If your pet becomes ill or is injured, dealing with an insurance claim probably isn’t the first thing you want to think about.
The good news is that making a pet insurance claim can be relatively straightforward. At Scratch & Patch, you or your vet can submit a claim online, and we can even pay an accepted claim directly to your vet if you both agree.
Here’s how the process works, what you’ll need and what happens after you’ve submitted your claim.
What is a pet insurance claim?
A pet insurance claim is a request for your insurer to contribute towards costs that may be covered by your policy.
For example, if your pet becomes ill or has an accident and receives veterinary treatment, you may be able to claim towards the eligible cost of that treatment.
Whether your claim is covered — and how much your insurer will pay — depends on your policy cover, vet fee limits, excess, any co-payment, exclusions and the circumstances of the claim.
How do I make a claim with Scratch & Patch?
The quickest and easiest way to make a Scratch & Patch claim is through our online claims system. You can submit the claim yourself, or your vet can submit one on your behalf.
Make a claim with Scratch & Patch >
Before starting, it’s helpful to have the information we’ll need ready. This includes your policy number and Policy Schedule, an itemised invoice, details of the vets involved and information about the condition and treatment dates.
For a first claim, we’ll also need your pet’s full medical history; for a continuation claim, an up-to-date medical history is required.
Why do you need my pet’s medical history?
Your pet’s veterinary history helps us assess whether the condition and treatment are covered by your policy.
For example, it can help establish when signs or symptoms first appeared and whether the condition relates to something your pet experienced before their cover began.
This is particularly important because Scratch & Patch policies do not cover pre-existing conditions.
If you don’t already have your pet’s medical history when making a claim, we can request it directly from your vet.
Related guide: What is a pre-existing condition in pet insurance?
What happens after I submit my claim?
Once we’ve received the information required, your claim can be assessed against the terms of your policy.
We’ll consider the treatment and supporting documentation and determine which costs are eligible for cover.
If we need anything else, we’ll contact you or your vet, and we’ll keep you informed by email as your claim progresses.
Can Scratch & Patch pre-authorise treatment?
No. Scratch & Patch doesn’t pre-authorise claims or treatment.
Every claim is reviewed individually once we’ve received the necessary supporting documentation. This means we can’t guarantee before treatment takes place that a future claim will be accepted.
You can check the details of your cover in your Policy Schedule and policy documents before treatment and speak to our team if you have questions about your policy.
Can you pay my vet directly?
Yes. If you and your vet agree, Scratch & Patch can pay an accepted claim directly to your veterinary practice.
You’ll be asked to provide the preferred payment details during the claims process, and both you and your vet will receive confirmation when the claim is settled.
Alternatively, where appropriate, a settlement can be paid to you if you’ve already paid the vet bill yourself.
How does my excess affect a claim?
Your excess is the amount you’re required to contribute towards eligible claims, in accordance with your policy.
This means the amount you claim isn’t necessarily the amount you’ll receive.
it can still be relevant to record treatment costs that don’t result in an immediate payment.
With Scratch & Patch, eligible costs from an initial claim can count towards the excess for continuation claims for the same condition within the same policy year, after applicable deductions.
If you’ve selected a policy with a co-payment, your applicable percentage contribution will also be taken into account when calculating the final settlement.
Related guide: What is an excess in pet insurance?
Why might the amount paid be different from my vet bill?
Not every cost on a veterinary invoice will necessarily be covered in full.
Your settlement can be affected by your excess, co-payment, vet fee or inner limits and anything not covered under your policy terms.
Scratch & Patch also applies a cap to medication costs. We cover eligible prescribed medication costs up to a maximum 100% mark-up on the wholesale or manufacturer’s cost.
Veterinary practices can charge different prices for medication, so customers may sometimes be able to reduce costs by obtaining a prescription and purchasing medication from a reputable authorised UK online pharmacy.
Checking your Policy Schedule and policy documents will help you understand the limits and contributions that apply to your particular cover.
Can I do anything to keep the cost of a claim down?
Your pet’s wellbeing should always come first, and you should seek veterinary treatment when it’s needed. However, there are sensible ways pet owners can help manage veterinary costs.
Scratch & Patch recommends considering upfront quotes from different vets, as charges can vary between practices, and comparing the cost of prescribed medication where appropriate.
Regular exercise, a balanced diet and routine health checks can also support your pet’s long-term health.
Scratch & Patch customers also have access to our 24/7 Vet Careline, which may help you understand whether your pet needs to see a vet and potentially avoid an unnecessary trip.
These steps don’t guarantee that treatment or a claim will cost less, but they can help you make informed decisions about your pet’s care.
Is there a time limit for making a claim?
Yes. You should notify Scratch & Patch of a claim within 60 days of the incident or treatment and provide the required information and documentation as quickly as possible.
Scratch & Patch won’t pay claims for veterinary bills that are 12 months old or older when they’re submitted.
It’s therefore a good idea to start your claim promptly rather than allowing invoices and paperwork to build up.
What if my claim isn’t covered?
Pet insurance doesn’t cover every veterinary cost.
A claim may not be payable because, for example, the treatment isn’t covered by your chosen policy, the condition is pre-existing, a policy limit has been reached or another exclusion applies.
There can also be situations where a claim is eligible, but no payment is made because the eligible amount doesn’t exceed your applicable excess.
It’s important to check your policy documents and understand your cover before you need to claim, so at to help avoid surprises later.
Making a claim with Scratch & Patch
We’ve designed our claims process to be as straightforward as possible, so you can concentrate on what’s most important — looking after your pet.
You or your vet can submit a claim online, we’ll let you know if we require further information, and accepted claims can even be settled directly with your vet where agreed.
Before making a claim, have your policy details, veterinary information and itemised invoices ready. The more complete the information provided, the easier it is for the claims team to assess it.
Start a Scratch & Patch claim >
Understanding your pet’s cover
The key thing to remember is simple: Scratch & Patch does not cover pre-existing conditions.
Our policies are designed to protect against eligible new and unexpected illnesses and injuries, subject to the cover you choose and its terms, limits, exclusions and waiting periods.
If your pet has previously experienced an illness, injury, symptom or other health problem, make sure you understand how this could affect their cover before purchasing a policy.
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