Animal Friends Reviews

1.7 Rating 528 Reviews
16 %
of reviewers recommend Animal Friends
1.7
Based on 528 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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Animal Friends 1 star review on 30th November 2021
Roger Rothery
Animal Friends 1 star review on 6th April 2021
Angela
Animal Friends 1 star review on 23rd February 2021
J Sewell
Animal Friends 5 star review on 15th October 2020
Paula Mccur
Animal Friends 1 star review on 25th September 2020
Paige
Anonymous
Anonymous  // 01/01/2019
Had my dog 12 years and never made a claim. Earlier this year she became ill with what turned out to be pancreatitis and hepatitis. After paying out £1400 to get her fit and well my claim was declined as she had had a bout of diarrhoea the previous year. This, they claimed, was a symptom of her disease and therefore they said I hadn’t disclosed a preexisting condition and nullified her policy for anything relating to her stomach, kidneys and liver. I asked them to review their decision as the vet stated there was no link whatsoever. My request was refused. DO NOT use this company - they will use any excuse not to pay you. Disgusting! And now because of her age, I am unable to get insurance elsewhere. Very disappointing.
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Posted 4 years ago
Don't use Animal Friends to Insure your pets, there information they miss out like they tell you, when you lose your pets you receive a percentage of the cost but that's only if your pet gets knock over,!! Also after 8years of age you lose 20% of your claim but your monthly payments go up,,? Do your research
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Posted 4 years ago
I took out Insurance about 4.5 years ago, as with house Insurance it listed policy benefits etc. ie death of cat £500 i have an excess of £99 my cat got killed yesterday in a road accident, i wanted him created as, i am leaving my house, and didn't want to leave cat there buried in the Garden, when i rang i was told i may get £10 back that was what said i paid for him, i argued this i may now get £25 i am being sent a claim form, on one hand its say death of a pet £500, then it as a clause, you can't get back more than you paid for the Pet, disgusting and mis leading, i have never made a claim.
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Posted 4 years ago
We had dog and cat insurance they wouldn’t pay out for either. Our dog had an ear infection that would not shift she had anaesthetic to flush them out twice. But because she had had an ear infection before ( which cleared up with the meds) they wouldn’t pay.
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Posted 4 years ago
I have been with AF for over nine years for my two large breed dogs. Having taken the Prestige insurance as been stung in the past, my premiums have increased year on year due to both dogs having congenital arthritis. As they are both getting on now, this last year there has been a lot of medication and trips to the vets. Note my surprise this morning to receive a renewal which for one dog is increasing by no less than £1063.32 a year. That and the 20% I pay on each claim anyway as over 8 years old and the excess too! I am horrified but am stuck as cannot get insurance with anyone else for pre-existing conditions. I would advise all to shop around and not go with a company who is underwritten by Red Sands based in Gibraltar. This company is not nice to deal with - particularly when you need them during a stressful time when your beloved pets are unwell.
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Posted 4 years ago
This company is a disgrace. Keep well clear. They will do anything NOT to pay out. They do not care a fig about animals - they are definitely NOT animal friends. Complete waste of money on the premiums and definitely NO peace of mind.
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Posted 4 years ago
Received an email this morning for pre Authorisation for a Patella operation booked in for Monday. They are using a clause exclusions 1.3 1.31 Bilateral where it can happen on either side of the body. Well I shall be taking this further as some others have done so starting with the Financial Ombudsman. They have agreed a lump removal. Think everyone should see where I am coming from. They don't want to pay out. Even the referral team agree it is incorrect.
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Posted 4 years ago
I would like to agree with most of the comments relating to Animal Friends, their very shabby treatment of customers and their refusal to pay out for genuine claims. I would also point out that they will refuse to pay for any overweight pet if they can relate the illness/condition in any way to its weight. Exclusions as below :- Section 1: Vet Fees 1.3 Exclusions The following are excluded from cover: 1.3.18 Costs for treatment or conditions arising from your pet being overweight, except weight gain as a result of a diagnosed illness; I did write to the company several times asking just what value I was getting for my premium so long as my dog was classified as overweight and they refused to give me this information. There are many alternative insurance providers out there and I would strongly advise anyone to consider these ahead of Animal Friends.
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Posted 4 years ago
Don't bother with this company, hidden charges I found "co payment " cost me an extra £136 on top of the £99 excess charge,bloody rip off. Total cost my dogs treatment £750 approx. Animal friends only paid £500 towards the bill,be aware ,look at the small print!!!!
