Why get insurance for your pet?

Treating sick or injured pets can be expensive!

According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), these are some typical costs of common veterinary issues:

  • Spinal surgery: £8,000 – £10,000
  • A fractured femur for a cat: > £8,000
  • Treatment for arthritis in a dog: > £2,000
  • Treatment for diabetes in a cat typically: £1,000
average

Looking to take out an insurance policy?

Whilst we cannot give you specific advice regarding finances or who you should choose, we can provide advice on what to look for when searching for an insurance policy.

Key things to look out for when getting pet insurance:

While you are looking for a policy, if your pet is under 18 months of age we can offer you 5 weeks free with Agria Pet Insurance. Please speak with a member of the team for more information.

So how do insurance claims work?

There are two ways we can process insurance claims for your pet, indirect and direct.

Read on to learn about the difference between the two and how we process each.

Indirect claims

You will settle your bill with us, following which we will submit claim to your insurance company for them to reimburse you.

Most claims will be handled this way

We need:

  • Relevant invoices to be paid in full at the time of treatment.
  • A claim form with your section completed and signed.
  • Or contact your insurer to start the process online or over the phone.

We will:

  • Complete the ‘vet section’ of the form and send it to your insurance company.
  • Send all relevant invoices, clinical notes and any other clinical information they request.
  • Aim to submit all claims within 5 working days.

Direct claims

We will claim all costs directly from your insurance company.

PLEASE NOTE: Direct claims can be considered for claims over £500 and must be pre-approved by our insurance administrator prior to treatment. There are some companies that we cannot accept direct insurance claims from so please ask if you are considering this option.

We need:

  • Details of your insurance company and your policy number.
  • Permission to speak to your insurance company.
  • A completed ‘letter of authority’ giving us permission to claim directly from your insurance company.
  • A completed and signed claim form, or for you to start the claim online or over the phone with your insurance company.
  • Payment of our direct claim fee (£20 or free on our LCC plan), your policy excess and any co-payment.
  • Payment of any items on the invoice that are not covered by the insurance policy.

We will:

  • Contact your insurance company to confirm policy details before we approve the direct claim.
  • Complete the ‘vet section’ of the claim and send it to your insurance company.
  • Send all relevant invoices, clinical notes and any other clinical information they request.
Lifetime Care Club

For further information or for any insurance related queries please contact us at insurance@rutlandvets.co.uk or call your usual branch

Contact us

For a printable version of this information, please click below

Insurance PDF
References
  1. https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2023/6/insurers-paid-out-over-1-billion-to-protect-pets-in-2022/#:~:text=Our%20data%20reveals%20that%20in%202022%3A&text=For%20dogs%2C%20the%20number%20of,marginally%20(1%25)%20on%202021.
  2. https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2022/05/pet-insurers-processed-a-record-2.4-million-a-day-in-2021/#:~:text=Average%20claim%20increased%20by%20almost,with%20%C2%A3817%20in%202020.