Pet insurance - avoid at all costs. Exclusions to the point the policy is unusable.

Let this be a warning to everyone - DO NOT take out pet insurance with Hollard. Absolutely every little thing is an exclusion except for the most narrow of situations. I took out their premium plan AND took the top-up option. If I hadn't taken the top-up option, I would have received absolutely no money back from them from the 3 claims I have made.

Now I am not a panicky pet owner, just your normal pet owner. I took the vet's advice and took my puppy in when needed, to get the vet recommended check-ups, vaccinations, sterilization (i.e. what any reasonable dog owner would do) and absolutely. every. claim. was. rejected. save for my first one which was only covered because of the costly top up I opted into. If I had gone simply for their premium plan, I would have been rejected every time. This is despite their policy using hopeful wording such as 'All Treatments Annual Payout - consultations/visits' etc. It does NOT mean all treatments at all, and they will reject you if you have the audacity to visit the vet on their advice for an advised check up.

On the phone, the lady will say she agrees with my logic but states that I am wrong because of how they operate - so she is quite openly acknowledging that it should work one way, but doesn't in reality. They have specifically drafted their policies in such a way that they can weasel their way out of paying out. Her one argument was that a certain claim was not for an accident or illness, and I said the wording doesn't state that in the policy and she genuinely said... well it should do, because that's how it works. So no actual written justification for their rejection, rather just a verbal reasoning for a rejection. It is beyond infuriating.

I cannot stress this enough - Hollard Pet Insurance is not designed for real life, and was probably drawn up in a room full of non-pet owners who have caveated themselves into a saferoom where it is nigh on impossible to claim anything from them. To date I have not even touched my normal policy, and have only been able to tap into my optional top up - that should be proof this normal policy is not usable.

AVOID AVOID AVOID.