Animal Friends Reviews

Name: Animal Friends
Rating: 1.65

1.7 Rating 579 Reviews

15 %

of reviewers recommend Animal Friends

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1.7

Based on 579 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Courier
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Live Chat, Email
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.2 out of 5

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Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Animal Friends should be renamed "We do not pay out!" We have had dog insurance over a period of 35 years and this is without doubt the worst company we have had the misfortune to deal with. They refuse to pay out, even if you have followed your vet's advice! DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Would give them 0 stars if I could. Worst company I've ever had the misfortune to deal with. They try and get out of paying you and they delay doing so by weeks if not months. Save yourself the stress of using this firm and pay that little extra for a decent company who look after you and your pet.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Complete waste of £75 pm. Made first ever claim for a very small amount and it was rejected due to being told it was a pre existing condition ( it wasn't) Apparently that's their favourite get out clause. Disgusting 'insurance ' company and I wish I'd done more research before I took out a worthless policy with them. You only have to read the endless bad reviews to realise how bad this company is. Buyer beware!”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Avoid like the plague, been insured for over 6 years paying around £30 a month so had roughly £2000 Plus off me, put a claim in for ear infection for £230, but cos my dog went to vets on 18th sept then my policy renewed on 21st sept there charging 2 excess of £69 as it runs over 2 years insurance apparently, ( not the fact I’ve had continuous insurance with them for the past 6 years. Only paying out £100 absolutely disgusted and fuming.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“I was worried that I wouldn't be able to insure my puppy because she's a rescue and I have no way of getting a full vet history, but they've been amazing, and WAY cheaper per month than PetPlan and the like. Staff were really friendly and helpful on the phone, and this is my first dog so that really helped. So far so good!”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Policy utterly worthless. Will clas any unrelated issue as a pre existing condition to avoid their responsibilities. Save your money and bank it for when you need a vet”

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Posted 7 years ago

“I have been insured with Animal Friends, or should that be Animal Fiends, on their Superior Plus cover (Superior Plus - that's a joke!) for over three years at a cost of around £280 per year (£1100+ paid in total). I claimed nothing until last month, when I claimed for just over £300 for an examination that was carried out on my four year old dog for a specific stomach complaint. Before I claimed, I rang Animal Friends to discuss the claim and was told there should be no problem. After submitting the claim I received a letter from AF saying my claim had been denied because the condition had been present before I had insured with them. This was abject nonsense. I had visited the vet several times for a colonic sensitivity issue resulting in loose stools which my dog had as a puppy (which was cleared up with a diet change almost two years since) and twice for short-lived bouts of sickness caused by dietary indiscretion, like any dog gets from time to time. None of this was related in any way whatsoever to the stomach complaint I claimed for, which was repeated vomiting on an empty stomach over a period of several weeks. I feel I have been scammed. You pay your premium on the dot every year, trusting the company to act honestly when you need them to help out, and when you have to claim a fraction of it back for a perfectly valid reason you are refused. This company is an absolute disgrace and I wish now I'd taken notice of the terrible reviews it routinely gets on the review sites. I have now emailed them cancelling my policy. Obviously I will not now be insuring my dog, because all that happens is you end up paying extortionate premiums on top of the vet bills you have to pay anyway.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“My lab was diagnosed with pyometra and we were given the shocking news either a risky hysterectomy given her age or euthanasia we went for the op the vet said it was extremely unlikely pet insurance would cover this type of condition but animal friends agreed to cover. my dog is makin steady recovery the vets bill almost 2000 we would not have been able to pay so thank you animal friends. Anyone thinking of not bothering with insurance for there dog think again my dog would of been dead without a policy”

