After a little break to have a baby I am back writing and reading reviews
After a little break to have a baby I am back writing and reading reviews
Member since:28.12.2005
Reviews:126
Members who trust:43
Introduction ==========
I love my two Springer Spaniels so much that I would never compromise their health. They have both been insured since the day they came home as a puppy.
Before getting a policy I did shop around via the Internet because you want the best price and the best cover. I think I tried almost every company (at that time as they may be loads more now).
I couldn't seem to get the balance between good cover and reasonable cost. I love my dogs but I'm not made of money. Pet Insurance is the most likely policy you will claim on.
My partner already had a Direct Line policy for car insurance and breakdown cover and there website advertised that you could receive a discount if someone at your address had a policy. It didn't matter to Direct Line that the current policies were not in my name and I received a 10% discount off the pet insurance quote.
Cover & Cost ===========
The
cover includes the following:
Cover
Up to £4,000 for each illness, injury or disease for a maximum of 12 months.
They do have other cover available up to £6000 for each illness, injury or disease with no limits. Helplines include · Find a vet helpline · Pet Bereavement Counselling · Legal Advice Line Additional Benefits · Holiday cancellation cover due to loss, illness or injury of your pet - up to £1,000 · Pet boarding costs if you have to go into hospital for more than 4 days - up to £500 · Advertising and reward if your pet strays, gets lost or is stolen - up to £500 · Reimbursement if you lose your pet through theft, straying or death due to accidental injury - purchase price, up to £1,500 Third Party Liability · Legal liability should your dog cause injury to another person or damage their property - up to £1 million Overseas Travel Cover Extends the cover above for trips to countries included in the government's Pet Travel Scheme. There is no cover for liability arising under the laws of the USA or Canada. Also covers: · Quarantine costs · Loss of pet passport · Repeat tick and worming treatment · Emergency expenses while abroad. · Need more information? See our Policy Document I like the policy that I would get but what was the cost, I click on the button and then the page appeared. I can't remember the annual cost but the monthly direct debit was approx £7 per month. I signed up via the Internet and had cover immediately.
The policy documents arrived very quickly, I checked them and filed them away. I never had to think about for the next 3 years until I got another puppy. I rang Direct Line up and informed them that I wanted to add another dog onto the policy, I gave them the details and the quote was approx £17 (by that time one dog was £8), I received a discount because I was insuring more than one dog.
The new policy documents arrived; I checked them again and filed them away. However three months later I had to get them out to make a claim.
The Illness =========
My new puppy had not been eating and when she did eat she vomited it back up. It was a horrible time and over the next 2 months we would spend a lot of time with her at the vets. My vets were great, I was told not to pay the bill until they had sorted my puppy out unlike some vets I know.
She had loads of blood tests, urine samples, stool samples, x-rays, medication etc. The list was endless, both my partner and I were losing hope, we could she how thin she was and we both thought that she was not going to live. Our vet, Andy had thought he saw something on one of her X-rays but then on another it had disappeared, he decided surgery was the best option to go in and have a look.
Andy removed three inches of her bowel, which had gone inside of itself; the reason it was not on all the X-rays was because for some they had filled her with air. We got her home and within 7 days she was nearly back to her happy self.
Claiming ========
While all of this was going on, we realised that we would have to make a claim on the pet insurance. When I rang to speak to someone about making a claim I was quite surprised, they were very sympatric and spent time talking to me about my puppy's' problems.
I was told that a claim form would be sent to me that I would have to sign and give to my vet. I was also told to pay the vet the excess of £45. I felt confused as my friends had to pay the whole bill to the vet and get the money back from the insurance company. The very nice advisor told me that Direct Line can settle a claim that way but many prefer their newer option.
1. They send a claim form 2. You sign and give to your vet 3. You pay the excess of £45 to your vet 4. Your vet completes the form and sends to Direct Line 5. Direct Line pays the vet
I gave the claim form to our vet, paid the excess and honesty did not think about it anymore, we were too busy with a recovering puppy. When I took my other dog to the vets for his booster, about 3 months after all this, I asked Andy how the claim went this was he reply "That was taken care of ages ago, they were really quick and no hassle at all"
Verdict =======
This was my first experience of making a claim and hopefully will be my last but I if I do have to make another claim I know it will be hassle free. Their customer service was excellent and the claim was dealt with such ease.
I made one call for them to send the claim form and I did not have to speak to them thus giving us the time looking after the dog and not having to worry about the vet being paid.
I only used Direct Line originally because of the cover and the cost, I have now changed my opinion I will use them because of how the claim was dealt with. I would rather spend time worry about my dog getting better than fiddling with making claims. Direct Line has such as good system that makes it completely hassle free.
I would recommend anyone with a pet to take there own insurance with Direct Line. Great cover, reasonable cost (I know some that are cheaper but don't offer the service Direct Line do) and hassle free claims.
Thanks for reading.
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Direct Line
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Jan 20th, 2006
exceptional by (4%):
very helpful by (70%):
helpful by (26%):
