How can I make a pet insurance claim? Plus, more answers to common pet claims questions.

It can be hard to know what steps to take when it comes to the before, during and after of submitting a claim for your pet. We’re here to help by answering some of the most common questions pet owners ask about pet insurance claims. 

How can I make a pet insurance claim?

Submitting a pet insurance claim takes just a few simple steps. 

  1. Get a claim form
    First, you’ll have to download a claim form. If you’re at the vet, they might also have forms available to you. You can also download a personalized form by signing in to your account. This form is already conveniently populated with you and your pet’s information, to save you time. 

    Depending on what you’re claiming for, choose between the following forms:

    General claim form
    Advertising & reward expense form
    Boarding claim form
    Cremation burial claim form
    Holiday cancellation claim form 

  2. Pay a visit to the veterinarian
    Take your pet to any licensed vet. After they diagnose and treat your pet, you must pay your bill in full. Then, your vet or an authorized clinic employee needs to fill out section 2 of the claim form. 

  3. Submit the claim
    Your next job is to fill out sections 1 and 3 of the claim form. After you’ve carefully reviewed your information, submit the completed claim form and all receipts using one of three ways:
     
    • Via your online account. Upload photos of the completed forms and receipts through your online account
    • By sending an email. Send photos of forms and receipts to info@pets.sonnet.ca (please send photos in either PDF or JPG formats)
    • Through regular mail.
      Petline Insurance Company
      301-600 Empress Street
      Winnipeg, MB R3G 0R5
      FAX: 1-866-501-5580

Need more info or have a few more questions? We’re here to help! Give us a call at 1-888-920-7180 or email us at info@pets.sonnet.ca.

How much time do I have to file a claim?

After the date your pet was treated, you have 6 months to submit your claim. Even if a payout doesn’t happen, you should submit the claim. Why? Because it’ll help satisfy your deductible and make a difference if you have to make more claims that year. 

Should I submit a claim if my vet bill is less than my annual deductible?

Yes, you should. Sometimes, you won’t receive a payout for a claim. But even if you don’t, any claims you file will work towards satisfying your annual deductible – which is a good thing. It’ll also help if you have to submit more claims that same year.

Do you have direct deposit for my claim payout?

Yes, we do. If you prefer, you can set up direct deposit for your reimbursement by signing into your account – no need to wait for a cheque in the mail. On the payments screen, just enter your bank account info and then select it as your reimbursement method. 

Instead of covering 80% of my bill, I’ve been informed that you’ll only be covering 60%. Can you explain why?

When it comes to keeping your pets healthy, we’re here to share with you the task of managing the financial risk. As a part of this process, we conduct a file review every six months. During this review, we’ll take a look at the number and cost of any claims made over the previous 24 months.  

Based on the results of the file assessment, some policies may be adjusted. This will be determined by the claims activities (number of claims and cost, as per above) found during the review. 

If your policy is adjusted after the review, your co-insurance will be changed for future claims. The standard percentage of co-insurance is 20%, but it could also be adjusted to the amount of 30%, 40% or a maximum of 50%. 

The good news? This won’t have an impact on your coverage limits or affect your ability to make claims. And, it’s not a permanent change.  

Any adjustments made to your policy will be reassessed semi-annually. You could qualify to go back to a lower level of co-insurance, depending on your future claims activity. 

After my pet insurance policy starts, is there a waiting period before I can make a claim?

Yes, there is. The length of the waiting period depends on the type of claim you’re looking to make. Each waiting period begins at 12:01 am the day after we approve your policy application.

Here are the waiting periods based on types of claims:

  • 48 hours for accidents
  • 14 days for illnesses
  • 6 months for cruciate ligament injuries or intervertebral disc disease
  • 6 months for dental coverage