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Posted 7 years ago

“My 4year old chocolate Labrador suddenly went ill with vomiting and pyrexia took him to emergency vet and back to my own vet the vet did a x-ray on his stomach on the Wednesday took him back again on Thursday everything in gut was the same so they operated thinking he had a blockage but no blockage looked higher to the stomach half his stomach was black the lining had gone and an ulcer that had come through the stomach wall and it had stopped the gut working the vet couldn't do nothing for him so heart breaking and shocked at having to put my boy to sleep animal friends wouldn't pay the insurance as he had colitis (which was under control through diet and no episode since he was 8mths old)had a letter from the vet saying that the 2 weren't related and the vet phoned them also,so be very careful about animal friends I'd never use them again”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Be very careful with this company, they are cheap only if your dog is younger than 8yrs old or your cat is under 10yrs, ive just lost my boy who was 10yrs the total bill was £2,800 I paid 2 excesses of £99.00 only to find out because my dog was over 8yrs I was liable for a additional 35% which meant I had to pay £1,150, buyer beware ! ! !”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Our Boston terrier Marvin is dying of cancer following discovery and removal of a mast cell tumour which was unfortunately high grade. They have refused to pay out on the claim and are using any excuse to say the condition was pre-existing. They are even trying to link it to the fact that 5 years ago Marvin was bitten by a dog which left a small scar, what the hell would that have to do with it? If you value your pets wellbeing do not use this company !!”

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Posted 7 years ago

“If I could give no stars I would horrible company don't waste your money”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Have cancelled my policy with this dreadful company did not want to pay out a penny for my dogs claim full of excuses!I might as well put that money aside every month at least I would of had some towards vets bill!Be warned they don't want to pay out it's a complete con!”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Animal friends - warning ........ do not use ......... We had an insurance policy with this company for our pedigree birman cat Max who unfortunately had to be put to sleep last November aged 3 with FIP. I submitted everything from the vet and Animal friends took their time and after chasing them several times eventually paid for the tests and euthanasia less excess. Today I contacted them to take out insurance for our new kitten and in the course of my conversation about their different policies discovered from the operative that I could have claimed at the time of Max's death for compensation for the initial cost of Max. Max cost us £350. The operative said I was out of the 90 days claim period and asked me if I hadn't been advised at the time that I could claim. No one at Animal Friends advised us that we were entitled to this and I have been told today that after 90 days you are unable to claim. I asked to speak to a manager who also said I now couldn't claim and then initially told me that I wouldn't have been able to claim for Max as you can only claim for death of a pet after they reach the age of 10, when I kept questioning this he went away to check and said he was sorry that information about age was wrong. Again I asked why I wasn't advised at the time that I could claim and he said that I should have read all my policy paperwork and it is not down to Animal Friends to advise you of what you are entitled to. I informed this 'manager' that I was extremely upset and would write a review regarding my dealings with Animal Friends”

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Posted 7 years ago

“I have been with AF for over 9 years. Only had to claim once before now. Now my baby is starting to age and had to have test done and heart tablets now for the rest of her life. AF is fighting me because a vet wrote back in 2011 that she has a slight heart murmur requiring no investigation. The fact that she was already insured with them with a life long policy still makes no difference. They still haven't agreed to pay. Disgusting way to treat a loyal customer!”

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Posted 7 years ago

“They do not pay out on ANY out of hours vets visits. Even on their 'accident-only' policy. So if your pet happens to have an accident outside of 9-5 or a weekend they will not payout. All in their small print.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Sadly just had to cancel my insurance policy for Watson that was held with Animal Friends Insurance. They snuck an exclusion onto the policy so that they won't have any more claims for anything to do with his skin, as before we took him on the rescue paid cash for him to have one removed back in 2012. Even after the vet writing to them to explain this is completely unrelated to any other condition, they are adamant that this will exclude him from all future claims of this nature, which just happen to be the most common issue for older white boxer dogs. It's opportunist at best so I would recommend not using them if you have the choice as turns out they are a complete joke.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“My dog has been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. We received a £2,000 bill for a biopsy and MRI to confirm this. Animal Friends won't pay out as they say we had an exclusion for a fatty lump which we had removed for cosmetic reasons. We are going to fight this one 100% with the financial Ombudsman, my Vet advised Animal Friends are notorious for this kind of thing.”

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Posted 7 years ago

“wouldn't pay out for my dogs cataract surgery as it was " elective" it seems as he has one good eye it was my choice to have the op!! had it been both eyes they presumably would have paid out....go figure that one !!”

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Posted 7 years ago

“Cat is insured up to £1000 per condition, she needs investigations into a heart problem but Animal Friends have refused to do a pre authorisation claim because the treatment will be under £1000! So we have no way of knowing if she is covered for this condition or not. We cannot afford to pay the £500 for the tests if the insurance wont cover her (that is why we have insurance in the first place). Phoned animal friends and they say that it is in their policy not to pre authorise claims under £1000 - stupid.”

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Posted 7 years ago

Animal Friends is rated 1.7 based on 579 reviews