Insurance nightmare, please HELP!

[Hootytooty]

Hi everyone,
So I’m currently having a panic over my beloved cat right now. Any help anyone can offer will be so appreciated.

We have always had insurance for our pet cat since we first got him and chose lifetime cover, with a yearly limit of £4000. A few months back, the poor little thing ended up having an operation on his eye at a specialist vet, totalling just under the £4000 limit. Luckily our insurance company were great and paid out straight away, however this one operation used up our whole limit for the year and we cannot increase this until renewal next March.

Now 2 days ago and just a few months since his last operation, we took him to the vets about another (unrelated) issue. The vet has referred us to a specialist again and it’s looking like another operation, also looking to be a few thousand pounds again.

Obviously our old insurance policy will no longer cover this as we have used up our yearly limit, so I’ve taken out a new policy today. The problem is, the vets records show our cat has been referred two days ago to the specialist and now I don’t think our new policy will cover it as they will see it as ‘pre-existing’ the policy.

What I’d like to know is....

1. Has anyone had experience of anything like this and if so, was your vet able to change their records to show a later date? Had they of just waited two days later to refer him, we would be fine!

1. Would the referral clinic need to submit the date of referral to the insurance company at all? Or can they change the date on their paperwork when submitting the details to the insurance company?

Obviously the welfare of my pet is a huge factor here and whilst I know asking the vet to change the date he referred my pet, is perhaps not the most honest thing to do, I would do anything if it means we can afford to get them the treatment they need We’ve always been responsible owners and would never have neglected to take out insurance for our animals, it’s just bad luck that our poor pet had had such a bad year and an expensive operation already!

Any help at all would be so helpful as I’m in a real panic about what to do.

Thank you so much I’m advance x

AYou can’t ask your vet to commit insurance fraud.

You can ask for a refund on the second policy.

Might you consider contacting existing insurer to see if there is an increased cover premium or options for cover in the future. The vet might agree to payment plan. At the very least will current insurer cover the remainder up to the £4K limit.

I sympathise, I do.

It is dishonest but I can see how you would be so desperate in order to help your cat
It’s unlikely however that the dates can be changed anyway as all the visits to the vet are likely to be recorded on the computer and this couldn’t be changed. The insurance companies always require a copy of the animals history so your original appointment and visits notes would show under this date.
Would it be possible to arrange to pay in instalments? Or maybe get a second estimate in case it can be done cheaper somewhere else.
Hoping your cat gets better soon.

It would be fraud to get the dates changed.

Speak to your existing insurance company to see if they have any suggestions.

What's the 2nd op? Is it absolutely necessary? What are the alternatives?

It sounds awful but there is a limit to what I would spend on vet bills (I have good insurance, but in your circumstances I'm not sure what I would do....)

It’s fraud and your vet won’t do it

Always strange how vet fees can go into the thousands as soon as you mention 'insurance'. Can they not do anything else?

@Tensixtysix it really is isn't it?! 😕 As our first animal, we thought £4000 per year for cover would be plenty but I guess we know now better!

Thanks everyone for your help.
As an update, we have a consultation booked for this Thursday to see what needs to be done next. Keeping everything crossed that it's something less serious than last time Thanks again x