E&L Pet Insurance - anyone else had problems?

[lionel186]

I took out policies on our cat and dog earlier this year (2008). Sadly, our cat developed hyperthyroidism in August and had to have his thyroid glands removed in September. The initial vets bill was quite substantial thus I claimed on the insurance policy. After a rocky start with what seemed like an age waiting for E&L to accept liability, they finally paid out and I have just received the second cheque for the continuation of treatment with no quibble or question whatsoever. In hindsight, I think I may have been somewhat impatient in expecting an instant response at the start of the claim but the bottom line is that I have now been reimbursed for the whole amount (£600 so far) which is not bad considering the whole process has only taken just over 1 month and that the policy was only taken out in January.

 

I have to speak as I find and thus far I cannot fault E&L Insurance.

[miss muppet]

Very interesting thread. We had our cat of 15 insured with more than, paying over some years at £18.99 pcm. Sadly he developed a sarcoma over his shoulder and we decided we couldn't let him suffer anymore. We put in a modest claim for his treatment prior to his demise for steroids and antibiotics and they refused as there were still 5 months premiums left to pay!Wrote furious letter comparing this to the surviving spouse being asked to pay for partner's life insurance policy after their death (we had cancelled the DD's when he died) They have got out of this by saying that it is a yearly contract which of course is in their small print but in the end they did pay out £39 of the £99 claimed when we threatened them with FOS. Its good to hear that at least one pet insurance although expensive is honourable.

[lionel186]

Miss Muppet

 

It's not that expensive, in fact it was the best quote I could find. The total is just under £16/month in total for one dog (a 4 year old German Spitz) and one cat (a moggy just under 10 years.) I havn't checked the small print but I am sure there is no minimum contract period and even if there were, I wouldn't be too unhappy. Despite the negative posts on this forum, I can't, in all honesty, fault this company.

[Mr Oruzim]

E&L

I am disappointed with them, so far I have waited 3 months for over £1200.00 and all we get is that your claim has been processed and the account has gone to be cleared you should receive settlement soon.

 

Even the Vets do not recommend them, they have a bad name for paying up, unfortunately I was sucked in. NEVER AGAIN.

[hightail]

It's well worth checking the policy document before commiting yourself to any pet insurance. There are three different types and your quote will reflect this.

1 year fixed term will be the cheapest

Ongoing but cost capped per condition is the next level. The companies that offer this use some pretty dubious terms in my opinion to make you think this is open ended. M&S refer to 'lifelong cover' but when you read the policy you realise that any condition is cost capped.

Cover for life will be the most expensive premium because the insurers will continue to pay out for a condition for as long as necessary. Petplan do cover for life but you are paying for all the add-ons in the policy. How much extra do you want to pay for holiday cancellation cover etc?

 

A company called Petguard will do cover for life for vets fees only.

[tansy]

I hope this helps others to get action on their claims with E&L. I put in a claim at the beginning of january 2009 for a hospitalisation for our dog in the wek leading up to Xmas 2008. The bill was for £440. I was told by the vet that there could be problems with E&L and that I would have to settle the bill myself and then claim back from the insurers. This I did, but I heard nothing at all from E&L about my claim. The insurance ran out on 3rd january and I was sent a new quote for double what I had paid previously and they took the money by direct debit. They also took a small fee for a 'bogus' national regsitration scheme which I subsequently found out belonged to E&L All this was done on the basis of 'unless you decline the offer we will assume you want it'. I sent back a letter rescinding the insurance and regsitration scheme within the 14 day cooling off period and got a telephone call from the head of customer services. I heard nothing after that so I wrote a letter to the Managing Director and Company Solicitor stating that this was 'Formal Complaint' and that I expected a reply within three working days. I got my money back with a letter from the Managing Director, but still no action on my original claim. I subsequently swamped them with numbered e-mails to every department in E&L on a weekly, then twice weekly, basis. After e-mail number 15 had gone in I got a telephone call and subsequently a cheque for the full amount from a solicitor in the Quotations Department! My advice to anyone in the same situation is to issue a Formal Complaint as soon as possibel and then to bombard all departments in the comapny through their web-site with numbered e-mails until you get a response.

[jenny_adams]

This isn't good news for me, luckily haven't had any serious problems with my dog, hope I never do, but this insurance doesn't sound too good...

Edited March 2, 2009 by 42man
commercial link edited

[andynsue]

I know it was a while ago, about 6 years, but I had my horse stolen from his field. E & L were fantastic, if I remember correctly they settled within 6 years. The loss adjuster who came to see me was very helpful and sympathetic.

 

I suspect maybe they have changed a little since then.

