Halifax Compensation - How do I calculate it?

[ElliesBoss]

Just very recently got the dreaded letter from Halifax. I know it's been in the news but it must have got under my radar so the letter came as a mighty shock. Been away a while so I have less than three weeks to sort something. I have written to Halifax explaining pretty much what is recomended by the contributors on these various theads and explaining that in an ideal world I'd like their insurance to carry on so my dog would be covered for its existing problems.

 

Assuming this isn't going to happen them I need to consider the "compensation" route if it comes to it.

 

How do I calculate compensation? My dog Ellie is a rescue Rottie x Lab. Between the ages of about twelve months and thirty months she suffered kennel cough (never recurred), catarract in one eye (operated on twice and not recurred), pancreatitis (treated and never recurred) and mega oesophagus (treated and never recurred).

 

Age about four years she was rushed into the RVC where she was diagnosed with pneumonia and almost died. She is now five and still going strong. She is on long term steroid treatment; not ideal but she is alive.

 

Are all or none of these ailments going to recur and how long is she likely to live? This is why I would prefer the insurance to continue running as opposed to compensation. Compensation would need to cover worst case scenario as her treatment has been expensive so I would need say five years at £6000. Clearly this is over the top (hopefully!). In an ideal world Halifax should lodge this money (and everyone elses) in a compensation fund. If your dog needs treatment for an existing condition then the new insurer should be able to draw on it up to the value you were insured for. £6000 p.a or whatever.

 

As an aside in other threads the 20% "co-insurance" has been mentioned. This clause appeared in my renewal contract last year for dogs of six years and over.

 

Finally I was offered insurance with Petwise in my letter from Halifax. It doesn't cover existing condition cover. It has a limit per condition of £5000 and is about £35 per month (from memory) which is seven pounds more expensive than what I am paying Halifax at the moment. I went to the Petwise website and got a quote and it was about the same as I'm paying now. Halifax have been working hard on this alternative deal - for whose benefit I wonder?