Payment options for insured pets
Insured pets
If you have active pet health insurance, you should be able to claim back some, or all, of the costs of your pet’s treatment with us, assuming the condition is not excluded by your insurance provider and that you have some of your claimable limit still available.
In order to make a claim against your insurance, please bring along a claim form at the time of your pet’s initial appointment. The claim form can usually be downloaded from your insurer’s website, or you may need to call them to request a form. Please ensure that you have filled in all relevant sections and signed the form before handing in to us, as this will help to expedite the claims process.
Once you have made payment for your pet’s treatment with us, we will process and submit the claim promptly to your insurers; where possible, we will submit the claim electronically. We will keep a copy of the claim form and your insurance details on file to assist if there are any future queries regarding the claim.
As the claim we submit we will typically be a continuation for the initial treatment you have received at your regular veterinary practice, we would advise putting a claim through with them prior to your visit here. If, however, our claim is received first this should not cause a problem and any fixed excess should be deducted from the first claim received. Please be aware that we cannot include treatment carried out elsewhere in the claim we submit.
If you have any concerns about whether treatment will be covered, we would advise you to contact your insurer prior to your initial visit to us. If you still have concerns, you may wish to request a ‘pre-authorisation’; this is where, at your request, we complete a form (provided by your insurer) estimating what will be required, and your insurance company then assesses this and advises if the claim will be allowable.
Your insurance company will also be able to advise you on any deductions made against your claim once payment is made to you.
Direct claims
In some circumstances, we may allow a direct claim against your insurance (this is when your insurance provider pays us directly). If you wish to make a direct insurance claim for your pet then please speak to our reception team as soon as possible to confirm that this is possible (we do reserve the right to decline this option). You should then contact your insurance company prior to your appointment and confirm your policy limit, excess amount and remaining benefit. Please also confirm if there are any caps or exclusions on your policy. Once you have the information, please call us back and inform us of this providing your policy number and the name and address under which the insurance is registered.
A process fee of £25 will be charged for direct insurance claims. Your excess will be payable at the time of discharge.
We are here to help you through the process, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. If you have any queries regarding insurance please telephone us on 01928 394733.
RSA additional excess
More Than & Tesco are underwritten by the RSA Insurance Group and may apply an additional £200 excess for non-emergency referrals as we are not part of their preferred network. We would advise clients to review their terms and conditions, and get in touch with us for further advice.
Financial consent
Before your pet’s procedure, you will need to sign our informed consent form which includes an estimate of the anticipated costs (up to 10% below or above this estimate is considered reasonable by RCVS). We will, of course, keep you updated if we think costs are increasing due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. requirement for additional diagnostics, additional surgery or hospitalisation). The consent form stipulates that you, as the owner, are responsible for all costs of your pet’s treatment at Movement Referrals, whether your pet is insured or not. By signing this form, you agree to our financial terms and accept liability for all fees and costs relating to your pet’s treatment.