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  • Pet Insurance
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Each year 1 in 3 pets is injured or becomes ill and needs urgent veterinary treatment

Insurance can help you cover the cost of these unexpected bills leaving you free to concentrate on helping an important member of your family recover.

Choosing an insurance company can be confusing, so here is a brief overview of different types of policy. There are three main types of cover:

LIFETIME COVER

If your pet develops a condition that requires medication for the rest of its life, you can claim the cost of the medication and any related treatment for as long as they live. There is often a capped financial fee per year for this type of cover.

TIME-CAPPED COVER

This policy will only pay for a particular condition for a set amount of time – usually a year. After that the condition becomes exempt from the policy and you will no longer be able to claim for it. However, you can still claim for any new condition.

PAYMENT CAPPED COVER

This policy will only pay up to a certain amount for each condition or accident claimed for. The capped amount varies depending on the policy chosen. For example, if your policy is capped at £2,000 and treatment costs £3,000, you will be liable for the outstanding £1,000, on top of your excess. For all types of policy there is an excess fee, including ongoing claims. Often the policy and excess fee will increase as your pet gets older. Always read the small print on your policy.

I need to make an insurance claim, what do I do?

In order to make a claim you will need to bring a claim form into the practice. These are available online for the majority of companies, or else can be posted out to you by your insurer. You will need to complete the policyholders section of the form. We will then complete the rest of the claim form, sending off a full clinical history and details of the claim to your insurers. Following receipt of the claim form, your insurance company will pay you directly. Please be aware that before making a claim we ask that you settle your account with us. Any outstanding payments will prevent your claim from being processed. WHEN SHOULD I CLAIM? Most companies like for claims forms to be sent off within 90 days of treatment. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR MY CLAIM TO BE SENT OFF? We allow 7 working days for forms to be completed and sent off.

Do I need to pay a fee?

There is a £6 administration fee for the completion of each form. However if you are a member of our VIP scheme, we waive this fee. DIRECT CLAIMS In certain circumstances we may be able to make a direct claim, whereby the insurance company pays us directly for the treatment your pet has received, instead of paying you. Direct claims can only be authorized by the management team, prior to the start of any treatment. Whether or not a direct claim is authorized is dependent on our direct claims protocol. It is important to realise that throughout your pet’s treatment, you and not your insurance company are liable for any balance on your account.

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Cathcart & Winn Veterinary Clinic & Hospital