SALLY SORTS IT: Sainsbury’s refused £950 emergency vet expenses

We have three dogs, all of whom were insured with Animal Friends.

When the renewal of Leia, our Miniature Dachshund, came up recently, we couldn’t afford the jump in premiums, so we looked for a new policy.

On 6th December I selected Sainsbury’s Bank, with the policy start date being 1st January 2023, the date her Animal Friends policy ended.

Everything seemed simple until January 10, when she started to get sick and vomited blood.

I called Sainsbury’s 24/7 vet advisor who said to take her to the emergency vet. On the way, Leia began to bleed from her hindquarters.

Long story short, I paid £950 for her treatment, for what we thought was some kind of poisoning. I wasn’t worried about the bills because of the insurance.

But our claim was rejected due to exclusions applied in the first 14 days of the policy. Please help as we simply cannot afford to pay this large sum of money.

TH, Broadstairs, Kent.

But when disaster struck, shortly after you applied, you felt as sick as your poor dog when Sainsbury’s – whose pet plans are underwritten by Pinnacle Insurance – grunted against your claim because the incident happened during the 14-day waiting period of the policy.

Many insurers have a waiting period at the start of a policy. This is to discourage owners from taking cover only if a pet gets sick.

However, there were two aspects of this case that I thought might encourage Sainsbury’s to reconsider its decision. The terms of the policy state that there are exceptions to the waiting time rule.

There is no time limit if the pet has an accident and if an incident involves poisoning then it is three days.

Your vet couldn’t determine exactly what caused Leia’s illness, but I thought it couldn’t be ruled out that she had eaten something poisonous, and by accident?

You weren’t sure what Leia had been up to in the hours before she got sick, because this period coincided with another emergency.

Your husband had badly cut his finger on a circular saw that day and you both spent the evening in the hospital while your son kept watch at home.

For all you knew, Leia ate something she shouldn’t have.

Fortunately, Leia survived the next night. She had to spend the rest of the next day in the operating room, but by evening she was well enough to come home.

I have contacted Sainsbury’s Bank on your behalf and requested that your claim be re-examined. A few days later it came back with good news.

A Sainsbury’s Bank spokesman said: ‘We are sorry to hear about Leia’s disease.

“While our policy states that health claims can only be made after 14 days, we have received additional information regarding this matter and have decided to pay the claim in full.”

An important additional factor influencing this result was that you had essentially no gap in coverage between when you moved from your previous Animal Friends insurer to Sainsbury’s, aided by the fact that Leia’s illness did not appear to be related to an already existing condition.

You were immensely relieved and told me that without my input you would still have had a bill of £950.

Your experience underscores the importance of setting up a new policy to start as soon as another one expires. Some insurers, such as ManyPets (formerly Bought By Many) automatically waive the waiting period in situations like yours where coverage is ongoing.

This is a sensible approach, as otherwise owners would be discouraged from switching to better insurance deals.

However, always watch out for pitfalls when moving from a pet insurance company, especially if a furry friend has pre-existing health conditions. Take a good look at the policy conditions.

Even then, coverage limitations and treatment exclusions in certain policies can be a costly shock.

Reader SA, from the West Midlands, is still reeling from the news that the family’s Kangal puppy, Reign, who joined the family in September 2022, had a limp just before Christmas and now potentially £12,000 worth of medical procedures needs to replace two hips after being diagnosed with hip dysplasia, a condition where the joints don’t develop properly.

Her owner was devastated when she read in her PDSA policy that prostheses (artificial joints) are not covered. Even if it were, the maximum cover on her lifetime policy is only £3,500.

Over £500 has already been spent on x-rays and diagnosis bills. She told me that the family cannot afford these costs and is devastated that euthanasia could be the unthinkable option.

Instead, they try to raise money, with the kids running sponsored events and a GoFundMe page. So far this has raised £500 along with £500 from other sources.

Sensing her desperation, I contacted PDSA Pet Insurance on her behalf asking if it could help find a cheaper arrangement.

The insurer re-examined its case and returned a few days later with slightly better news. It was a shame the terms and conditions weren’t clearer, but said it would pay for Reign’s treatment, including a contribution towards her new hips.

But this will be limited to the remaining cover on the policy of around £2,500, which still leaves a significant shortfall.

A spokesperson for the PDSA Pet Insurance said: ‘We are very sorry to hear about Reign’s hip condition.

“We know how distressing it can be for owners when their pet becomes ill or needs veterinary treatment. Hip replacements are covered by our policies, subject to standard terms and individual policy limits.’

A portion of the premiums the insurer receives goes to the charity PDSA, which helps low-income owners struggling with veterinary costs.

But to qualify for free treatments and medications (for one pet only), owners must live in the zip code area of ​​one of the pet hospitals and have an income-related housing benefit, council tax support, or universal credit with a housing element.

Lower vet costs are offered to those with other benefits. Read more at pdsa.org.uk. Charity Blue Cross offers a similar service at bluecross.org.uk. Many vets also offer payment plans to spread bills.

Reign’s owner is now looking around to see if she can find a lower fee for the procedure, but wants to wait until May, when Reign turns one, before moving forward. This gives Reign time to develop and gives her owner a chance to raise more money and save her life. In the meantime she gets pain relief.

The loss of a pet is deeply felt by all owners and while money doesn’t take the pain away, a death benefit is something many insurers offer, covering the full price paid for the animal, or in some cases a percentage.

An age limit of, for example, eight years may apply to a dog. However, a reader wrote to me about his complaint when his insurer Animal Friends paid just £500 for his £1,800 Chihuahua puppy Alfie, who tragically died after being attacked by two Huskies last year.

He calculated that he should have been paid £1,350 because his policy stated a death benefit of 75 per cent. of the price paid if the pet dies before the age of three. He complained to the insurer, but heard nothing.

I contacted Animal Friends on his behalf and they quickly agreed to pay the additional £850 due.

A spokesperson said: “We pride ourselves on our customer service and are sorry we missed the original email from the customer asking about the paid settlement.”

Owners must retain all receipts for the purchase of a pet, even if it was a donation to a charitable organization.

• Write to Sally Hamilton of Sally Sorts It, Money Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or email sally@dailymail.co.uk — include phone number, address and a note addressed to the offending organization giving them permission to talk to Sally Hamilton. Please do not send any original documents, we cannot take any responsibility for that. The Daily Mail assumes no legal liability for answers provided.