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fluffymummy
Dogsey Senior
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Location: London, UK
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Female 
 
15-01-2010, 02:34 PM

Pre-existing condition?

My More than insurance renewal is due soon and they have increased the excess to £70 and added the 10% of the total vet bill, plus my monthly payment has gone up from £15.03 to £25.75.
So I thought I'd shop around and see what else is there... Thought I'd call NFU mutual as they only do phone quotes.
They asked about previous claims and I told them when Fluffy was about 5 months old he got sick (vomiting, lethargic) after eating some blueberries (now I think that's what it was). We thought he'd eaten some packaging as we'd just unpacked some parcels with polystyrene, so vet kept him for obs for one day and did an x-ray to check for obstruction... the total bill came up to £400 something... So the NFU kindly informed me that in Fluffy's case anything to do with stomach will be classified as pre-existing condition??? So if he was to develop stomach cancer in a few years time (god forbid), they would have not cover that? And they have told me that every insurer will say the same!
Does that mean I'll have to stay with More Than forever?
In people's terms if I were to get food poisoning once that would mean pre-existing condition for insurance?
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Lucky Star
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15-01-2010, 04:04 PM
Hi - I don't know, I'm afraid but it is disgusting.

I don't understand how they can do this because surely then, given their rationale,
anything could potentially be related back to some other ailment, especially if it involved the same organ or body part. For instance, if the dog had a paw injury, would they then be able to rule out any future insurance for problems with that paw, such as arthritis etc. because it might somehow be linked?

I wonder if they would have to prove that any future cancer was related to this incident and how they could do it? I wonder what they'd say if your vet stated otherwise at the time?

What a minefield.
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Benzmum
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15-01-2010, 04:10 PM
I don't know if this is of any help to you but when Ben was just over 1 he had a urinary tract problem (some on here may remember me being in a complete state because the vet mentioned renal failure)

He was succesfully treated over about 7 weeks and it turned out to be a kidney infection which also effected the urinary tract. Anyway thats when I started to think about Insurance as I realised how costly it could have been.

So I shopped around and most said they would not cover anything to do with kidneys, or urinary tract but Petplan (who I am still insured with) said that if after a year from completion of his treatment I got a letter from the vet stating what his diagnosis was and that no lasting damage had been caused and he had been symptom free for a year or more then they would remove the exclusion and right enough the y did I now have no exclusions on Bens Policy.

I don't know if any other insurers do this but it might be worth asking
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fluffymummy
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15-01-2010, 04:27 PM
I know, it's disgusting! I'm getting a headache just looking at all the quotes!
And yes anything can be linked to anything... he's had an ear infection which was treated by drops, didn't claim for that as it was just about the amount of excess... so does that mean he'll never have cover for anything that may happen to his ear? grrrr

Well I've just provisionally taken Animal Friends insurance which seemed to offer a good cover at a reasonable price.

I've just copied the presumptions from their website which confuses me even more!
* You accept that we shall not provide cover for any illness, injury, symptoms or conditions that are pre-existing at the date you take out your policy with us or which exist at the time you take out the policy or any matters related to them
* You accept that we reserve the right to apply an exclusion to your policy in respect of any illnesses, injuries, symptoms or conditions that we subsequently learn were pre-existing or existing at the time you took out your policy with us or within the 14 day Waiting Period as is defined in the Policy Terms.

According to that, if he had an illness or injury that was cured or no longer having the symptoms they should NOT be excluded.
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fluffymummy
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15-01-2010, 04:35 PM
Originally Posted by Benzmum View Post
I don't know if this is of any help to you but when Ben was just over 1 he had a urinary tract problem (some on here may remember me being in a complete state because the vet mentioned renal failure)

He was succesfully treated over about 7 weeks and it turned out to be a kidney infection which also effected the urinary tract. Anyway thats when I started to think about Insurance as I realised how costly it could have been.

So I shopped around and most said they would not cover anything to do with kidneys, or urinary tract but Petplan (who I am still insured with) said that if after a year from completion of his treatment I got a letter from the vet stating what his diagnosis was and that no lasting damage had been caused and he had been symptom free for a year or more then they would remove the exclusion and right enough the y did I now have no exclusions on Bens Policy.

I don't know if any other insurers do this but it might be worth asking
Thanks for that, have to steer clear of Pet Plan as they charge crazy fees for my breed - it's rare, but fairly free from any hereditary health problems - I remember looking at the quotes last year and they quoted about £40 per month to insure him! More Than insured him under Bichon Frise as the breed was not listed - they were fine by that. Animal Friends quoted me £20.66 (£69 excess) for their Prime Plus cover and he would be insured under his correct breed - Coton de Tulear.
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JoedeeUK
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15-01-2010, 04:37 PM
The only claim that was ever made for one my dogs was for an inter digital cyst being frozen off. Cost £17.50 so I got £2.50 back.

