Pay and claim back

(the insurance company reimburses you after you have paid for your pet’s treatment)

Once you have settled your account with us for your pet’s treatment, a claim is completed and submitted to your insurance company. We can help you with this process. Your insurance company will then reimburse you any payment that is due.

Information from the veterinary clinic is normally requested and we can complete the veterinary section of a paper claim form or online request on your behalf for treatment that we have provided. We will then submit this electronically to your insurance company with any accompanying information required. Your insurance company will then reimburse you any payment that is due, less any excess or non-insured costs.

Direct payment claims to Coast

(the insurance company pays us directly for the cost of your pet’s treatment)

We may agree to claim the treatment costs directly from your insurance company. Coast Referrals will review your insurance policy and decide if we are able to offer you a direct claim. We do not provide direct claims for all insurance companies.

A direct claim is made at the discretion of Coast Referrals and not the insurance company.

Please note direct claims are not available for initial consultation costs.

Criteria required to complete a direct claim on your behalf

• Prior to your visit to us you must contact your insurance company and give them permission to speak to us regarding your policy.
• You must bring your original insurance documents to your initial appointment.
• You must provide the clinic with either a paper claim form (with the policyholder sections completed) or an online insurance link so we are able to submit the claim for payment.
• You must agree to pay the policy excess (unless we have confirmed already paid), any percentage excess, or costs above the insurance limit on collection of your pet following treatment.
• You must sign our payment liability form which states that you are responsible for paying all outstanding fees not settled by your insurance company within 30 days of submission of your direct claim.
• Direct claims will only be considered for treatment costs over £400.

A non-claimable administration fee of £38 is charged for the first direct claim.

Pre-authorisation of treatment costs

(pre-agreement to pay a claim by your insurance company before treatment commences)

Pre-authorisation for a claim may be requested by some insurance companies prior to treatment being performed or if treatment cost is expected to exceed a certain amount. You may also wish to request pre-authorisation from your insurance company in advance of treatment being performed to give you confidence that your pet’s treatment will be covered.

Unfortunately, some insurance companies do not offer pre-authorisation for treatment. Please seek advice directly from your insurance company as to whether this service is available.

Coast will prepare a draft estimated invoice for treatment and submit the pre-authorisation directly to your insurance company on your behalf. Assessment can take at least five working days and should therefore be requested in plenty of time. Please be aware that pre-authorisation assessment could result in a delay in your pet’s treatment.

Royal and Sun Alliance (RSA) Preferred Referral Network

If your insurance policy is underwritten by Royal and Sun Alliance (RSA) and their preferred referral network list is still operational then please contact us for further advice and help with your claim.