To not disclose this....

[Nostrings457]

New puppy, needed a trip to the vets before we had even got insurance. Now looking for insurance - DH says not to disclose to insurance, just go to a different vet. AIBU to think that would be foolish and surely insurance companies would somehow have acces to that info? Its a skin condition which the breed is prone to. We were wanting lifetime insurance.

Oh FFS .

Non disclosure just entitles the insurer to avoid the policy.

The oh-you-will-get-arrested-and-go-to -prison-it's-fraud is for fraudulent claims - like making up claims for fictional let's (as per the link above).

So if OP makes a claim when she doesn't have a dog, that's fraud

If she fails to disclose a pre-existing condition or responds incorrectly on the application form (eg wrong breed of dog!), she just isn't going to have a valid insurance policy. She isn't going to prison!

Part of having a pet is paying for its healthcare. If you can't afford to do that without breaking the law, maybe you shouldn't have a pet in the first place.

Tyanks for all your replies. I am going to phone the insurance company and just disclose it. Not worth all the hassle

I can see that you have now decided to disclose it which is good.

When my dog had his first ever claim they asked for a full history from my vets so they could see 'everything' I had ever been for. I think it would have been very obvious if there had been a 'gap' at the beginning.

The best you can do is go for a good cover and when you disclose it understand the exclusions and then ask if they will consider removing them if the condition does not need treatment in the immediate future.

Best case scenario they cancel your policy which you then have to declare, making insuring your pet a lot more expensive.

whenever I get insurance quotes (car, home) I think there's usually a question about whether you have been turned down for other insurance policies - so may impact on other costs too?

If the puppy is KC registered he may already have insurance? If so just stick with that, it’s expensive but pup will be covered.

Can you disclose it and get insurance for everything except the skin condition?

But if the puppy is still very young I would consider going back to the breeder for "defective goods". And if they decline, post about it on social media...

@Nostrings457

If you get found out (which you will,) good luck getting insurance for your pets again - ever.

Why did you not take out insurance the DAY you got the puppy?

Would you buy a car, and then not insure it until you have a crash/accident?

No.

Why?

Because it's illegal, and you would be in a lot of trouble.

There's your answer.

Don't do it!

Cough up this time, and then start the insurance after it, and make sure you DISCLOSE this visit to the vet, and why your puppy went.

@Nostrings457

Ooops, missed your post at 7.03.

Good for you.

As you were.

Glad you're going to do that.

There's also an issue with getting other insurances if you were found out - isn't there a box you have to tick when you get any kind of insurance which asks if you've ever had insurance refused or withdrawn, and I believe the insurance companies share this info industry wide now.

@Isleepinahedgefund yes there is a platform / system we all have which allows us to type in, name, DOB, road name, full address, phone number, previous names etc to check and see this time of information. (Which sometimes they do there and then on the phone with you... ever wondered why when you call a insurance company you just got put on hold or "why their system is going slow". That particular piece of software isn't the fastest as it takes time to do its search sometimes especially when there's not a lot of information to go off.

I agree with PP that all insurance companies I have dealt with seem to ask if I have ever been refused insurance for anything in the past. It really isn't worth it in the long term.

OP I know people who had to go to the vets in the initial few weeks when they won't insure illnesses. They got an exclusion which fortunately was removed after a certain period but they did have to ask if they would consider the exclusion to be time dependant if no other episodes occurred. Really worth looking into that.

@TigerOnATrain

No I wouldn't get a car and not insure it until I had a crash because that would be illegal. Not insuring a dog is not illegal.

Of course we know we should have insured him the DAY we got him however unlike you it seems, I'm not perfect

Bought by many insure things like this for a decent price! Call them and be honest

I think OP people were concerned about your dog not coming with breeder's insurance? It smacks of a dodgy breeder.

Before you go ahead with your new insurance company, do as others have suggested and contact the breeder to see if they insured him because (again as others have said) if he us already insured you’d probably be better off continuing that insurance as it will most likely have been done before his skin condition was diagnosed.

I’ve done that but it was years ago but at the second vets my DH registered the dog in his name and at his mums address which was where he insured the puppy
We didn’t have a problem with claiming it was also for a skin condition that was for life but kept under control by medication and special shampoos

However if your getting insurance you want one that has resets the amount insured for each year
And not one that is per condition
If your puppy’s has a skin condition is on going and possibly for life and you have insurance which Is say 4000 per condition once you have used up that 4K you can’t claim for that condition again during the puppy’s lifetime
So you need to check exactly what your getting covered for
You generally need to wait for at least a month for any claims though .
Did you not get free insurance when you got the puppy from the breeder
When we have a a litter of puppies because they are kC registered the new owners get 4 weeks free cover with the KC