Arrgghh! Blipping pet insurance

[Tinkerbelle]

lol toads was a typo should have made "to make".

The claim was refused in the first place because the vet made rubbish notes. The insurance company decided to interpret her notes as meaning I was told to have his teeth out but what she actually said was for me to clean his teeth. The logic was that the claim was refused because I hadn't had his teeth taken out within a year of that treatment being recommended. But all the vet had said was for me to clean his teeth !

Not surprising the vet couldn't remember one way or the other what she had said.

So when the claim was refused, I went after the vet's surgery because the vet's half arsed notes meant the insurance wouldn't pay. And I was gobsmacked when the rolled over and said they'd pay. £869!!

The ombudsman agreed that the insurance should have paid but allowed the insurance to come up with another reason not to pay. I argued that and won and now they've come up with another reason. I are wasting my time.

 

[Toril]

I lost faith in Petplan when my cat was alive. I won first prize in a photo competition (the photo was of my cat, Mowgli) and the prize was insurance with Petplan. They sent forms to complete and I stated that she was a diabetic (diagnosed at the age of 7) and, although the only treatment she required was a quarter of a pill each day, they wrote and said they wouldn't insure her and the prize was null and void. The pills cost pennies and apart from the diabetes she was extremely healthy. She sadly had to be put to sleep because of kidney failure at the age of 18 ........ so she was diabetic for 11 years and had been fit and well until the onset of the kidney problems at the age of 17.

I can understand that they may have thought she was a risk, but they could at least have offered the prize for a year, instead of for life. It felt like winning the lottery and then finding that I'd lost the ticket in the next breath.

It seems that all insurance companies have small print that enables them to wriggle out of a contract when it suits them!

 

[Tinkerbelle]

I have a love hate relationship with them. Alfie has health issues and they have never refused a claim. I've claimed over £2000 for Alf in the past four years. The first time I try to claim for Harvey and its a complete no go. Christ Alf must be over £3000 now as he's had dental treatment of £1800!!

No matter how long the cats are insured for I will never pay them more than they'll have to pay me. Alf has £500 every other year in heart tests. And he will probably need at least one more dental treatment. That could be anything up to £1000.

As beautiful as he is, health wise he's an absolute duffer.

 

[janie]

tink - right, got it. well, annoying and time wasting as it is, the main thing is you don't have to fork out.

toril - wow, that's awful.

i thought petplan was supposed to be the best as well!

 

[SparklyBarbs]

I've not had to claim for Hopey yet (touch wood) but i think they always try to wiggle out of paying, and
that goes for house insurance also, there's always a clause.

Good for you Tink taking it so far, and getting the vet to pay was a suprise.. Some people would have given up,
the things we do for our pussy cats

 

[janie]

as you know my lot wiggled out of it good and proper....

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Well I've spoken to my adjudicator at the Ombudsman today and there is one more stage I can go through but the only outcome I can get now is for the Ombudsman to push Petplan to award me compensation. And what the hell. I'm going to go for it. I've nothing to lose other than writing one letter.

I can also report them to the FSA but the FSA won't investigate individual cases but if enough people complain about the same thing they will take Petplan to task. I might as well do that as not.

To some degree I think the insurance companies bank on the fact that people will give up and not fight. And that in itself is wrong.

I'm lucky that I am not out of pocket but that is only because I pushed and my vet didn't put up much resistance.

They're buggers really.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Ooo. A new development. The ombudsman has recommended that Petplan pay me £150 for the distress and inconvenience their original refusal has caused! They can't make Petplan pay but apparently this kind of recommendation is often followed as the insurers don't like to be seen to pip the ombudsman service off.

We shall see!

 

[SparklyBarbs]

Its better than nothing Tink and maybe , hopefully sign of good things to come. Well done on fighting

 

[Just Beauty Direct]

I lost faith in Petplan when my cat was alive. I won first prize in a photo competition (the photo was of my cat, Mowgli) and the prize was insurance with Petplan. They sent forms to complete and I stated that she was a diabetic (diagnosed at the age of 7) and, although the only treatment she required was a quarter of a pill each day, they wrote and said they wouldn't insure her and the prize was null and void. The pills cost pennies and apart from the diabetes she was extremely healthy. She sadly had to be put to sleep because of kidney failure at the age of 18 ........ so she was diabetic for 11 years and had been fit and well until the onset of the kidney problems at the age of 17.

I can understand that they may have thought she was a risk, but they could at least have offered the prize for a year, instead of for life. It felt like winning the lottery and then finding that I'd lost the ticket in the next breath.

It seems that all insurance companies have small print that enables them to wriggle out of a contract when it suits them!

That Sucks Toril. I am disgusted. So did they limit the competition to only young and well cats?
I am not surprised you were so gutted.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Right. They've offered me £100 but very much on the basis that I take the cash and shut up about it. Given that the next stage will take at least a year and I could still come away with nothing I'm minded to take it. I don't honestly believe if I take it to the next stage that the Ombudsman will find in my favour. The adjudicator allowed them to bring in two additional reasons and the final one I can't argue with.

And as I've already said I'm not put if pocket because my vet settled the claim, I think I'll take the £100 and shut up.

They have also agreed that gingivitis is no longer an exclusion on his policy.

It's already been a year to get this far. I think I'm giving up.

 

[Frazzled]

Bliddy insurance companies!

And that competition business Toril - stinks!

 

[Toril]

Right. They've offered me £100 but very much on the basis that I take the cash and shut up about it. Given that the next stage will take at least a year and I could still come away with nothing I'm minded to take it. I don't honestly believe if I take it to the next stage that the Ombudsman will find in my favour. The adjudicator allowed them to bring in two additional reasons and the final one I can't argue with.

And as I've already said I'm not put if pocket because my vet settled the claim, I think I'll take the £100 and shut up.

They have also agreed that gingivitis is no longer an exclusion on his policy.

It's already been a year to get this far. I think I'm giving up.

I admire the fact that you continued to pursue it where many would have given up. I'm sorry it wasn't the outcome that you deserved, but I suppose £100 is better than nothing and at least the gingivitis is included on his policy now.

That Sucks Toril. I am disgusted. So did they limit the competition to only young and well cats?
I am not surprised you were so gutted.

They said that because she already had been diagnosed with a condition that needed monitoring that they could not offer the prize to me. I could have lied when I completed the forms, but I'm too honest. Unlike Tinkerbelle I didn't bother taking any further action. Maybe I should have done, but the fact that she'd won the competition appeased me a little. :wink:

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Once I put my mind to something I won't give up easily. Up until about two months I was fighting a decision that I knew was absolutely wrong. I was actually angry because the implication was that I left my cat in pain and in need of surgery for a year and did nothing about it. I would never do that. That's really what spurred me on in the beginning.

That and the £869 dent in my wallet lol.

I do think that insurers expect people to give up. Well they picked the wrong bird this time.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

The cheque had arrived and the new superdooper scratching post has been ordered. )

Thought they would make me wait a lot longer. Also the letter says that the cheque is in line with the ruling of the Financial Ombudsman so they aren't just bunging me a cheque they are acknowledging that they have been kicked up the arse by the Ombudsman.

Am happy with that result. Also happy to help anyone else with a claim to fight. I've learnt a lot about how insurance works and how to keep fighting so if I can help anyone else here do the same I will gladly do so.