Insurance question

[Star the Fell]

my pony will now be classed as lamanitic. This means that at the next renewal date she won't be insured for laminitis, is that correct?
However, she is 15, and the current insurers will class her as a veteran at the next renewal date (February) so she won't be insured for illness, just accidental injury anyway.
At the moment my vet bill should be less than the excess - two vets visits, 20 Bute and some frog supports so far.
I am thinking that I may as well claim through my insurance now for blood tests and x-rays. The way I understand it is even if she has another flair up before February, I will still be insured (up to the maximum payout for the same condition), so I have nothing to lose, is that the way insurance claims work?
Never had to make a claim before!

 

[newforest]

Depends who you are with, but if you claim you are usually covered for up to a year for that condition I believe. So with that thinking you could be covered until July 2018. Mine is twelve months coverage.
Have you tested for cushings? You might be able to get that test

 

[Flipo's Mum]

Yep you may aswell claim as you'll get it excluded anyway. It sucks!
Petplan will cover for illness later than 15 if you're with them before they are a certain age which I don't think you've reached yet.

 

[joellie]

Yep get everything done now..x rays, bloods any special farrier work whilst it is under the one claim, the cushings test is free at the moment anyway (between july and october) although usually you would still have to pay a call out fee but if your vet is coming out anyway and its all covered under insurance i would get it done and check for EMS also.

 

[Jessey]

I'd agree, while you are covered do everything you can, ACTH & insulin bloods, xrays, remidial shoes/trimming, get physio treatment (my vet reccomended it as being lame puts strain on everything else), and claim any treatment drugs you may need if bloods were to come back positive plus pain relief (never hurts to have a few extra bute kicking around), you get a year to claim an ongoing condition normally.

 

[Star the Fell]

Thanks, it all makes sense, bit happier now. Never thought of asking for more Bute "just in case" good one!
So am I right in thinking that if she does have Cushing, I can claim for the first years tablets?
I will need to check policy carefully, but I'm sure each condition is insured for 12 months and vets fees of £5000 plus extras for 'alternative' treatments.

 

[Jessey]

Yes you can claim prascend if diagnosed with PPID or metformin if EMs etc. The physio counted as alternative treatment for my insurance. You should be able to claim frog supports etc too, and I think even any bedding etc if your horse normally lives out or has straw and the vet says you should use shavings

 

[Mary Poppins]

Horse insurance isn't like car insurance where you can choose to claim or not. The small print says that you have to inform your insurance company off all illnesses/treatments etc provided by your vet. If you decide to keep anything quiet then it often will come back to haunt you at a later date because the insurance company will be able to have access to the vets records. Someone on here not so long ago posted about how they were unable to claim for sarcoid treatment because the vet noticed and recorded the scarcoid in the horses notes 2 years earlier.

If your vet is investigating for lami you will be definitely excluded next year. I would get all the treatment you can now while you are fully insured.

 

[newforest]

Actually mp that's not the case with my insurance. They updated their policy that says you don't need to inform them of absolutely everything. That surprised me.
But yes they do check anyway from when you took out the policy. But it's to check you are looking after the horse not just see if you are hiding anything.
I have made three claims and nothing got excluded so maybe it depends on what it is and the company?

 

[Flipo's Mum]

Yes likewise for me newforest. The wording on petplan has changed aswell to something along those lines. I didn't bother telling them about my recent huge vet hospital bill because the condition was already excluded.

 

[Star the Fell]

It's not a case of not telling the insurance company, I would declare it on renewal, but at the moment my costs are less than my excess, so not worth making a claim. However, if I go down the x ray/ blood test route it would result in a claim. My decision is really whether to push for test / x rays even if the vet thinks it unecssary, simply because lami will be excluded next year anyway, so I may as well get as much done this year whilst I gave cover.
Asked vet to call me tomorrow to discuss.

 

[newforest]

Yes likewise for me newforest. The wording on petplan has changed aswell to something along those lines. I didn't bother telling them about my recent huge vet hospital bill because the condition was already excluded.

Yes I didn't totally follow but it meant that I didn't need to inform them I think for lesser issues.
I am pleased my transport costs are covered though.

 

[chunky monkey]

Just out of curiosity. Do they exclude that claimed body part for life or does the exclusion get removed if you haven't claimed on it again say for a 12 month.

 

[Jessey]

It's not a case of not telling the insurance company, I would declare it on renewal, but at the moment my costs are less than my excess, so not worth making a claim. However, if I go down the x ray/ blood test route it would result in a claim. My decision is really whether to push for test / x rays even if the vet thinks it unecssary, simply because lami will be excluded next year anyway, so I may as well get as much done this year whilst I gave cover.
Asked vet to call me tomorrow to discuss.

I would push as if you leave it then you may regret it next year, if you explain it to your vet he should be able to give you a realistic view of if its worth it now.

Just out of curiosity. Do they exclude that claimed body part for life or does the exclusion get removed if you haven't claimed on it again say for a 12 month.

It depends what the exclusion is, which company it is and how much you battle with them!