask me and you are best ringing to clarify and get anything they say in writing.
Unless have you renewed this policy since the 19th June and they have found out these problems occured before the insurance was put in place / renewed with them. Like I say ring to clarify - good luck

[vikki.k]

So pleased I'm not the only one that thinks they have lost the plot and written a badly worded letter! Will be calling them tomorrow to see what they say 

[JaspersMum]

To me it sounds like your insurance only covers vets bills per condition for one year.  After that date they wouldn't cover further claims for the same illness or condition IYSWIM

[vikki.k]

To me it sounds like your insurance only covers vets bills per condition for one year.  After that date they wouldn't cover further claims for the same illness or condition IYSWIM

We just sat down and talked about it again, and figured the same thing. So are they saying he can have this condition for one year, but after that they wont pay if it was to happen again?

For instance if he broke his leg in 2010 and then again in 2013 we wouldn't be able to claim? Is this normal of a policy? I guess if this is what they are saying then we would look for a different company to use. How can you guarantee you never need to claim for the same condition twice 

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Ah yes... got it now.  I take it you've had a renewal since the original claim?

Does sounds like they will only cover a condition for one year... very helpful 

[Jeanette]

To me it sounds like your insurance only covers vets bills per condition for one year.  After that date they wouldn't cover further claims for the same illness or condition IYSWIM

We just sat down and talked about it again, and figured the same thing. So are they saying he can have this condition for one year, but after that they wont pay if it was to happen again?

For instance if he broke his leg in 2010 and then again in 2013 we wouldn't be able to claim? Is this normal of a policy? I guess if this is what they are saying then we would look for a different company to use. How can you guarantee you never need to claim for the same condition twice 

Sounds like you've got an annual policy, they'll only cover for 12 months from the start date of the illness, these are OK but if he gets ill with the same thing later on in life, he won't be covered.    Problem you have when changing policies now is this will be detailed as a pre-existing condition so will probably be excluded from other insurers anyway now. 

http://www.petinsuranceonline.co.uk/

[vikki.k]

Ah yes... got it now.  I take it you've had a renewal since the original claim?

Does sounds like they will only cover a condition for one year... very helpful 

I think it would have been renewed in September, although cant say we got a letter to renew, but maybe OH put it away somewhere!

One year is c**p though, whats the point in that!  

[vikki.k]

To me it sounds like your insurance only covers vets bills per condition for one year.  After that date they wouldn't cover further claims for the same illness or condition IYSWIM

We just sat down and talked about it again, and figured the same thing. So are they saying he can have this condition for one year, but after that they wont pay if it was to happen again?

For instance if he broke his leg in 2010 and then again in 2013 we wouldn't be able to claim? Is this normal of a policy? I guess if this is what they are saying then we would look for a different company to use. How can you guarantee you never need to claim for the same condition twice 

Sounds like you've got an annual policy, they'll only cover for 12 months from the start date of the illness, these are OK but if he gets ill with the same thing later on in life, he won't be covered.    Problem you have when changing policies now is this will be detailed as a pre-existing condition so will probably be excluded from other insurers anyway now. 

http://www.petinsuranceonline.co.uk/

Could we have opted for a different policy than the 'annual' type then? Maybe we need to find one 

[Jeanette]

To me it sounds like your insurance only covers vets bills per condition for one year.  After that date they wouldn't cover further claims for the same illness or condition IYSWIM

We just sat down and talked about it again, and figured the same thing. So are they saying he can have this condition for one year, but after that they wont pay if it was to happen again?

For instance if he broke his leg in 2010 and then again in 2013 we wouldn't be able to claim? Is this normal of a policy? I guess if this is what they are saying then we would look for a different company to use. How can you guarantee you never need to claim for the same condition twice 

Sounds like you've got an annual policy, they'll only cover for 12 months from the start date of the illness, these are OK but if he gets ill with the same thing later on in life, he won't be covered.    Problem you have when changing policies now is this will be detailed as a pre-existing condition so will probably be excluded from other insurers anyway now. 

http://www.petinsuranceonline.co.uk/

Could we have opted for a different policy than the 'annual' type then? Maybe we need to find one 

Some companies only operate the annual cover and their price reflects this, who are you with?

[ladylola]

Looks like you have the time limit type of cover rather than lifetime cover. The first only covers for 12 months. Whereas lifetime covers up to old age as long as you renew the policy each year. If you look at the petplan policies it explains this. The lifetime policies cost more but it is worth paying for, as you ust never know 

[vikki.k]

To me it sounds like your insurance only covers vets bills per condition for one year.  After that date they wouldn't cover further claims for the same illness or condition IYSWIM

We just sat down and talked about it again, and figured the same thing. So are they saying he can have this condition for one year, but after that they wont pay if it was to happen again?

For instance if he broke his leg in 2010 and then again in 2013 we wouldn't be able to claim? Is this normal of a policy? I guess if this is what they are saying then we would look for a different company to use. How can you guarantee you never need to claim for the same condition twice 

Sounds like you've got an annual policy, they'll only cover for 12 months from the start date of the illness, these are OK but if he gets ill with the same thing later on in life, he won't be covered.    Problem you have when changing policies now is this will be detailed as a pre-existing condition so will probably be excluded from other insurers anyway now. 

http://www.petinsuranceonline.co.uk/

Could we have opted for a different policy than the 'annual' type then? Maybe we need to find one 

Some companies only operate the annual cover and their price reflects this, who are you with?

Petplan, so wish we had the lifetime cover, but guess we didn't know you could have it. Learning curve hey! Wonder if we can change now 

[JaspersMum]

This is what Petplan say about their two options

What is lifetime cover?
Our Covered for Life policies provide a broad range of cover and are designed for pet owners concerned about their pet developing a long-term, chronic or recurring illness. These include arthritis or eczema and would need treating by a vet over a long period of time, often for life. As long as the Covered for Life policy is renewed each year without a break, we will continue to provide cover for any illnesses right into the petīs old age. This is a popular type of cover for pedigree cats and dogs, as they are more prone to chronic illnesses

What is time-limited cover?
Our Pet Value policy gives pet owners valuable protection for a limited period after any injury or illness that needs vet treatment. Generally costing less than our Covered for Life policies, Pet Value provides up to Ģ3,000 of cover for each illness or injury for up to 12 months from when the problem was first noticed. This is a popular type of cover for owners of crossbreed cats who are worried about the immediate high cost of treatment after an injury, such as a road accident, or illness.

I doubt that they will retrospectively change the type of policy you have, but you'll never know if you don't ask.  There may be a cooling off period where you could change what you signed up to but only if you've renewed very recently.  The claim seems to have been under the "time limit" cover though so guess they wouldn't change the fact that this particular illness will be excluded in future (the vet would have to show that any future problems were un-connected  ). 

However if you change to another company, it would still be a pre-existing condition and excluded too.  That said, how would an insurance company ever know that there had been a claim before