Pet insurance warning - with a major supermarket brand
Discussion
Afternoon all,
I thought you should all be aware of what a a major supermarket insurance company have done. We have just had a letter through saying they won't pay out on a £550 insurance claim for one of our dogs because the policy number has changed. It was an existing condition that first occurred in 2006 but it was never paid out on insurance, we have had the policy with them since 2004, yet they have said because we upgraded the policy in 2007 and we now have a new policy number that we are not covered. However our policy number was the same until 2011 (see below) and we have had continuous cover throughout.
What they didn't reckon on is my wife being exceptionally good at keeping records and we have every single letter and annual policy in a file. It turns out that the said company- we'll call them Fresco have changed underwriters in 2011 but the paperwork does not state loss in continuity of cover; this is when the policy number changed ie it was their change not outs. It therefore looks like everyone insured through Fresco since before 2011 will have a problem claiming now if there is any historical illness before that time.
I have informed them that I believe they are breaking the law (obtaining money by deception) and that if they don't pay out then I will report them to the FSA and post on their Twitter and Facebook accounts every day until they resolve it.
Please check your policies and speak to them now as you don't want to get caught out with a big bill that they won't pay for.
I thought you should all be aware of what a a major supermarket insurance company have done. We have just had a letter through saying they won't pay out on a £550 insurance claim for one of our dogs because the policy number has changed. It was an existing condition that first occurred in 2006 but it was never paid out on insurance, we have had the policy with them since 2004, yet they have said because we upgraded the policy in 2007 and we now have a new policy number that we are not covered. However our policy number was the same until 2011 (see below) and we have had continuous cover throughout.
What they didn't reckon on is my wife being exceptionally good at keeping records and we have every single letter and annual policy in a file. It turns out that the said company- we'll call them Fresco have changed underwriters in 2011 but the paperwork does not state loss in continuity of cover; this is when the policy number changed ie it was their change not outs. It therefore looks like everyone insured through Fresco since before 2011 will have a problem claiming now if there is any historical illness before that time.
I have informed them that I believe they are breaking the law (obtaining money by deception) and that if they don't pay out then I will report them to the FSA and post on their Twitter and Facebook accounts every day until they resolve it.
Please check your policies and speak to them now as you don't want to get caught out with a big bill that they won't pay for.
Edited by dasherdiablo1 on Saturday 13th April 16:42
Before it was RBSI, now it is Royal Sun Alliance. I'm guessing they have do e it to reduce their payouts in the short term but I imagine it will cost them in the long run because they aren't the cheapest so when people realise that their cover is basically only for conditions since 2011 then they might as well go elsewhere and take the risk.
Tbh nearly every insurance company I know wll not cover for a pre existing condition even if the upgrade/ downgrade is kept within the company.
However the fact that your policy number did not change may be significant, that and the fact they should have said at the time of changing that any pre existing conditions would not have been covered.
However the fact that your policy number did not change may be significant, that and the fact they should have said at the time of changing that any pre existing conditions would not have been covered.
bexVN said:
Tbh nearly every insurance company I know wll not cover for a pre existing condition even if the upgrade/ downgrade is kept within the company.
However the fact that your policy number did not change may be significant, that and the fact they should have said at the time of changing that any pre existing conditions would not have been covered.
Just to clarify it is an existing condition that started TWO years after the first policy started and the policy states that previous claimed conditions are not covered - therefore this still covered. The point they are arguing is that we weren't covered under this policy when it first happened as their records only go back to late 2006 but this was early 2006 - however we have paperwork confirming there was continuous cover since 2004 when we got him. Additionally they are saying that because the policy number changed in 2011 there wasn't continuity when in fact the policy number changed because THEY changed their underwriters and so the reference changed which was out of our control- the point is we have had him insured with Fresco since 2004 so I don't care that they have changed underwriters because we are insured through their company. This seems a devious ploy to get out of paying for long term policy holders. However the fact that your policy number did not change may be significant, that and the fact they should have said at the time of changing that any pre existing conditions would not have been covered.
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff