Direct Claims – Q and A
Information for pet owners considering making a direct claim for treatment at Davies.
How do I request a direct claim?
Please advise us as soon as possible if you would like to make a direct claim to cover the costs of your pet’s treatment. We need to approve your direct claim before treatment commences.
We charge a £45 administration fee for processing a direct claim.
You will need to contact your insurance company and give Davies full permission to discuss your policy information with them.
How long do direct claims take?
Direct claims often include quite a lengthy preparation time. This may delay possible investigations and surgery. Due to this we do charge a non-returnable administration fee for handling direct claims.
What happens once my direct claim is approved?
We require a £300 deposit to be paid at your first appointment. This includes our £45 direct claim administration fee. The remaining £255 should be refunded if the insurers pay out in full. Although, it may be used to coverall/some of the insurance shortfall for policy excess, co-payment or un-claimable items.
You will need to either sign a direct claim terms & conditions form or reply to our email confirming you accept the direct claim terms & conditions.
Please be aware than approval to proceed with a direct claim is not pre-authorisation. It doesn’t guarantee that you are covered for the treatment, but it means that we are able to claim via your insurers based on the information that they have given us about your policy.
What happens if my direct claim is declined?
If a direct claim request is declined by the Insurance Company or only part paid – then you will be liable for all outstanding costs. This is clearly stated in our direct claims terms & conditions.
What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept all major debit and credit cards. We also accept bank transfers and banker’s drafts, but we do not accept cheques.
We accept online payment transactions from MyPetPortal.
Other Direct Claims FAQs
If Davies processes my direct claim, how does this work?
We require you to provide a signed claim form at the time of treatment for each occasion you wish to claim for. A direct claim cannot be made by sending us a claim form after your pet has been seen.
Do I still have to pay the excess?
Yes. At the time of making the first direct claim, we ask for a down-payment of any excess specified on your insurance policy (the excess is the first amount of the bill that your insurance company will not settle and which you must pay). We understand that you may believe that this may already have been paid (e.g. at your own vets). We can assure you that any overpayment will be refunded.
What if my excess is a percentage of the bill?
It is important to understand that insurance policies which include an excess which is a percentage of the bill can result in a significant sum which you will need to pay directly to us.
Things to be aware of:
Any anticipated shortfall in the cost of treatment, which is not covered by your insurance company, will be payable by you to us at the time of making the first direct claim. You will also be required to pay any additional shortfall outstanding once the claim has been settled.
It is important to appreciate that if, having carried out careful checks with you and your insurers, we decide that we are prepared to undertake a direct claim for the treatment for your pet, this is not a guarantee that your insurers will settle your claim, and if they fail to do so, this will result in a shortfall for which you will be liable to pay us in full.
Linnaeus Veterinary Limited trading as Davies Veterinary Specialists 01582 883950
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