Although we've made lots of insurance claims before, we've never claimed for ongoing meds - and now it looks like we will have to, for our old girl and her Incurin for incontinence.  How does this work?

Our insurance with Direct Line has an £80 excess and our first vet visit cost around £84 for urine test, meds, consult.  Then we got another month of meds for £18.20.  If we need to increase the dose to 2mg, it will be double that a month

I wasn't going to claim anything, because I was thinking of it as just the £84, but then someone pointed out to me that all the monthly meds will add up considerably and I should claim.

At what point should I put in a claim form, should I put one in now, even though it's only for about £18+£4?  (As I think they like you to claim ASAP after a condition developing?)  And then I just submit further 'continuing claim' forms, as time goes by?  Or do I wait until we've racked up some more months of meds?

We have an annual policy, so we will only be able to claim for the first year of this condition, but it's better than nothing!

How do you deal with ongoing meds and insurance, folks?

I filled in my claim form at the vets and they did the rest for me.  Even though it was for the same condition,  because it was three different times with a gap in between, they deducted the £100 excess for each visit so they kept £300 and paid the remainder into my bank.
The condition is the same but because of vet incompetence I have had to put in another claim with the changed medical name.  I handed a claim form to the vet even though I have only paid £20 for one lot of tablets because my dog will be on them for life.  So I should imagine as soon as it reaches another £100 the money I pay for pills will be paid to me each month. I hope.

Wow that's a bit harsh, lkj - my insurance only deducts the excess once per condition - I'm pretty sure, as we've had several occasions before where we've had to go back to the vet for the same thing.

I just wondered, in terms of meds, how this works though.  In terms of what we've spent so far, I wouldn't bother putting a claim form in if it was going to stop here.  But I know it won't and by the end of the year, it will have amounted to quite a lot.  So just not sure if I should put a claim form in now, or wait...

That is why I put the claim form in so that if there is a gap I hope it will be classed as a continuation.  Thinking about it now it could have been because it went over into another year.

Could you contact the insurance company directly? Sometimes they are best people to advise so that you get the best out of your policy.

If it is the same condition, then they would only have taken further excesses if the policy renewed between claims.  There is only one excess per condition per year.

It should be classed as same condition one excess fee however if the medication deemed as alternative then they won't pay out. Our Labrador had mess for her arthritis and a few old age tremors first 6 months they paid out. On renewal a new clause to all policies some med deemed alternative and not part of policy. Our tablets classified as this.

Mine are on ongoing meds.I put in a claim form every time and they deduct one excess per policy year as long as it's for.the same condition.  Most companies u need to submit within 90.days of treatment. Treatment being when the meds were prescribed or represcribed. I keep spread sheets of whatt I am paying and what I am expecting so any queries I know.where I am .woth 2.dogs on meds and regular vet visits it's a nightmare but so far having managed to get all I have expected over.the last 18 months including prescribed.supliments and bespoke herbal.tinctures which come under  different terms.these days my premise every visit means a claim for so nothing gets missed.so.far so.good

All in all put claim form in each time don't save.them up its clearer.that way and.u should only have one excess for.that condition in that policy year.if it goes over then another excess is payable

My last two dogs had ongoing meds for three years and were both insured with Direct Line. I informed them straight away after the vet visit and diagnosis, told them what was going to happen - ongoing meds for probably most of remaining life. The first claim form I sent in was for the initial vet visit and first lot of meds which was about £120 a month. The first claim had the excess deducted then after that they paid up each month until both dogs had died with no quibble whatsoever. The way my vet did things was that I paid upfront each time I picked up the drugs then I filled in my bit of the claim form and left it with the vets to fill in their bit and post it off to Direct Line. About a month later a cheque would arrive in the post.

Great thanks.  Jodi we are also with Direct Line, although we only have their annual policy.  So we will only get meds covered for a year, but better than nothing!