When the renewal came through the premiums had gone up to £180 from £46 a year & any injury or condition involving his legs including HD wouldn't be covered

I very quickly told them where they could put their policy & the dog concerned never had another day's illness in his life !
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Jackie
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15-01-2010, 04:46 PM
Originally Posted by fluffymummy View Post
My More than insurance renewal is due soon and they have increased the excess to £70 and added the 10% of the total vet bill, plus my monthly payment has gone up from £15.03 to £25.75.
So I thought I'd shop around and see what else is there... Thought I'd call NFU mutual as they only do phone quotes.
They asked about previous claims and I told them when Fluffy was about 5 months old he got sick (vomiting, lethargic) after eating some blueberries (now I think that's what it was). We thought he'd eaten some packaging as we'd just unpacked some parcels with polystyrene, so vet kept him for obs for one day and did an x-ray to check for obstruction... the total bill came up to £400 something... So the NFU kindly informed me that in Fluffy's case anything to do with stomach will be classified as pre-existing condition??? So if he was to develop stomach cancer in a few years time (god forbid), they would have not cover that? And they have told me that every insurer will say the same!
Does that mean I'll have to stay with More Than forever?
In people's terms if I were to get food poisoning once that would mean pre-existing condition for insurance?
I am afraid thats the way all insurances work, and sadly even if you change to another, they will look at your records from the vet if any claims arise, and if as you say there are notes referring to A,B ,C they will exclude anything that might be deemed relevant to A,B,C.

Some insurers will /may do as Benzmum has said, and give a time limit against any illness..but my bet it the premium will be high!

You can always if the case arises get your vet to speak to insurers and see if he can make it clear that the condition you may be claiming for is not related to A,B.C! but its a gamble..(been there in the past)

My insurance renewal has just come to, and considering I claimed £4000 last yr for Bandit, I expected my premium to shoot shy high, and it has with an added note to say I have reached my limit on "that " pre existing claim

Sometimes in these cases its best to just stay with what you know.

You can shop around, but the NFU are usually pretty good , so I cant see you getting a better deal anywhere else,

Worth a look though!
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fluffymummy
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15-01-2010, 05:02 PM
Originally Posted by JoedeeUK View Post
The only claim that was ever made for one my dogs was for an inter digital cyst being frozen off. Cost £17.50 so I got £2.50 back.

When the renewal came through the premiums had gone up to £180 from £46 a year & any injury or condition involving his legs including HD wouldn't be covered

I very quickly told them where they could put their policy & the dog concerned never had another day's illness in his life !
Wow, did you get a cover from anyone else?
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fluffymummy
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15-01-2010, 05:08 PM
Originally Posted by Jackbox View Post
I am afraid thats the way all insurances work, and sadly even if you change to another, they will look at your records from the vet if any claims arise, and if as you say there are notes referring to A,B ,C they will exclude anything that might be deemed relevant to A,B,C.

Some insurers will /may do as Benzmum has said, and give a time limit against any illness..but my bet it the premium will be high!

You can always if the case arises get your vet to speak to insurers and see if he can make it clear that the condition you may be claiming for is not related to A,B.C! but its a gamble..(been there in the past)

My insurance renewal has just come to, and considering I claimed £4000 last yr for Bandit, I expected my premium to shoot shy high, and it has with an added note to say I have reached my limit on "that " pre existing claim

Sometimes in these cases its best to just stay with what you know.

You can shop around, but the NFU are usually pretty good , so I cant see you getting a better deal anywhere else,

Worth a look though!
NFU would not even offer me a life cover as my claim was for over £200!
Got a quote from Animal Friends, I'm expecting the proposal documents in a few days so will have to see.
I read their policy wording carefully and could not find that him having a food poisoning at the time would exclude future claims. Will get it in writing obviously and as I'll be seeing vet soon I'll have a chat with him.
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Benzmum
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15-01-2010, 05:08 PM
Originally Posted by Jackbox View Post
I am afraid thats the way all insurances work, and sadly even if you change to another, they will look at your records from the vet if any claims arise, and if as you say there are notes referring to A,B ,C they will exclude anything that might be deemed relevant to A,B,C.

Some insurers will /may do as Benzmum has said, and give a time limit against any illness..but my bet it the premium will be high!

You can always if the case arises get your vet to speak to insurers and see if he can make it clear that the condition you may be claiming for is not related to A,B.C! but its a gamble..(been there in the past)


My insurance renewal has just come to, and considering I claimed £4000 last yr for Bandit, I expected my premium to shoot shy high, and it has with an added note to say I have reached my limit on "that " pre existing claim

Sometimes in these cases its best to just stay with what you know.

You can shop around, but the NFU are usually pretty good , so I cant see you getting a better deal anywhere else,

Worth a look though!
I bet in the majority of cases thats 100%. I think we have been really lucky, she says touching wood
My 1st year premium for Ben was £13.60 for £3000 per condition per year for life of pet. We are now £17.90 for £5000 per condition per year for life and that was after my £3780 claimed for op last year and £680 for complimentary treatment accupuncture and Hydrotherapy.

I was quite surprised they would cover existing conditions after the year but they didn't exactly volunteer that info, when I discussed it they said well all conditions to do with his urinary tract would be excluded and I said what forever and thats when they said about letter from vets.

I'd think having him insured as the correct breed is paramount as can just imagine them using that to wriggle out of a claim, even though they suggested it
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