Advice/help with pet insurance/claim please

[mumofjust1]

Had to take one of my boys to the vet on Monday night - he developed an abcess on his head that was very swollen and caused one of his eyes to shut.

He went out about 4pm looking his usual handsome self, and came back at 8.30 looking like the elephant man. Took him to OOH vet who diagnosed an abcess, cleaned it up leaving it open so that it could drain, did a blood test and then gave antibiotic and anti inflammatory jabs. Said to take him back in a few days if no better and that jabs would last 48 hours.

Cast was £212.36 - paid £60 insurance excess and vet said to bring in a claim form so that they can claim the balance direct.

Today the wound is forming a lump again and my kitty seems miserable. I think he needs to be seen again.

Sopoke to the vet who is saying that even though it is a follow up for the same problem, I will have to do 2 claim forms, pay another excess, plus pay for the follow up consultation and medication.

Is this right? I thought it could all be put on the one claim as I have already paid one excess for the condition.

Sorry its so long! I have my pet insurance with helpucover but they haven't been very helpful. Any recommendations for other pet insurers?

Thanks :)

Bump

It sounds as though it should form part of your existing claim - I can't see on what basis your vet thinks it should be a new one. You need to speak to your insurer, tell them that further treatment is required as a result of the original injury, and get them to confirm they will cover costs. If you don't get anywhere with the first person you speak to, ask to speak to their supervisor.

Hello Mumofjust1, it's your stalker here from the book club thread. I'm sorry to chase you on other threads but over on the book club thread I'm still waiting for a response again regarding the August book,and have PMd you again with no reply. PLEASE can you let me know if you are intending to send on any books. If I don't get a response from you I don't think it's unreasonable to presume you don't want to take part.

I would assume its part of the same claim. My dog had a bacterial skin infection and required an injection and a follow up appointment 7 days later to see if condition had gone or whether another injection was needed. He did have another injection (they cost £70 each, plus 2x consultation fee of £40) but I only paid my £60 excess and the insurance settled the rest.

I'd phone your insurance company and speak to them rather than take the vets word for it to be honest. You'll probably need to get another claim form from the insurance company anyway (I know my insurance only provide one claim form with documents)

Aside from headintheclouds - thank for your advice

Took him back to the vet today - they agreed to do a continuation after much a to do, phoning insurance company etc

He hasn't responded to the first antibiotic so they gave him an ab jab that will last 14 days and should clear the infection. Also gave me some pain relief for him. He's utterly miserable

Also have to keep the abcess wet so that it can't close up and trap the infection inside. And, joy , I have to squeeze the bloody thing twice a day.

If he's not significantly better by Sunday morning, they will admit him and clean it out under anesthetic.

Thanks again

Glad they agreed to do it under the same claim, makes you wonder why we bother having insurance.
My current insurance company have put a 2 year exclusion on my policy preventing me from making a claim against any skin infection because my dog has had it in the past, they consider it a pre-existing condition even though the last time he had it was 10 months ago

Kid - my policy is the same.

Four exclusions: cat fight injuries, arthritis of the hips/pelvis, any skin condition, and furunculosis.

Cat fight exclusion as he was a naughty boy when he was younger and fought an awful lot, arthritis exclusion as he was run over and had his hips and pelvis broken, skin condition and furunculosis as he had a skin problem when he was about 2.

Total for current problem so far is £320 plus a few pence - it's madness, so expensive to own an animal these days

Forgot to add - cat fight injury exclusion recordable mid October, all the others permanent exclusions

My dog had kennel cough when he was younger, but as he has been clear of it for 3 months, they can cover that.

I could understand if he had the infection now when I started the policy, but the fact he had it once many months ago does not make it a pre-existing condition in my book! They are just looking at ways to save themselves money as far as I see it. But, I'm not brave enough to not have pet insurance.

Hope you cat is better soon. Good luck with squeezing the abcess, sounds gross!

Which firms are doing these exclusions? Sounds unfair.

I was with Argos, but they doubled this years premium so I went with Co-op who have set the skin condition exclusion. There was nothing in their wording of the policy to suggest it would be excluded but they wanted my dogs vet details and any information on previous vet visits, I wanted to find out why so I phoned them.

I'm with helpucover