Claims made easy
Making a claim with Scratch & Patch is easy. You can claim online or by phone. We can even deal directly with your vet.
Before you make a claim
Scratch & Patch 24/7 Vet Careline
Using the careline before you go to the vet, can potentially save you time and the cost of an unnecessary trip.
Compare veterinary costs
It can be worthwhile asking several vets for an upfront quote. Veterinary charges can differ from vet to vet so it is worth shopping around.
Get pet medication online
It can be cheaper to purchase from an authorised prescription medication site. Simply obtain a prescription from your vet and always make sure you use a reputable UK online pharmacy site.
Keep your pet healthy
Regular exercise and a balanced diet is one of the best ways to keep your pet’s health care costs down in the long term. Don’t forget to ensure your pet also receives regular routine health checks.
What you’ll need
In the event you need to claim, the most important thing is the well-being of your pet. That’s why we try to make claiming as straightforward as possible for all our members. In order to begin your claim you’ll need to have the following information:
Your policy number
Your pet’s previous veterinary practice/s (if applicable)
Your previous address (if applicable)
Submit a claim online
The quickest and easiest way to submit your claim is by using our online claims system
Speak to our claims team
Our claims team are to help with any questions you may have regarding your claim
Email Us
Vet claim on your behalf
If you will be asking your vet to complete the claims form on your behalf
Avoiding delays and next steps
To speed up your online claim, have your invoice and pet’s medical history ready. If you don’t have the medical history, we can request it from your vet after submission.
To submit a manual claim, please email us for a form. Ensure it’s signed by you and your vet, stamped by the practice, and includes medical history and supporting documents.
We’ll update you on the progress of your claim by email. If you have questions, feel free to contact us.
For any policy or cover related questions, our customer service team is happy to help.
Claims FAQs
Can I get pre-authorisation for a treatment?
No, we’re not able to pre-authorise any claim. We review each claim on an individual basis once we have all supporting documentation. To view the details of your pet’s cover, please log in to My Account. You can also find more information about claims, or steps you can take before making a claim, here. You can find all of our policy documents here.
Is it worth claiming if the claim is lower than my excess?
If the amount you are claiming is lower than your policy excess (and co-payment, if you have chosen this as part of your policy), we can still process your claim, but we will not be able to make a payment.
However, the cost of the first treatment and/or submitted claim, less any applicable deductions (such as inner limits), will count towards your excess for the same condition within the same policy year. This means that if you make a continuation/subsequent claim for the same condition later in the policy year, the initial claim amount will count towards any remaining excess you need to pay.
In the following examples, the initial lower claim amounts help reduce your excess for subsequent claims, but do not result in a settlement after the first claim. Therefore, it may potentially be beneficial in these scenarios to only submit claims after the second claim, once the settlement amount exceeds the excess.
EXAMPLE 1 – POLICY EXCESS: £275, SELECTED CO-PAYMENT: 0%
First Claim:
- £280 – Claim Value
- Less £40 – Applicable Deductions*
- £240 – Settlement Amount (before excess)
- Less £275 – Policy Excess
- £0 – Final Settlement (since £240 is less than the £275 policy excess)
- £240 is credited towards your excess for a continuation/subsequent claim for the same condition within the same policy year.
Second Claim (Continuation claim for same condition, in same policy year):
- £150 – Claim Value
- Less £20 – Applicable Deductions*
- £130 – Settlement Amount (before excess)
- Less £35 – Remaining Excess (after first claim – £275 minus £240)
- £95 – Final Settlement
EXAMPLE 2 – POLICY EXCESS: £125, SELECTED CO-PAYMENT: 20%
First Claim:
- £110 – Claim Value
- Less £10 – Applicable Deductions*
- £100 – Settlement Amount (before excess)
- Less £125 – Policy Excess
- £0 – Final Settlement (since £100 is less than the £125 policy excess)
- £100 is credited towards your excess for a continuation/subsequent claim for the same condition within the same policy year.
Second Claim (Continuation claim for same condition, in same policy year):
- £350 – Claim Value
- Less £45 – Applicable Deductions*
- £305 – Settlement Amount (before excess & co-payment)
- Less £35 – Remaining Excess (after first claim – £125 minus £100)
- £280 – Settlement Amount (before co-payment)
- Less £56 – Co-Payment (20%)
- £224 – Final Settlement
(*Deductions could include anything not covered under your policy terms and conditions, amounts exceeding inner limits as specified in your policy schedule, amounts exceeding 100% markup on medications.)
How can I check the status of my claim?
If you have questions over your claim or require an update on an open claim, you can contact us on [email protected] or call us on 0330 102 6839 and choose option 3.
