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To scam pet insurance

65 replies

serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 01:48

I'm having a problem with my kitten and I'm worried he may need surgery. We have an appointment later today. It's with a new vet and I haven't mentioned him seeing a previous vet already for the same concern. He didn't have insurance at that time as I'd just got him days previously. I have him insured now for £3000 treatment costs, but it will not cover him for anything that started before I took it out. Will the insurance company be able to find bis previous record ?

OP posts:
serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 02:52

RickyGervaislovesdogs · 25/07/2024 02:44

I think you have to wait so long before claiming, check the policy.

Obviously you would need to lie about when symptoms started. If your new vet is competent they won’t need the previous vets knowledge or diagnosis.
I’d do it in your shoes. You have no idea if the symptoms are linked or require an op. Could be totally unrelated.

@Kay286 why are you putting a sarky smiley face on?

I think that's true, and he tries to eat things all the time so I wouldn't necessarily know if it was from the same time even if it is linked, neither would the insurance but I feel like they might be difficult about it if I share the records

OP posts:
Kay286 · 25/07/2024 02:48

@RickyGervaislovesdogs it’s not a sarky face , it’s a smile because it’s such a common fraud , new policy, immediate claim , glaring fraud indicator right there , the smile was to gently confirm it we know it happens !

serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 02:46

I wish I could remember whether I answered yes or no to whether he'd seen a vet before when i took it out. I've had coverage for about 6 weeks

OP posts:
serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 02:44

I don't even think I would get a loan my credit is terrible

OP posts:
RickyGervaislovesdogs · 25/07/2024 02:44

I think you have to wait so long before claiming, check the policy.

Obviously you would need to lie about when symptoms started. If your new vet is competent they won’t need the previous vets knowledge or diagnosis.
I’d do it in your shoes. You have no idea if the symptoms are linked or require an op. Could be totally unrelated.

@Kay286 why are you putting a sarky smiley face on?

serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 02:42

@Hateliars34 He keeps throwing up. He ate something that could have got lodged in his gut. I keep thinking he's fine but then he will vomit a few days in a row.

OP posts:
ultraviolet4753 · 25/07/2024 02:41

That's fraud.
My insurance you can't make a claim for the first two weeks, check yours.
Someone messed up my cat insurance and now I'm stuck paying for what is classed as pre existing conditions.

They note down what you say on the telephone when making appointments, so that sick note has to be from after you got insurance.

You might want to increase your cover, £3 k is very low coverage. We had £7k before and i was worried. Changed to one worth £14k coverage.
10 years ago my cat broke her ankle and it was £3500. God knows what it would be now.
One night in the Emergency Vet was £1500, then £1k each night after. My policy year renewed 20 minutes before she was admitted and I had to pray all year she wouldn't get ill again.

My mums cat got cancer. She had £7k coverage and it cost over £14k in one year, so was hugely out of pocket and premiums went up, but can't switch as locked in.

Who are you with? Need to make sure they pay claims out.

Hateliars34 · 25/07/2024 02:38

Try it. If the insurance asks about the previous visit at a different vet you can say you didn't think it was related as it was days after you got your kitten. As your vet doesn't have the records of this, I doubt they would go around asking every vet in the area if you've ever taken your kitten there!

What is the health problem? Hope your kitty is okay!

Kay286 · 25/07/2024 02:37

serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 02:19

I didn't transfer anything, I just registered at the new vet because it was cheaper. They never asked me if they had a previous vet

But the fraud will be when you try and claim and they ask the date this was initially symptoms presented /diagnoses/ noted by a vet - which is the first vet … before you had coverage . Also it will be a huge red flag to the insurer a diagnosis/claim just after policy inception …. So additional validation will be required because we know people do this :)

McSpoot · 25/07/2024 02:37

Besides committing fraud, you're harming your kitten by withholding the information you have from the previous vet which could help the new vet more quickly diagnosis and treat your kitten.

serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 02:20

I hope he is just ok and doesn't need treatment, this is so stressful

OP posts:
serialcatbuyer · 25/07/2024 02:19

I didn't transfer anything, I just registered at the new vet because it was cheaper. They never asked me if they had a previous vet

OP posts:
RickyGervaislovesdogs · 25/07/2024 02:10

So you registered and went to one veterinary surgery and they mentioned something was wrong and then you transferred the details elsewhere or you went to another surgery completely and registered the kitten again?

Kay286 · 25/07/2024 01:55

Well I’m a fraud investigator for insurance .. so I’d advise against it ! And yes of course there are ways to detect and flag this up ….

Pippa12 · 25/07/2024 01:53

I’m not sure. When I’ve changed vets they’ve asked for previous vets details but I’m not sure how they’d know if you told them it was their first visit.

Check there isn’t a clause about how soon you can claim, there was on my John Lewis pet insurance.

Needless to say it’s fraud, you’ll be in a sticky situation if you’re caught.

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