Claiming From Pet Insurance?

I need a bit of help here as I'm new to claiming from Pet Insurance and I'm not really sure the best way to go about it!

Oscar has been to the vet for a torn ear tip. To cut a long story short I've mentioned to the vet that I think he might have an issue with his blood clotting factors due to other issues and it cropping up in a couple of other HWVs. For the time being they've taken a blood sample to check his clotting and given me some cream to put on it. It's likely he'll have to be sedated at a later date to have it debrided etc.

The thing I need to know is, do I put the claim in now, or wait for the results and claim for both the blood tests and debridement if and when it happens? If I do put the claim in now, will the insurers then refuse my claim for the debridement saying it's a pre existing condition due to the cream and blood tests.

Put the claims in whenever you're happy doing so if you're happy to wait then just put one claim in if not then claim as you go along. If you have a policy where conditions are only covered for 12 months that will go from the date you saw the vet not the date you put a claim in so won't make any difference whether you claim now or wait. Although i have heard that some companys have a cut off date for claims of x amount of days from date of treatment so best thing for you to do really would be to read your policy.

Ok great, thanks.

When I had to claim for Jago's arthritis the claim only went in a few months after the initial treatment started as they didn't diagnose the arthritis straight away, thought it was something else at first but because it turned out it was all part of the same problem, they backdated the claim to the first appointment which was for his shoulder. I filled out my part of the form and took it down to the vet, they did the rest (I ticked the box to get the money paid directly to the vet rather than to me first, easier!). They just let me know when they needed another form for any subsequent claims and we did the same again Poor Oscar

Thanks for that, very helpful. I'm wondering if I send off two different claims I'll have to pay the excess twice? Or would it just be paid once if they're in relation to the same condition?

I don't know what your Sika is like but Oscar is soooooo accident prone. My kitchen is constantly splattered with blood - if it's not his tail, it's his foot, if it's not his foot it's his ear!

If you are not sure phone the insurers and ask if they want you to admit the claim now or wait till the bloods come back.

As for one or two claims, is the clotting being looked at by the vet as a separate issue (hereditary) to the breed, and the torn ear a separate issue?

Not sure how the insurers will look at that, best see what vet says, if you can admit it all in the same claim?

From personal experience, I usually send of for my claim form as soon as treatment has been administered, and while on the phone, will inform the insurers any forthcoming investigated or referral!

Also , not sure how your vet works, some will ask payment from you and the insurers pay you out.

Some will deal directly with insurers, so thats something you need to find out.

Also its worth considering, depending on your type of policy, is is it worth claiming on A, B or C... i.e.. the cut ear , whats the vets fees going to be be, and how much excess you have to pay, weighed up against "whether" your insurer will exclude any forthcoming related condition!!

I asked the vet if I would be able to claim for the blood tests in relation to the torn ear and she didn't think it would be a problem and offered to write them a letter. Basically she's wanting to check his clotting before considering debriding the ear incase there is another underlying reason for it not healing and so she can be aware of any other possible issues before dealing with the ear surgically.

I think it'll be worth while claiming as I don't think a torn ear tip is going to be a common thing. I'm now starting to doubt myself re the clotting as there wasn't a spot of blood on the dressing where they took the blood sample, but hey ho!

I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and ring the insurers.

Thinking about it, when I put the claim in for Bandits eye, we had been seeing the vet for around 6mths before I admitted the claim, I think as long as it is recorded at the vets, it wont be a problem if you leave claiming till you knwo what road the vet is going down.

They will pay the back vets bills , if they take the claim on, for instance, we had been claiming for Glaucoma and all the medication, for said condition for around 6 mths, till the tumor was diagnosed , as it was all connected, they paid out for all the previous costs!

Be very careful what you tell the insurers , the less you tell them the better, a wrong word may allow them to back out of the claim.

Speak to your vet first, get a good idea of what is involved cost wise , and then put your claim in, the insurers will contact the vet anyway to have access to his records, so it wont matter really if you put in one or two claims, they will decide what it is , when they see your records.

Hopefully they will deal it as one.

Who are you insured with? If it's all in relation to the same thing I would expect your vet would put it in as one claim? Unless, as mentioned, they are thinking of the actual injury as one claim and the clotting issue as something seperate. I guess that would be up to the vet.
Sika is a bit accident prone too, usually has one cut or another from fences normally *sigh*. She has an allergy to something and has bald patches on her toes, front legs and chest so that's the issue of the moment! Always something eh?!
I'd speak to your vet before you speak to your insurers as I'd think they'd give you a better idea what you are actually claiming for Again, as mentioned, the less said to the insurers the better

I meant as in biting the bullet today, rather than waiting which is what I'd rather do as I don't want to put my foot in it and say something I shouldn't. I think all things considered I'm going to wait and see what the blood tests reveal, if anything. That way I'll know where I stand, I've already paid the bill so at least the vet isn't waiting for their money!
It's funny but I met a couple of HWV owners at a Country Fair recently and they all said their dogs are extremely clumsy, so at least we're not alone!

Allergies do seem to be high up on the list of ailments in HWV, top of the list being ear problems! Don't I know it!

I will speak to my vet the next time we're in and wait before I ring my insurance company (esure, btw). Just gotta wait for the blood results now.