Insurance Claims
Keeping horses and ponies can be tough financially, especially when presented with an unexpected vet bill. Having insurance cover for veterinary fees gives peace of mind when it comes to unexpected illness, lameness or accidents. Although we cannot make any specific recommendations on insurance companies, we do advise that every horse owner researches their options thoroughly and understands what will and will not be covered by the policy they choose. Checking the policy excess and claim limit are important too.
Types Of Equine Insurance
Personal Accident Insurance and Third-Party Liability: it is very important to consider including these in your policy.
Veterinary Fees: These policies usually offer a degree of cover for non-routine veterinary work. It is important to understand that pre-existing conditions are unlikely to be covered. At Hampton Equine Vets we are able to carry out examinations for obtaining insurance cover, please do not hesitate to get in touch if you require help with this.
All Risks Mortality Insurance: These policies will offer cover in the event of the death of a horse, but only if certain conditions are met. It is important to read the policy documents carefully to understand the requirements. Often these claims may only be accepted if the horse meets BEVA guidelines.
Loss of Use Insurance: These policies provide cover in the event that the horse sustains an accident or illness that prevents it from continuing the activity for which it is insured. Again, these claims have specific criteria that must be met before the claim can be approved.
Veteran Insurance Policies: Some insurers will have separate veteran policies for horses over the age of 16. If you are renewing a policy on a horse of this age, then please read the policy documents closely as the cover offered may change.
What To Do If You Need To Make A Claim:
1. Ideally you should inform the vet at the time of the relevant appointment that you have insurance cover, and are intending to either open a new claim, or submit a continuation form as part of ongoing treatment.
2. Please contact your insurance company without delay to inform them of our visit so that they can issue a veterinary fees claim form. This form will consist of a section to be completed by the owner, and another section to be completed by the vet. We will charge an administration fee when we complete the claim form, and send off the relevant clinical history and invoices to your insurers. If further documentation is requested we will assist with this too.
3. As we are a small practice, we ask that you pay us in full and claim the money back directly from your insurance company. Only in exceptional cases will we agree to receive money directly from the insurance company and accept payment of the excess and insurance administration fee from you. Please refer to section 9 of our terms and conditions for full details on our insurance claims policy.
Please note that it is your responsibility alone to ensure that your insurance company will provide cover for the condition being treated. The contract is between the owner/keeper of the horse and the insurer, not with Hampton Equine Vets.
Please send Veterinary Fees Claim Forms by email to office@hamptonequinevets.com. You must fill out the relevant ‘policy holder’ section and ensure that all details submitted are correct.
