Most pet insurance claims follow the same steps, whether it's a vet bill, a cremation or a neighbour's damaged property. This guide goes through each step in order. It's general information. Your own policy wording decides what is paid and how.
What a pet insurance claim can be for
Pet insurance for dogs and cats usually covers four kinds of cost:
- Vet bills for accidents and illness, including surgery
- Third-party liability if your pet hurts someone or damages property
- Cremation or burial costs
- Boarding fees if you're in hospital and someone else has to look after your pet
Before you claim, it helps to know what's usually not covered. Conditions your pet had before cover started aren't covered. Nor is routine care such as vaccinations, grooming and neutering, or breeding, pregnancy and birth. Restricted breeds, such as Akitas and Pit Bull types, can't be covered at all.
Most plans also have a co-payment or an excess. This is the share of each bill you pay yourself. With a 10% co-payment on a S$1,000 bill, you pay S$100. The amounts differ between plans.
At the vet or at the time
Your pet's care comes first. Get treatment, then deal with the paperwork.
When you can, tell the clinic your pet is insured. Ask for an itemised invoice, not just a total, and the diagnosis in writing. Insurers usually need to see what was treated and why.
With many plans, you pay the clinic first, then claim the money back. Some clinics may deal with the insurer directly for larger bills. This differs between plans and clinics, so ask both before a planned operation.
If your dog bites someone at the void deck or damages a car in the carpark, the steps are a little different:
- Make sure anyone hurt gets help.
- Note the date, time and place.
- Take photos of any damage and the scene.
- Swap names and contact details with the other person.
- Write down the details of anyone who saw what happened.
Check if your policy says not to admit fault or offer to pay before you speak to the insurer. Many liability covers have a rule like this.
What to keep
A claim goes faster when you send all the papers the first time. Keep:
- Itemised invoices and official receipts from the vet
- The vet's diagnosis, clinical notes and any test results
- Referral letters if you were sent to a specialist clinic
- Photos and contact details for any liability incident
- Receipts from the pet crematorium or burial service
- Boarding receipts, plus your own hospital admission and discharge papers
- Your policy number and your pet's microchip number, if it has one
Keep the originals until the claim is settled. Take a photo or scan of each page too. One folder on your phone works for most people.
Telling the insurer and filing the claim
Tell the insurer as soon as you can. Each policy sets its own time limit for telling the insurer and for sending the claim. These limits differ between plans, so check your policy wording.
The Claims page lists each insurer's claims contact. Most insurers take claims through an online form or portal. Some still accept email or post.
A typical claim form asks for:
- Your details and policy number
- Your pet's name, breed and age
- What happened and when
- The vet's details and the treatment given
- Your bank details for payment
Some forms have a section for the vet to fill in. If you can, ask the clinic to do it before you leave. That saves a second trip.
For a liability claim, pass any letter or demand from the other person to the insurer. Don't reply yourself if your policy says the insurer will handle it.
What the insurer checks
When the insurer gets your claim, it checks a few things.
Was the policy active? The insurer checks that cover had started and premiums were paid.
Was it during a waiting period? Waiting periods apply at the start of a policy. Illness is usually only covered after the first few weeks. The typical-price pages on this site assume cover starts in 14 days.
Did the condition start before cover did? Insurers often look closely at this. The insurer may ask for your pet's earlier vet records, and compare them with what you said about breed and health when you applied.
Is the cost covered at all? Routine care, breeding and pregnancy costs are usually not covered. Treatment for a restricted breed isn't covered.
How much is left? The yearly vet-bill limit is the most an insurer pays in a policy year. The insurer checks what it has already paid, then takes off your co-payment or excess.
The insurer may contact your vet directly with questions. For a liability claim, it may speak to the other person too.
How long a claim usually takes
It depends. Times differ between insurers and between kinds of claim.
A simple claim with all the papers, such as one invoice for an accident, is usually quickest. Claims that need earlier vet records, specialist reports or a liability investigation usually take longer.
Missing papers often cause delays. If the insurer asks for more, send it quickly and keep a copy. Note the date of each message. Some insurers give their usual time in the policy wording or on their claims page.
If a claim is declined or paid in part
Getting less than you claimed doesn't always mean a rejection. The co-payment, the excess or the yearly limit may explain the difference. Read the settlement letter carefully first.
If the claim is declined, or you can't see why it was reduced:
- Ask for the reasons in writing. Ask which policy clause the insurer relied on.
- Read that clause yourself. Compare it with what happened and what the vet wrote.
- Fill any gaps. Claims are sometimes declined because papers were missing or unclear. A letter from your vet may help, for example on when a condition first showed signs.
- Ask for a review. Write to the insurer's claims team with your reasons and any new documents.
- Use the complaints process. If you still disagree, ask the insurer how its formal complaints process works. Also ask about independent dispute resolution in case that doesn't settle it.
Keep every letter and make a note of each phone call, with the date and the name of the person you spoke to.
Making the next claim easier
A little preparation helps when something goes wrong:
- Keep your policy schedule and wording where you can find them quickly.
- Keep every vet visit on record, including check-ups. Clear records can help show when a condition started.
- Answer the breed and health questions fully when you apply.
- Renew without a break. Cover usually continues for older pets if there is no gap.
- Before choosing a plan, compare the yearly vet-bill limit, the co-payment and the waiting period. These decide what a claim pays.
You can compare plans for dogs and cats on the pet insurance page. Typical prices are on the microchipped dog, microchipped cat and dog not yet microchipped pages. For each insurer's claims contact, see the Claims page. Other guides are on the guides page.