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Posted 4 years ago
Find any excuse not to pay out ,awful company
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Posted 4 years ago
***AVOID AVOID AVOID**** I am just coming in to the end of my 2nd year with my 2 year old St Bernard and his monthly premium renewal for August has more than trebled to over £180. He was diagnosed with bilateral hip and elbow dysplasia’s before he was 1 year old, having full lifetime cover (£6000 per condition) through the diagnosis process and physio treatments we have used less than £3000 in total over the two years. They will not give me an explanation why my monthly payment has more than trebled and obviously now I am going to be extremely nervous of putting any claim in and definitely terrified of putting a claim in if he ever needs hip surgery in the future. When I read my renewal I was devastated and sick to my stomach, what the hell would they increase it to if he needed serious medical care, £1000 per month, £1500 per month? To have my Saint I don’t have holidays, I don’t go out and spend and now I am going to struggle every month to live with the rate of their increases. This is the worse mistake I have EVER made in 20 years of owning Saint & giants, getting insurance with Animal Friends. I went off their reviews but I now I am extremely suspicious of the reviews as I can’t be the only policy holder who has been completely ripped off by them by their extortionate increases in monthly premiums when you have only claimed a very small percentage of the limit you have. I have also repeatedly had to give permission to deal with my vet directly and they constantly asked my vet for information for the claims that they already had. I rang over the increase and 48hrs later I am still waiting for someone to email me that day with all his claims I have submitted and for a senior manager to back to me, after they also included a claim that was not even for my 2yr old Saint, on my policy and when I realised this had happened I was assured multiple times this would be removed from his history as I knew it would affect every claim in the future and surprise surprise 6 months later they have not removed it. While they have paid out for all his claims the result for me has been an absolute financial nightmare and I am terrified what the future holds for me financially if and when my boy ever needs further treatment. I even stopped his hydro treatment after a few months as I was worried about the cost and I was taught a physio routine to do with him at home with the agreement of his specialist. From FB St Bernard UK dog groups with 1000’s of members not one member has anything good to say about animal friends but it is now too late for us to leave, I am stuck here or my boy won’t be covered for his dysplasia’s as they are pre-existing conditions.
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Posted 4 years ago
If i could leave 0 stars i would. DO NOT insure your pet with this company. They will find every reason under the sun to not pay a claim, absolutley shocking service. You would be better off just keeping some money aside for your pet. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE
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Posted 4 years ago
This company is no friend of ANY animal, let alone a loved pet. They only operate at certain hours. Their policy's are not worth the paper they are printed on , as they will look to NOT paying out given ANY slight excuse. Pay more for a better policy with another insurer. I pity the people who work for them, and the lengths that they will go to not pay out !
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Posted 4 years ago
BEWARE don not use animal friends to insure your pets your as good as not insured as they do not pay out for anything unless your pet dies. This company should be closed down and stop taking money from people knowing they will never payout. SCUM..................
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Posted 4 years ago
Do not use these crooks Have put in 3 claims and all 3 have been rejected due to what their vet called preconditions although their vet has never seen my dog and the last problem was only found by a blood test,
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Posted 4 years ago
Awful company! Used every excuse in the book to wriggle out of an insurance claim. Used my pets previous history when I was not even insured by animal friends at the time. Then they stated that cover was invalid on any out of hours claims... does this mean people should let there animal suffer until they can make an appointment with there vets??? Being weekends, nights or bank holidays. Always been sceptical to use insurance companies and this confirms why. I will be cancelling my policy with immediate effect and would not recommend this company to anyone hoping to claim any fees back on a claim
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Posted 4 years ago
I never ever write reviews but I felt compelled to on this occasion. I've had insurance with this company for the last 3 years and it included lifetime cover. I recently submitted a claim as our basset hound has an ongoing skin condition and I thought this would help towards the ongoing cost of his treatment (shampoo, occasionally medication) The claim was rejected on the basis of a single visit to the vet when our dog was less than 12 weeks old which took place while he was still covered by temporary insurance taken out by the breeder. No condition had been determined at that stage. I then took out the Animal Friends cover and it was only a year or so later as the dog got bigger that it was diagnosed as a yeast condition. I feel really let down and wonder now what the point of the insurance was. Furthermore, when I rang up to cancel the policy, the person at the other end of the phone did not seem remotely concerned or too bothered about the cancellation. I would not recommend this company to anyone.
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Posted 4 years ago
Watch out for the gradual, but significant erosion of policy cover after a claim. There is now so little covered by my policy that it is pointless. For example, a bout of sickness lead to "the (whole) digestive system" being removed from cover; and accidental injury lead to anything relating to "sticks" being removed from cover; a heart murmur at a check up (no treatment needed) lead to "heart conditions" being removed from the policy cover. This latter situation was most disappointing as this did not appear in my pet schedule and only came to light when my (now elderly) dog actually needed medication for heart failure. I have found the fiscal attitude is completely inconsistent with the Animal Friends advertising (friendly and charitable). I felt extremely let down by Animal Friends Insurance at a time when I needed most help with my pet's healthcare costs. I do not recommend them as an insurer. I just hope some of my money has made it to animal charities.
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Posted 5 years ago
Can’t give a lower rating, this so called caring animal insurance is a total waste of money. They don’t cover anxiety?in your pet, waste of money don’t go anywhere near these chancers
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Posted 5 years ago
*****PLEASE DON'T PART WITH YOUR MONEY****** Unfortunately the option of leaving 0 stars is not available or that would have been the score I'd have given them. This company should be avoided at all costs. Please actually speak to this outfit rather than purchase online before parting with your money to see exactly what is covered (I promise you it wont be much). Like others have said, if you are already a customer and need to make a claim I feel for you already. You will speak to a half wit who doesn't know one end of an animal to the other but is still quite happy to impart their knowledge/argue with you (delete as appropriate) with regard to pre-existing conditions and associated ailments until you start losing the will to live. Good luck if you go with them, you'll need it, along with a large bank balance.
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Posted 5 years ago
Animal Friends is rated 1.7 based on 528 reviews