Can you pay my vet directly?
Yes, we can pay your vet directly if you and your vet agree to it. Details of preferred payment details are requested during the claim process and, upon settlement, both you and your vet will receive confirmation details.
Do you cover dental?
We do not provide cover for the cost of dental or gum treatment which is not directly resulting from an accident or injury. We also exclude routine, preventative or cosmetic procedures, including but not limited to scaling and polishing.
How can I check what I am or am not covered for?
You can see what you are and are not covered for by reviewing our Policy Documents. You can also check your Policy Schedule by logging into My Account. This provides details of your excess, co-payment and inner limits applicable to the policy cover.
Please ensure that you have also checked our full list of policy exclusions, including our excluded breeds list and rules, before proceeding to purchase a policy with Scratch & Patch. If your dog is found to be an excluded dog, we may cancel your policy, refuse all claims, keep any premium you have paid and charge you a cancellation fee.
Some of the other key policy exclusions are:
- We will not cover the amount of the excess(s) applicable for any claim.
- Death from accident or illness – cover is restricted to dogs aged under 8years, or cats aged under 10years, at the date of loss or death.
- Euthanasia is excluded under Bronze, Silver and Gold policies.
- Third party liability cover is restricted to Dogs Only.
- Loss and recovery – cover restricted to dogs aged under 8 years, or cats aged under 10 years, at the date they go missing.
- Vet fee limits and policy limits apply.
- We will not pay for advertising and reward incurred without our prior consent.
- Any condition first showing clinical signs in the first 14 days of the policy unless you had a prior pet insurance policy.
- Your pet must be at least 5 weeks old when your policy starts.
- Dangerous dogs and excluded breeds cannot be covered. Please note that if you have declared the incorrect breed when taking the policy out, you may not be covered when making a claim.
The full list of policy exclusions can be seen here.
Why are deductions applied to medications?
Pet insurance providers have a duty to protect their policyholders from premium increases that would otherwise become unsustainable by including condition limits and caps on variable charges. The costs vets can charge for items such as medication can vary significantly from one practice to the next, as there is no current regulation of these charges.
Therefore, by limiting the mark-up on medication wholesale or manufacturer costs up to a maximum of 100%, we are able to have some control over the impact to our policyholders and the premiums we charge. We also encourage our customers to shop around for medication items, as these can often be found cheaper – for example through online medication providers.
What should I do if my pet passes away?
Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is never easy, but if the worst should happen, Scratch & Patch is here to support you. Whilst insurance may understandably be the last thing on your mind, there are a few things to consider.
- Firstly, please contact our customer service team by calling 0330 102 6839, so that they can help with cancelling your pet’s policy.
- You may also wish to submit a claim. You can find all the ways to do this here, but the easiest and most efficient way is online here.
- Further details on your Scratch & Patch policy’s death of pet cover can be viewed in your policy documents, which you can find here, or by logging into My Account.
How do I make a claim?
The easiest way for you or your vet to make a claim is online.
- You can submit a claim here.
- If your vet submits a claim on your behalf then please share this link with them: https://scratchandpatch.claimsorted.com/submit-a-claim/vet
Please ensure you have the following documentation and information to hand:
- Your policy number and Policy Schedule.
- The full medical history for first claims.
- An up to date medical history for continuation claims.
- A fully itemised invoice for each treatment.
- Full names and address for any treating vets.
- If claiming for injury or illness, you will need details of the condition start date and the treatment dates.
For other ways to make a claim, or for the steps you can take before making a claim, click here.
What information do I need to know before I can claim?
The easiest and most efficient way to submit your claim is online here. Please ensure you have the following documentation and information to hand:
- Your policy number and Policy Schedule.
- The full medical history for first claims.
- An up to date medical history for continuation claims.
- A fully itemised invoice for each treatment.
- Full name and address for any treating vets.
- If claiming for injury or illness, you will need details of the condition start date and the treatment dates.
You will be asked a series of questions to help us establish what has happened, however if any further information is required, we will contact you or your vet directly. Your answers will be automatically saved (unless you clear your browser before submitting) and you can resume your claim at a more convenient time. Please provide as much detail as possible, to enable us to progress your claim quickly and efficiently.
Your claim should be notified to us within 60 days of any incident or treatment. You should then submit all information and documentation as quickly as you can so that we can process your claim. We will not pay any claims for vet bills that are 12 months old or older when they are sent to us.
You can also find more information about claims, or steps you can take before making a claim, here. If you have questions over your claim or require an update on an open claim you can contact us on [email protected] or call us on 0330 102 6839 and choose option 3.