[mrsfoot]

I know it was a while ago, about 6 years, but I had my horse stolen from his field. E & L were fantastic, if I remember correctly they settled within 6 years. The loss adjuster who came to see me was very helpful and sympathetic.

 

I suspect maybe they have changed a little since then.

 

They settled within 6 yrs.....6yrs???? Hope thats a typo!

[Happydayz]

I had the misfortune to work for E and L Insurance for a brief spell a few years ago. It was heartbreaking to work for them because I have a conscience and I am an animal lover.

 

I don't want to say too much (I could tell you lots but would probably get in trouble and what I am writing isn't a review really) but it was a very strange place to work for a number of reasons.

 

Just steer clear!

[craig8661]

look on the horse forums e and l are far by the worse for not paying out or excluding limbs.

i kno for horses pet plan was the best poss still are

[Mr lex]

Hightail wrote a good review on Pet Insurance here :-

 

The Consumer Forums - Pet Insurance Know what you're buying

 

From my own experience E&L are the pits

 

Lex

[Jan4a]

I am very sorry for the people struggling with A&L especially the person whose cat died which is very upsetting - they sound horrendous!

 

I have 4 cats and was initially with Petplan. The vet used to claim direct so I didn't have to pay out initially, the vet did like them so they must have paid him on time.

 

Then I changed to Sainsburys Petcare as I got a better deal for less money and they too have been excellent. I do have to pay upfront with these (the vet only claim direct for certain providers PDSA, Petplan as there are so many insurers in the market now) and then claim it back but I get it within a week or so.

 

Pet insurance is a minefield as they all offer different levels of cover so you can't go off just the quotes on comparison sites. You have to really study the policy details. Takes ages to figure out which one is really the best for you. One I've got now even pays for special food for one of mine who has kidney problems that he is on for life.

[celice]

My dog had an operation on his leg at the end of June which cost over £1300, like most people these days I don't that amount of money spare and paid the vet with my credit card. I have been phoning at least once a week since then. I have been told my claim has been approved but it is now with their payments department and I'll just have to wait my turn, they will not tell me when I will get payment or put my through to anyone who will tell me. I asked for the regulators address today which they would not give me and said I had to make an official complaint to them first, which will be in the post to them tonight. I also asked what standard what set out by the regulator regarding timescales in paying out and she said they state has to be paid within a reasonable time (what is a reasonable time? and is this correct?)

 

This is the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

 

Any advise would be greatfully received.

[hightail]

Please all be aware that pet-insurance.co.uk are also underwritten by E&L.

[Mr lex]

Thanks for that 'Heads up' Hightail.

 

It always pays to check who is underwriting your policy. Even some of the supermarkets own brand products go back to E&L

[spunkylotus]

Don’t deal with this company, the biggest rip off company I’ve ever dealt with.

When we filed a claim it took months to get back to us, when they finally got back to us the refused to pay the claim saying we had not given them all the information, the same information that we had sent to them,

THEY ARE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY; THEY WILL NOT PAY YOU OUT WHEN REQUIRED.

[kazziebb]

DO NOT INSURE WITH THIS COMPANY

 

We bought our horse two years ago and never jumped him. My daughter started jumping in december 2010, she had two lessons in one week and my horse has been lame since. After doing the usual box rest etc... we called our vet. After x-rays and ultrasounds it turns out he has torn ligaments. - we knew nothing of this if we did on purchase we probably wouldn't have bought him to do WHP - Well what can say about EandL claims department and keeping it clean, rude, unhelpful, annoying and the list goes on.

 

I am still paying my monthly fees to them and my vet bill of £3.5k. not to mention all our entries fees to PUK and NCPA and my livery bills to boot on a horse that at present following two operations is stood in a small paddock. We love our horse and wouldn't part with him.

 

The response with get from eandl when they answer e-mails or the phone is that the claim is being 'assessed' how long does it take to assess...

[honeybee13]

Hello everyone. I gave up using this company for cat insurance a while back. They were dreadful. I specifically remember when I was trying to resolve our problem that when I lost patience and asked to speak to a superior they refused. When I really lost it and asked to speak to the MD, they told me they were a 'no names' company and would not put me through or tell me the name of the head honcho.

 

I agree, don't use them, sounds as if they haven't improved.

 

HB

[catnap]

If you look up my past comments on this despicable company you will see it is an ongoing problem. How E & L are still in business, I don't know.

We packed up our insurance & a year after losing our beloved Rocky, lost Misty, our eldest & dearest girl Aged 21 a year later.

Had we kept the insurance I dare say we would..eventually have got something. But, though it might seem like I cut off my nose to spite my face, at the time , after all we went through with Rocky, it was more unbearable to go on with that company than not to.

We paid for her loss, literally, in her cremation etc and painful as it was, we at least did not have to go over & over the circumstances on the phone with some cold voice who questioned our every claim.

