Free pet insurance you get what you pay for (Pets-Pyjamas.co.uk)

Member Name: sugarlump

Product:	Pets-Pyjamas.co.uk
Date:	12/12/01 (651 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: it's free

Disadvantages: it's rubbish, they sell your details on as spam then deny they have ever heard of you!, wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy

I took advantage of this free insurance through the Pet's Pyjamas website in August 2001 for my two moggies (non-pedigree but none the less lovable). The insurance was by a company called Pet Wise otherwise known as Inter Group Insurance (with whom I have a house insurance policy).

Anyway, filled in the form for my two furry boys, and sat back waiting for my certificate of insurance or validation. Nothing arrived.

At the same time I took out this insurance, my mother took out some for her dog, and she was still waiting for her certificate, so I didn't worry too much.

By early October, I was starting to get a bit concerned so I went back and completed the form again, thinking maybe it had not been accepted. The details went in, and the screen showed that they would not accept it as the system already contained the same details. Feeling satisfied that the certificate must be on its way, I sat back.

At the end of October, my cat was attacked by a dog and needed almost £200 worth of treatment. I was worried sick that Bob the cat might lose his leg, and that the vets bills would cripple us (I am a single mum on income support) but at least the insurance would cover all except the excess. I collected the vets receipts and contacted the company for a claim form.

Three emails and one month later, the claim form finally arrived. Each time I emailed, I stated I could not quote an insurance policy number since I had not been issued with a certificate.

Forms completed, I returned everything immediately, and wrote on the claim form I was sorry I could not send a claim number or insurance policy number because they had not sent one, and since they should have my name.address etc on their system, it should not be too hard for them to find it. I knew that had all my details because of the amount of spams that were coming my way.

This morning, I got the whole lot back one whole month of it sitting in so
meones in-tray, with a letter telling me they refused to do anything without an insurance policy number. AAAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Needless to say, I got on the phone and having waited on an expensive phone number for 10 minutes, I spoke to someone, told them all the details and was told...... yes, you guessed it.... " we can't do anything without a policy number". "But I can't give you one, I was never issued with one." "Well, it sounds to me like you don't have a claim then, but if you parcel it all up and send it back with a letter explaining all this...." "But I already have..." "Well," he replied, "If you do it all over again, send it all back, send a letter explaining....." blah blah blah.

Anyway, I have done it, but I am pretty p***ed off. As for my mother - well, she is still waiting for her policy coming through. As for the free insurance, it is no longer available on line.
As for me, well, when I am almost £200 in the hole for something I understood an insurance company would pay up for, God only knows what pathetic presents I can afford for my kids this Christmas because of this company's negligence.

Why on earth do they think I would walk away and NOT sign up for free pet insurance, then have the cheek to make a claim? Honestly?

To end this delightful story, I stated earlier than I had house insurance with this company. Well guess what happened when the fuse box blew in the summer following a power cut while I was away on hols for a fortnight and my electric went off? £200 worth of tropical fish, they only paid the original cost, not the current market value. quibbled everything, and were a complete waste of time. And tried to avoid paying out by blaming me, the electricity company, the electricians who came out, everyone except pay out.

Hmmm. My opinion? Waste of time and effort. Avoid this insurance at all costs because it
's not even worth the cost of your internet access. As they say, you get what you pay for, and this insurance is free, crap and does not exist when you try to claim on it, lulling you into a false sense of security.

UPDATE DATED 13 JANUARY 2002: I wrote to this company on 12 December 2001 giving them 10 days to respond to my letter and tell me either they were investigating or to let me know what was happening to this claim.

It is now over one month later and I have still not heard anything from this despicable company - not a letter, email or telephone call. I have since written them another letter and hopefully this time they will respond.

Pet's Pyjamas, whose website ran this so-called offer, have refused to answer my email request for information regarding this company, which is rude and ignorant.

The insurance company details are as follows:

PETWISE INSURANCE
INTERGROUP CLAIMS LIMITED
FARNHAM SURREY

You would be very wise to steer clear of anything this company have to offer. It has been four months since my mother took out this insurance on line and she is still waiting for any confirmation of it. I think that speaks volumes.

UPDATED 20 FEBRUARY 2002

I have still heard nothing from this company in spite of letters, emails and telephone calls. I have written a letter today addressed to the Chief Executive and am sending a copy to Pets Pyjamas.

Because I paid the vets bill on my credit card, I have now paid over £30 in interest over the past four months while I have been waiting for a reply and payment from this company. And, I have never received my insurance certificate, neither has anyone else I know who have applied for this pet insurance. Rip off.

UPDATE 20 MARCH 2002
I have had four emails from the company shirking responsibility. They claim the offer they placed on Pet's Pyjamas site ended in December 2000. Pet's Pyjamas were st
ill running the offer in December 2001!
I am still banging my head against a brick wall on this one.

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