When would you make a claim?

[Neon]

Just wondering how much your vet bill would have to be before you claimed from your pet insurance.  For example, if your excess was £70 and the bill was £100, would you claim the £30 or would you class that amount as too small and only claim if it was a lot more than that.

[ollie nathan's mum]

i think my bill would need to be around £130 before I would claim

[Emilyoliver]

I've not claimed for anything less than £200. If it's a condition that needs treatment and check-ups over a number of weeks like ollie's recent anal gland infection, I claim at the end of the treatment, by which time it's accumulated to above £200. Saves filling in lots of forms, but not sure how other insurance companies work. Mine are with Sainsbury's.

[GeoW]

A tricky subject and I suppose it depends on how much you can afford to not make a claim, and how frequent treatment is required.

We have resisted making claims for George who is now in his eleventh year for any bills under £100 for the usual non specific stomach bug/ ear infection sort of problem, yet I would claim for one off type of problems such as a self limiting injury if the treatment cost went much above that.

We have always treated the insurance as  the backstop for any serious and expensive treatments that may arise.

The situation arose in the last few months with bouts of acute pancreatitis and gall bladder issues,  the cost of ongoing drugs is over £50 per month and treatment has cost over £1200 thus far.

This is the sort of thing we took the insurance out to cover.

Up until George was nine we used to shop around annually for pet insurance and usually made savings, but now of course with his age and current problem we are stuck with the  current insurer.

At least the monthly premiums are less than the monthly cost of his treatment, and he is also covered for other complaints.

[Helen]

I'd only claim over £150 - excess is £70.  All I have to do is sign the form, the vets fill out the rest  

[Evadee]

Our excess is £90.  Not claimed yet, think we would only claim if it got close to £200.  Just had a bill last week for £105!  OH was narked but I explained to him that the whole point of pet insurance (to me) is to cover what you can't afford or what really makes a big hole in your finances.

[Neon]

I explained to him that the whole point of pet insurance (to me) is to cover what you can't afford or what really makes a big hole in your finances.

Yes, I think that's the best way of looking at it.  I've paid out just over £92 in the last week.  The insurance has an excess of £65 and if I made a claim, I would have to pay £5.50 for the vet report as well, so it's not really worth claiming.
Thanks for the replies.

[LurcherGirl]

Up to recently, I would always have claimed as that's what insurance is for. However, up to recently, pet insurance companies didn't penalise you for it. That has changed so now I would think about claiming for smaller amount, though I don't actually know what my limit would be as I haven't been in that situation yet! My dogs somehow never "create" small problems. 

[angie68]

I would only claim if over £120 i think.
I will be making a claim in the next few weeks once Connie is given the all clear as so far it's £210.00 and there is a follow up appointment and i'm not sure if there will be any more tests or treatments offered so i think it will end up being a minimum of £250.00 so i can't afford to not claim this time.
Angie x

[PennyB]

I make a claim as soon as I go over the excess unless I know I have to have more treatment shortly after (you often have to make a claim within a certain time period of the vet visit) - I took out insurance to cover my vet bills large and small not just the large ones

[Neon]

Toby's eye treatment plus the recent colitis treatment has now cost £140 which would be worth claiming but I doubt very much that the insurance company would pay out as they would class it as two separate claims, so the £48 for the colitis treatment is under the excess IYSWIM.