 

When you lose a pet which has been part of your family you do not expect to be quizzed over every detail of your claim.

When we lost Misty, just as with Rocky, it wasn't about cash, it wasn't about what we could claim because nothing can replace a loved pet which has been a part of your life for so many years.

But having paid out you do expect some help, not return, its not an investment, but to expect help with bills is not unreasonable when that is what you pay for.

We wish we hadn't bothered with pet insurance now because the fight just added to the pain of our loss.

It's different for those with larger animals, horses etc.

But our dear friend at Cats Protection says she never has insurance for her cats (we got another cat from her after we lost Misty because our remaining cat, Shandy was so lonely). She believes they are all bad value & I am inclined to agree with her.

You think you are doing the best thing, but if you pay the same amount into an account for pets as you would to insurance............

[honeybee13]

Forgive me if I'm repeating something, but did you complain to E&L and then the fos? You still could.

 

Sorry to hear about your pussycats, it's always tough, I know, been there.

 

HB x

[catnap]

No, we didn't take it any further than complaining to E & L, for all the good it did. It was just such a heart breaking time and we were upset & angry and just wanted nothing more to do with them. Then, as I said, we lost Misty a year later, but at least we didn't have to repeatedly go over every painful detail to some unfeeling moron at the end of a phone.

Yes we had the same luck as you when trying to speak to someone in authority at E & L.

I can understand being quizzed over a contents insurance claim or such like. But do E&L really think people insure their animals in the hope of making a fast buck? It says a lot about them that most vets seem to be aware of their reputation, some refusing to deal with them. Though our vet was very good & dealt with & spoke to E & L when they were querying claims for Rocky, despite E&L virtually accusing the vet of lying!

Some sort of petition is needed I think, to then be presented to someone who can fully investigate their methods.

 

xx

[Tom87]

My local vets has now put up a big bold notice in its window and on the door of its examination room saying people with E&L have to pay in full straightaway as they never pay out, and strongly recommending that customers do not use this company. What a glowing reference!

[catnap]

Thats another nail in the coffin of E & L, or it should be. Wouldn't you think the Vetinary profession would be able to do something to add to consumers gripes about this despicable company? It's obviously still happening. Hopefully at least people are made aware by notices like those at vetinary surgeries & by sites like this before they buy pet insurance...but I would guess most have already commited before anything like this comes to light.

Most people are already caught up in the web of E & L & have probably paid, as we had, insurance for many years when they come up against them.

I think it's cruel. E & L question every detail & get many things wrong. (As they did with our claim for Rocky when they 'quoted' a claim for 'toys' & it was heart breaking to have to explain, over & again, that there was no claim for 'toys' our cat had to be put to sleep, our claim had been for that & his treatment for ''Teeth". Our first (and only) claim, Rocky was 17 & had been insured since a kitten. )

So do E&L think people who insure their pets are in it for the money?!!

Of all the possible insurance scams that happen, do they really believe someone is going to insure their pet, pay for almost 20 years & claim a fraction of the payments back?

We had 3 cats insured initially, lost one to a road accident & didn't even bother to claim, we were too upset & we would have had to take his dead body to the vets to verify. Then we lost Rocky. Then Misty, our oldest cat, first insured, but after the fiasco with Rocky we'd cancelled the insurance, wanting nothing more to do with E & L. We lost her the year after Rocky.

 

It is understandable that short term insurance claims should be investigated. But when a claim is made, for a fraction of the overall cost over the years of payment, the least you can expect is for them to get the facts right & not to queery a couple of hundred when a few thousand has been paid out, over years, for such emergencies.

What will it take to put them out of business?

[Buster in the Park]

When our little Rag |Doll kitten Arthur was taken ill, hospitalised and died we incurred a very heavy bill - £3500+. Only at the point of having to claim did I look up reviews of E&L/Pet-Insurance and I was deeply worried to hear of the bad experiences of others, and therefore what might lie ahead for me.

Being a Citizens Advice Bureau Advisor I therefore used advice which we give others, namely keep a phone log with dates, times & names and a record of all correspondence.

I am very pleased to report that my experience of E&L's processes and Customer Service has been first rate and although inevitably there is a bit of a delay on cheques of this size I was paid out just after Christmas when Arthur died on 15th November. All the staff I interfaced with were very customer-friendly and efficient, and they were supported by very good IT systems which allowed them to instantly update me on the stages of my claim.

In all, a very efficient experience. I now have our other cat and new dog with E&L and have recommended them to others. E&L did tell me they had only recently increased their staffing to respond to the type of issues raised in the various blogs, but Vet's do still seem to promote other Co's rather than them - so, work to do there!