Back to news

Direct Claims – An Explanation

Once you’ve put in a claim for you pet, we want you to have peace of mind, knowing that your claim is being dealt with behind the scenes and without any fuss. But what exactly do direct pet insurance claims mean?

What is a Direct Pet Insurance Claim?

A ‘direct claim’ is a claim that is settled directly with your vet.  You would pay your vet any applicable excess and for the cost of any treatments not covered on your policy and the balance of the claim is paid by your insurer to your vet. So, in a nutshell, Vetsure will pay your vet practice directly so you aren’t left out of pocket. We understand that this is a stressful time, and when your pet is unwell it’s all you can think about, so we’ll handle the payment so you have one less thing to worry about.

Many popular pet insurance providers promote ‘direct claims’ as a benefit as most insurers do not mind whether they pay the vet or policy holder for the claim, provided they have the signed consent of the policy holder.

However, many vets will not allow direct pet insurance claims as some insurers can take a long time to pay the claims. This can cause serious cash flow issues for the vet. So, in reality, the ability to undertake ‘direct claims’ is at the discretion of your vet irrespective of whether the insurance provider allows it or not. Speak to your vet for advice before taking out a policy.

What does this mean for Vetsure Customers?

The good news is that Vetsure-accredited clinics are happy for Vetsure claims to be processed directly – as they are confident that they will receive payment promptly.  Vetsure have been working with the vet practices in our network for many years, and some have been working with us since the start, back in 2009. Throughout this time, we have been able to build up a strong relationship with these practices, and they trust us to handle claims directly with them. Therefore, Vetsure clients need only pay the excess for eligible treatments and the insurer will settle the balance with the vet.

If you ever have a queries regarding your claim, you can contact us to speak to one of our friendly customer service team members on 0800 050 2022 or visit our website to learn more about the Vetsure claims process.