Fee Structure

Here at Hollybank Vets, we are an independent small animal hospital endeavouring to provide an exceptionally high standard of care, hygiene, facilities and equipment.
Our prices for treatments, operations and consultations all involve varied areas of skill and all of these have to be taken into consideration when building a price structure.
For example, each hospital patient is assessed as an individual to determine the level of care needed; regardless of the patient’s size, our fees are set for routine procedures with the exemption of pain relief. All procedures requiring an operation include a post operation check which is included in the price.
Our fees are transparent and at a competitive rate to other veterinary practices, including VAT and with no hidden costs.

Insurance Claims

Hollybank Veterinary Centre are extremely experienced in handling insurance claims on behalf of our clients and strongly advise insurance to all pet owners. If your pet requires treatment which is covered by your insurance policy we simply need a signed claim form and your policy details to be able to process the claim quickly and forward it directly to your insurance provider. A record of each claim is stored on your pets file and we are happy to correspond directly with the insurance company if you prefer (the policy holder must confirm with the insurance company that they have permission to speak to us directly). We aim to process each claim we receive within 15 working days.

We do not charge for completing/submitting insurance claims on your behalf

Occasionally we may be able to submit “direct claims” to your insurance provider. This means that Hollybank Veterinary Centre will claim back all veterinary fees outstanding on your account, with the exception of your policy excess. All direct claims need to be authorised by our Practice Principal – Richard Hewitt, and are subject to the following guidelines:

• Direct claims may be submitted for claims of £200 or more.
• A Valid insurance certificate and schedule must be presented at the start of treatment together with a signed claim form.
• All direct claims are made at the discretion of our practice principal.
• Clients wishing to make a direct claim may be asked to sign an agreement prior to the start of treatment, guaranteeing payment should unforeseen problems arise with your insurance provider.
• Clients may be asked to request a “pro-forma” insurance form for non emergency treatment. This allows your insurance provider to assess if a condition or procedure is covered by your policy in advance.
• There is an administration fee for direct claims

 

Please note: we are currently unable to process “direct claims” for clients who are insured with E&L

 

Pet Insurance

People tend to think it’s only older pets that get ill and therefore younger pets don’t need pet insurance but we know from the patients we see each day that that is not the case. In fact, the younger your pet is when you insure them the better as it means you are less likely to have any existing conditions, which may not be covered by the policy and you can then receive more help covering the cost of any future treatment your pet needs.

It is important to note that not all pet insurance is the same. There are many different types of policy available and the level of cover provided can vary considerably. The four main types of policy are as follows:

• Accident: provides cover for accidents only and no cover for illness
• Time-Limited: provides cover for a set amount of time (usually 12 months) and after this period
  the condition is excluded
• Maximum Benefit: provides cover up to a maximum amount of money per condition and once
  this limit is reached the condition is excluded
• Lifetime: provides a set amount of money each year which is refreshed each time you renew
  your policy allowing you to continue to claim for ongoing conditions

 

As you can see from the information above, the type of policy you choose can have implications for the
veterinary care of your pet and the costs you will face so it’s important to choose the right cover.
Sometimes, the cheapest insurance can cost you more in the long run. When shopping around for a
policy, we suggest that you ask the following questions to allow you to compare the overall value you are
getting, not just the price:

1. Does this policy cover congenital, hereditary, hip-related, dental and behavioural conditions?
2. Is there a time or monetary limit on how long this policy will cover ongoing conditions for?
3. If I claim, will my premium increase?

Unlike other forms of insurance it is not easy to switch pet insurance in the future as any pre-existing
conditions your pet has are likely to be excluded so it’s important to do your research and choose the
right cover from the start.