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Insurance company!!!!

B

benjiboom

Warren Scout
Hi , hope someone can help me! I have Benji insured with exotic direct, since we got him in 2010, in the last few months he has had 2 bouts of bladder stones and had to have surgery both times, costing about £1,200, which we claimed back with no problem. I just got a renewal notice today which says, in exclusions:" In respect of Benjamin , excluding any claim as a direct or indirect result of bladder stones. " They have put the premium up from £17.00 a month to £28.00 a month! Does this mean what i think it means that if he gets bladder stones again we can't claim for it???? It doesn't seem fair! I don't know if any other insurance companies will insure him at 6 years old, and i can't afford vets bills for thousands of pounds!!! :cry:
 
benjiboom said:
Hi , hope someone can help me! I have Benji insured with exotic direct, since we got him in 2010, in the last few months he has had 2 bouts of bladder stones and had to have surgery both times, costing about £1,200, which we claimed back with no problem. I just got a renewal notice today which says, in exclusions:" In respect of Benjamin , excluding any claim as a direct or indirect result of bladder stones. " They have put the premium up from £17.00 a month to £28.00 a month! Does this mean what i think it means that if he gets bladder stones again we can't claim for it???? It doesn't seem fair! I don't know if any other insurance companies will insure him at 6 years old, and i can't afford vets bills for thousands of pounds!!! :cry:
Click to expand...

It depends on what type of Policy you took out. Some 'Lifetime Cover' Policies will not exclude a condition that you may claim for in any 12 month period as long as you continue to pay your monthly/annual Premium. Some Policies reserve the right to exclude a condition (and any condition related to it) at the time of renewal. It's really a case of reading the small print, unfortunately :cry:

You may be able to Insure Benji elsewhere, but any pre-existing conditions would be excluded :cry:
 
That's what I thought, but no way would I be able to afford the kind of amount the last treatments were, that,s why i took out insurance in the first place, I'm fuming! Don't know what I will do if he gets any more bladder stones:cry:
 
benjiboom said:
That's what I thought, but no way would I be able to afford the kind of amount the last treatments were, that,s why i took out insurance in the first place, I'm fuming! Don't know what I will do if he gets any more bladder stones:cry:
Click to expand...

Speak to your Vet about the situation now. He/she may agree to you setting up a payment plan (pay in weekly/monthly instalments) should the worst happen. Some Vets will agree to this for trusted clients. I doubt that there are many Vets who would only offer 'pay in full now or PTS'. Even if the Vet will not/cannot agree to a payment plan they will have access to referral to charitable organisations to provide some treatments.

Talking to your Vet about it all now, before any acute issue occurs (if it actually does) may at least take some of the anxiety away. I know all too well what it can be like to have very limited funds. We all try our best to be responsible, but sometimes things go wrong.
 
benjiboom said:
Hi , hope someone can help me! I have Benji insured with exotic direct, since we got him in 2010, in the last few months he has had 2 bouts of bladder stones and had to have surgery both times, costing about £1,200, which we claimed back with no problem. I just got a renewal notice today which says, in exclusions:" In respect of Benjamin , excluding any claim as a direct or indirect result of bladder stones. " They have put the premium up from £17.00 a month to £28.00 a month! Does this mean what i think it means that if he gets bladder stones again we can't claim for it???? It doesn't seem fair! I don't know if any other insurance companies will insure him at 6 years old, and i can't afford vets bills for thousands of pounds!!! :cry:
Click to expand...

I used to insure with Exotic Direct and I found this to be the case. They would pay out for a condition during one policy year, and then exclude it forever afterwards.

That suited me, but obviously not everyone.

I believe Agria insurance covers older bunnies - worth a look :)
 
Thanks for your replies, Mighty Max I just phoned agria insurance and they only insure up to 5 years old:( I will speak to my vet and see if we can come to some agreement should the worst happen Jacks Jane, hopefully he won't need more surgery for this ! We have changed his diet .stopping the parsley and kale and giving him coriander instead, he gets plenty of ings hay and fresh grass, limited pellets and pet care plus urinary tract care formula sticks.
 
benjiboom said:
Thanks for your replies, Mighty Max I just phoned agria insurance and they only insure up to 5 years old:( I will speak to my vet and see if we can come to some agreement should the worst happen Jacks Jane, hopefully he won't need more surgery for this ! We have changed his diet .stopping the parsley and kale and giving him coriander instead, he gets plenty of ings hay and fresh grass, limited pellets and pet care plus urinary tract care formula sticks.
Click to expand...

Well for one, don't worry about what hasn't yet happened :D

Secondly, it's the pellets that have the most calcium! And the sort of water you give is also of paramount importance. Frances Harcourt Brown agrees and I have proved this for myself.

Hay is dried out grass, so fresh grass is better to feed as it has more moisture in it. Forage and green leafy veggies, all rinsed in water.

Think positive - he's going to be well in the future and you won't need to claim anyway :D
 
Shimmer said:
Can't help with the insurance, but this might be useful reading. FHB's website suggests that being more active and increased fluids will help to flush calcium through the bladder and so help to reduce build up of deposits. Anything to reduce future vet bills...

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits/calcium-and-rabbit-food
Click to expand...

Shimmer's provided you with a really useful link about managing 'bladder sludge'
I'm glad you are going to speak with your Vet about the payment issue. Despite the amount of Vet Bashing that appears on here at times, most Vets are really not just in it for the money.
 
Thanks everyone! I will read the article from FHB and will watch the pellets intake, he has quarter of an eggcup morning and evening, do you think I could cut them out altogether, Benji would be upset, but at least it would reduce the chances of surgery for him??He goes in the garden every day for long periods of time, he is a house bunny, so he gets lots of fresh grass:D Which leafy greens are best?? Jacks Jane, my vet is very good,I am sure he will work something out for me, and as Mighty Max says, it might never happen:thumb:
 
Very interesting reading Shimmer! I think I will feed some kale in the morning instead of pellets, I had sopped the kale because its high in calcium, but after reading FHB's report she says an averagfe rabbit would need to eat a bag of kale to get the recommended daily intake of calcium, so a handful every morning should be fine! Benji will be pleased!:D
 
benjiboom said:
Very interesting reading Shimmer! I think I will feed some kale in the morning instead of pellets, I had sopped the kale because its high in calcium, but after reading FHB's report she says an averagfe rabbit would need to eat a bag of kale to get the recommended daily intake of calcium, so a handful every morning should be fine! Benji will be pleased!:D
Click to expand...

I know it's quite a lesson, isn't it? Thinking of cutting down high calcium veg is probably not going to cut it when there's still pellets around. The water you give though is extremely important. Many people with sludge bunnies source some low calcium water :)

Good luck benjiboom :wave:
 
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