Vets Exploiting Pet Insurance
According to a report today by the BBC, some vets are exploiting the privilege of clients with pet insurance policies.
Chris Price, from Direct Line, told BBC Radio 5 Live the company had received claims for treatment that its consultant vets considered unnecessary.
The increasing cost of claims means insurers have had to increase premiums.
The British Veterinary Association said vets did not “milk” insurance and high costs were due to expensive treatment.
Just under a quarter of all cat and dog owners hold an insurance plan in case their pets need treatment – and that figure is growing.
Figures from Petplan, the biggest provider of pet insurance in the UK, show the average claim per condition has nearly doubled in five years to £715 for a dog and £501 for a cat.
The article goes on to state that claims were rising because more vets are recommending ‘non essential’ treatment for pets.
Mr Price, head of animal insurance at Direct Line, told 5 Live costs were rising because although vets were seeing fewer animals, some were recommending non-essential and costly treatments to make up for the shortfall in earnings.
He said the company’s consultant vets had discovered the practice when analysing claims and assessing whether or not the treatment was appropriate.
“What we see is a tendency to select more expensive and elegant forms of diagnosis over something more pragmatic,” said Mr Price.
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