Payment and Pet Insurance Terms and Conditions
Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic
1. Payment for Consultations and Treatments
Payment in full is required at the time of consultation or treatment, unless alternative payment arrangements have been agreed with Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic in advance.
Clients who have pet insurance are normally required to settle their account directly with the clinic and subsequently reclaim the cost of treatment from their insurance provider.
2. Direct Insurance Claims
At our discretion, Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic may agree to submit a direct insurance claim, whereby payment for veterinary treatment is made directly to the clinic by the insurance provider rather than by the client.
We do not offer direct insurance claims for consultations or treatments where the total invoice is less than £1,000. In these circumstances, payment in full is required at the time of treatment, and the client is responsible for reclaiming the cost from their insurance provider.
For invoices of £1,000 or more, direct insurance claims may be considered on an individual basis, subject to prior agreement with the clinic.
Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic reserves the right to decline any request for a direct insurance claim, regardless of the amount involved. This decision may depend on the insurance provider concerned, our previous experience with that provider, or other relevant circumstances.
Clients wishing to arrange a direct insurance claim must obtain agreement from the clinic before their appointment or treatment. Direct claims cannot be assumed to have been accepted without prior confirmation.
3. Insurance Excesses and Policyholder Contributions
Where a direct insurance claim has been agreed, it is the client’s responsibility to contact their insurance provider before attending their appointment to establish:
- The excess payable under their insurance policy.
- Whether any additional percentage excess or co-payment applies.
- Whether any age-related excess or other policy restrictions apply.
- Whether the proposed consultation or treatment is covered by their insurance policy.
All applicable excesses, co-payments and other known policyholder contributions must be paid to Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic at the time of consultation or treatment.
Any additional charges subsequently identified as not covered by the insurance policy will remain the responsibility of the client.
4. Delayed or Unpaid Insurance Claims
Where Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic agrees to submit a direct insurance claim, this arrangement is made on the understanding that the client remains ultimately responsible for payment of all veterinary fees incurred.
If payment has not been received from the insurance provider within 30 calendar days of submission of the completed insurance claim, we reserve the right to request payment of the outstanding balance directly from the client.
This provision applies even where the insurance provider has not yet completed processing the claim.
Where payment is requested from the client under these circumstances, the outstanding balance must be settled within 14 calendar days of our written request.
If the insurance provider subsequently settles the claim after the client has paid the outstanding balance, Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic will promptly refund any duplicate payment received.
5. Responsibility for Insurance Claims
Pet insurance is a contract between the policyholder and their insurance provider.
Although Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic may assist with submitting insurance claims, we cannot guarantee that an insurer will accept a claim or reimburse the full cost of treatment.
The client remains ultimately responsible for all veterinary fees incurred, regardless of whether an insurance claim is submitted directly by the clinic or by the client.
This includes any insurance excess, co-payment, excluded treatment, rejected claim or shortfall in the amount reimbursed by the insurance provider.
6. Agreement to Terms and Conditions
By booking or attending an appointment at Dermvet Skin and Ear Clinic, clients acknowledge and agree to these payment and insurance arrangements, provided that these terms and conditions have been made available to them before the appointment.
Where a direct insurance claim is agreed, clients may also be required to sign a declaration confirming their understanding and acceptance of these arrangements.
These terms do not affect clients’ statutory rights.
A second opinion or referral dermatology appointment is time-consuming, not only the time allocated for the appointment, but the time spent reading through the history and sometimes discussing the case by email beforehand. We have had several clients miss appointments or cancel at extremely short notice (e.g. on the morning of the appointment!). Missed appointments or those canceled at very short notice cannot be filled by other clients, most of whom travel long distances to see us, and we often have long waiting lists of up to 8-10 weeks. If you are unable to attend an appointment, please do NOT rely on email or website to inform us. Please PHONE the clinic….if the clinic is closed, you can leave a voicemail message that will be picked up very quickly. We reserve the right to charge up to 80% of the cost of an appointment for missed appointments or those canceled within 24 hours. For more information on Full Terms and Conditions, see: