'Existing medical condition' just for sickness and diawotsits?

[abkb]

Hi all,

My little Molly has had a poorly tum the past couple of days, diawotsits and being sick a couple of hours after her meals (although she was still her usual perky self).  After advice from her breeder, I took her to the vets who gave her an injection, some tablets and some diarsanyl paste.  She's much better now.

The total amount was something like £95 for the two vet visits and medication.

I'm with Sainsbury's life time cover, and my excess is £75.  The vet receptionist asked me for a claim form which I gave in and signed.  They then said that I will have to stay with Sainsbury's now, basically for the whole of Molly's life, because her gastroenteritis will be viewed as an existing medical condition.  Is this right?  If it is, I completely don't understand this!  Surely most dogs are sick/have diarrhoea once in a while?  I really don't want to be tied to Sainsbury's, but I don't see what other option I have.

Also, is it actually worth claiming for the £20 back?

Sorry for the questions, this is all completely new to me.  Any help would be very much appreciated.

[Sharon]

I think I would have just paid the £20 and not bothered claiming

[seaangler]

Me to more than once ...I have had bills of around that sum..(And not bothered to claim)

[ladylola]

Insurance is a minefield, but whether you claim or not it will be in your dogs vet records. If you move insurance and claim for something else or another poorly tummy they will want a copy of your dogs history and you can bet your boots they will jump on it and say that is a pre-existing condition.

[sazzysue]

Insurance is a minefield, but whether you claim or not it will be in your dogs vet records. If you move insurance and claim for something else or another poorly tummy they will want a copy of your dogs history and you can bet your boots they will jump on it and say that is a pre-existing condition.

As someone that works for an Insurance company  I'm afraid to say that the statement above is true, it wouldn't make a difference whether you claimed or not it still be in the dog's history and your vet has to provide this to them when making any claim & if they can link it at all, then it's classed as a pre-existing condition & it won't be covered if you decide to change companies

[PennyB]

sometimes they do put an amnesty on certain illnesses if they don't have any problems within a certain period of time though if you change

[Neon]

Can something as simple as an infection that's cleared up with anti b's be classed as an ongoing illness.  I thought it would be something like diabetes - something that the dog will have to live with for the rest of it's life.   

[penfold]

Can something as simple as an infection that's cleared up with anti b's be classed as an ongoing illness.  I thought it would be something like diabetes - something that the dog will have to live with for the rest of it's life.   

Seems daft doesn't it, especially with a breed like cockers who will, and do, eat undesirable stuff in life, leading to upset tums. 

[sazzysue]

sometimes they do put an amnesty on certain illnesses if they don't have any problems within a certain period of time though if you change

Different Insurers can have different underwriting.

Before changing companies ring the Insurers up & ask them, if they advise that it would be covered, jot down person's name, date & time before transferring to that company, or even ask for it to be confirmed in writing, then if there is a dispute when you come to claim, you have proof, (all calls are recorded).

[Neon]

Can something as simple as an infection that's cleared up with anti b's be classed as an ongoing illness.  I thought it would be something like diabetes - something that the dog will have to live with for the rest of it's life.   

Seems daft doesn't it, especially with a breed like cockers who will, and do, eat undesirable stuff in life leading to upset tums. 

[black taz]

dont think that by paying the bill yourself rather than claiming will help.  when you make a claim they often write to the vets for a full medical history, in which case they would have to identify the illness, and then irrelevant of whether you claim they still class it as an existing condition.

Check this on your home policies also.  Recently we rang to enquire whether we could claim for something (KIra had been sick on our bed which had gone through to the matress).  Even though we were told we couldnt claim they put it down as us suffering a loss (read the small print) and the next year our policy shot up in price - its all in the terminology!  We rang another company for a quote and they knew about the "loss" even before i mentioned it - so dont think moving companies will help either.

Sorry to be so negative. 

[Maria]

My experience says it depends on who you re-insure with.
When we moved Boysie to another Co. he was hypothyroid , so that was not covered as it required continuous meds. However, when he had an ear infection (which he'd had a couple of , the last one being a year or so before changing), that was covered, as the ins co (Axa) considered them to be 'one offs', and not pre-existing unless there had a long periods of continuous treatment . They wanted his last year's vet records before deciding it was OK, so whether you claim or not is immaterial.
So, depending on who you might want to change to, it might be OK

[LurcherGirl]

I think I would have just paid the £20 and not bothered claiming

That won't stop it being a pre-existing condition though. A new insurance company will ask for medical history, not just for claims made.

Anything that might be a on-off may or may not be covered. I know that the new insurance company covered new accidents for my lurcher, eventhough they were of the same kind. They will however not cover medical conditions...

I have moved one of my dogs despite a pre-existing conditions (hypothyroidsm and allergies) and haven't claimed on those two issues. But in the long run it will be worth it for me as I can easily afford this sort of on-going treatment but not big outlays.